Strategic Economic and Community Development is a Farm Bill provision that allows USDA to give priority for projects that support the implementation of regional economic development plans through the following four USDA Rural Development programs:
- Community Facilities Loans, Grants and Loan Guarantees;
- Water and Waste Disposal Program Loans, Grants and Loan Guarantees;
- Business & Industry Program Loan Guarantees; and
- Rural Business Development Grants.
Projects that promote regional economic development can capitalize upon the unique strengths of specific rural areas. USDA Rural Development helps finance these projects by helping applicants overcome multi-jurisdictional challenges and by helping leverage federal, state, local or private funding. Regionally focused projects help USDA resources have a larger impact, enabling greater wealth creation and quality of life improvements.
Detailed instructions on what qualifies as a multi-jurisdictional plan, scoring criteria and award process | SECD Instructions for the Application Form (Form RD 1980-88)
To be eligible for SECD, a project must:
- Be eligible for the underlying program;
- Be carried out solely in a rural area;
- Support a multi-jurisdictional strategic economic community development plan;
- Consideration for regional development priority will be based on:
- How well the project supports a multi-jurisdictional plan, and
- How well the plan addresses collaboration and investments from other federal and philanthropic agencies.
Applications are due September 30, 2018.
For more information, contact your local USDA Rural Development office
Or contact Angela Callie in the national office at RDCED@wdc.USDA.gov