Article by: Chris Giesen
The City of Harmony was recently awarded a $21,500 Community Facilities grant by USDA Rural Development to purchase a new motorized cot and lift for its new ambulance.
“This is a great program to help in rural communities; we’ve been able to utilize this program many times for various public works and emergency management equipment needs in Harmony” said Chris Giesen, the CEDA team member who authored the grant application for Harmony.
The program can be used for a variety of public uses, both for equipment and construction/renovation of public buildings and has both a grant and loan element available, depending on the project. Among other criteria, the community’s demographics is a major factor in determining whether or not it is eligible for the grant portion of the program.
“The total project cost was about $39,000 so, that equates to a 55% grant on this particular project. In the past, we’ve been awarded even higher grant percentages,” Giesen continued. “The USDA staff is always very helpful with our applications. I would recommend that every community look at this program to see if they qualify.”