In this issue:

RCAC Agua4All Program

Despite school closures last year, RCAC’s Agua4All team kept busy. Since the program’s launch in 2014, the team has installed 580 drinking water stations in 121 schools, 71 public places, 37 communities, 43 districts and 14 Tribal communities. They also distributed 15,740 reusable bottles to support increased consumption of drinking water for students and community members who benefited from the increased access to water.

Visit the Agua4All website for information about Agua4All, Drinking Water for Schools and Bottled Water for Schools.

American Express grant funds economic development in rural New Mexico, Utah communities

West Sacramento, Calif. — A $50,000 American Express grant will support economic development through Rural Community Assistance Corporation’s (RCAC) Building Rural Economies (BRE) training in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico and Grant County, Utah. Read more

U.S. EPA Announces Drinking Water System of Arvin, California Has Returned to Compliance with Arsenic Safety Standard

KERN COUNTY (October 13, 2021) Yesterday evening, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) announced at a joint press conference that Arvin Community Services District (the District) has come into compliance with the federal Safe Drinking Water Act arsenic health standard. Read more

Book launch: Investing in Rural Prosperity

Rural communities across the nation were struggling to survive and recover from the Great Recession when the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Recognizing what these communities faced before the pandemic, and the tough work they have ahead of them in recovery, the Federal Reserve Board of Governors and the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis are jointly publishing “Investing in Rural Prosperity” on Nov. 16, 2021, which details a framework for advancing shared economic prosperity in rural communities across the United States. Join us for the webinar on that date to launch the book and celebrate the unique assets in rural communities. Information and registration

Join our team

Join our passionate team and make a difference in rural communities throughout the West! We work in diverse and low-income communities to increase access to affordable housing and safe drinking water, promote economic opportunity and job creation, and provide financing for community and economic development projects. Apply here!

Celebrating 30+ years of lending

RCAC provides financing for affordable housing, environmental infrastructure, community facilities or small businesses. Our rates are competitive, our staff is easy to work with and they provide quick turnaround on applications. Give us a call to discuss your project in detail and download our programs and rates at-a-glance flyer. RCAC is a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). About RCAC’s Loan Fund

Training highlights

Basic Financial Management for Small Water Systems (Southwestern Washington)

November 4 | 9:00 am – 12:30 pm (Pacific Time)

Location: ONLINE

Do you want to improve your water system’s financial health? Good financial management ensures that your utility is operated as a financially sustainable enterprise while providing safe and reliable water, both in the short- and long-term, to your utility’s customers. Join us and learn about financial management, common financial statements, budgeting basics and how rates affect your financial health.

Information and registration