West Sacramento, Calif. — Agriculture Secretary Vilsack announced that RCAC will receive $187,500 through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Community Development Initiative Program (RCDI).

RCAC will use the grant to work with rural and tribal communities throughout the West through its Leadership Development and Building Rural Economies programs to develop a wide range of community development projects.

RCAC’s leadership training creates a core of trained volunteer leaders in rural communities. The training develops the skills of existing leaders and gives emerging leaders skills to be more effective in organizing community projects.

RCAC’s Building Rural Economies initiative has been created to ensure that rural communities throughout the West will be vibrant, healthy and enduring. RCAC works with local sponsor organizations to network, train leaders, plan economic development strategies, and support plan implementation. Sponsor organizations are identified through our current client networks in rural communities across our 13-state footprint. Currently, four communities (Mora, NM; Enterprise, OR; Goshute Tribe, UT; and Green River, UT) are designated as Building Rural Economies communities.

“We are thrilled to again be selected by Rural Development for an RCDI award. The intensive community development relationships funded by the program are designed to have substantial and long-lasting impact on the quality of life in the rural communities,” said Stanley Keasling, RCAC chief executive officer.

Forty-eight community-based organizations federally recognized Indian tribes and other groups were selected for funding to help promote economic growth in low-income, rural communities.

“These grants will bring increased economic opportunities to rural residents and communities by strengthening the capacity of regional organizations to help small and emerging businesses,” Vilsack said.

Founded in 1978, RCAC provides a wide range of community development services for rural and Native American communities and community-based organizations in 13 western states and other Pacific Islands. RCAC has strong core services and expertise in housing, environmental infrastructure (water, wastewater and solid waste), leadership training, economic development and financing. To find out more about RCAC, visit www.rcac.org.

For the complete list recipients and their projects>>
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/supportdocuments/RD_RCDI-Chart2014.pdf

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Contact: Keli James

RCAC PR communications coordinator

(916) 447-9832 ext. 1013