United States Department of Agriculture: Rural Development

by: Iola Bonggay

I've always wondered how small towns and cities operate. I've always been fascinated by tightly-knitted communities and places where everyone just seems to know everyone.

The United States Government, I suppose, gives great importance to these kind of areas as well. In fact, they find these communities so significant that they decided to build an independent agency that strategically designed to cater to their unique needs and interests.

Of course, I am referring to the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development Agency, which is more commonly known as USDA RD.

USDA Rural Development is an agency that is operating under the United States Department of Agriculture. The primary goal of the USDA RD is to assist in the improvement of the economy and quality of life in rural areas located in the United States.

The agency was established under the Federal Crop Insurance Reform Act of 1994 and Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act.

The USDA RD's efforts are geared towards the improvement and further development of rural life in general. It has programs that are intended for supporting fundamental public services and facilities such as water and sewage systems, health clinics, housing services, electric and telephone services, and emergency saving facilities.

  (continued...)

United States Department of Agriculture: Rural Development
  Page 2

About The Author Iola Bonggay is an editor of TopGovernmentGrants.com one the the most comprehensive Websites offering information on government grants and federal government programs. She also maintains Websites providing resources on education grant money and civic engagement grants.

Additional Resources

category - Applying for a Grant

Agriculture and Food Research Initiative: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Fellowships Grant Program
The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative grant program revolves around the premise of providing funds to both fundamental and applied research studies, education, and extension that would hopefully address concerns related to food and agricultural sciences.

---

National Institutes of Health: Expanding the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements in Human and Model Organisms
The National Institutes of Health, in cooperation with the National Human Genome Research Institute, has established a funding opportunity to support the Expanding the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements in Human and Model Organisms project.

---

National Science Foundation announces the Cyberlearning: Transforming Education Program
The Cyberlearning: Transforming Education is a program wherein the NSF will provide funding for research proposals that aim to explore opportunities associated with the promotion and assessment of learning techniques through the help of new technologies, taking advantage of the application of those technologies, and the utilization of those technologies in the process of promoting deep and lasting learning of content, practices, skills, attitudes, and dispositions that are essential in becoming an engaged and productive citizen.

---

National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowships in Poetry
The Literature Fellowship program will offer $25,000 grants in poetry to published creative writers that are capable of writing literary pieces, conduct research, travel, and work towards general career advancement activities.

---