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U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue recently unveiled a one-stop-shop of federal programs that can be used by rural communities, organizations and individuals impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 Federal Rural Resource Guide (PDF, 349 KB) is a first-of-its-kind resource for rural leaders looking for federal funding and partnership opportunities to help address this pandemic.

Included in the resource guide is USDA’s Business and Industry Load Guarantees program, which is eligible to rural areas outside of a city or town with a population of fewer than 50,000 people. Click here to learn more about the program and how to apply.

“Under the leadership of President Trump, USDA is committed to being a strong partner to rural communities preparing for and impacted by COVID-19,” Perdue said. “This resource guide will help our rural leaders, whether they are in agriculture, education, health care or any other leadership capacity, understand what federal assistance is available for their communities during this unprecedented time.”

USDA has taken many immediate actions to assist farmers, ranchers, producers, rural communities, and rural-based businesses and organizations impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information on these actions, visit www.usda.gov/coronavirus.

NMMA has outlined additional federal, state, local, international and outdoor recreation resources at www.nmma.org/coronavirus. If you have questions, please email NMMA’s COVID-19 task force at [email protected].