USDA Expands Access to Four Key Loan Programs

(This announcement was originally posted on Dec. 10, 2021. It was updated on April 27, 2022. The * denotes new or updated information since the original announcement.)

WASHINGTON, April 27, 2022 – USDA Rural Development Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small on Dec. 10, 2021, announced the Department is expanding access to four loan guarantee programs that provide funding to help rural communities create jobs and improve local infrastructure. This expansion continues the Department’s regulatory reforms to make it easier for communities and lenders to access USDA funding.

* Today, USDA announced provisions for applications pending review, conditional commitments and loans financed under the initiative prior to Dec. 10. For further information about the provisions, see page 24857 of the April 27, 2022, Federal Register.

The OneRD Guarantee Loan Initiative reduced paperwork and adopted a common loan note guarantee application for the Water and Waste Disposal Loan Guarantee Program; the Community Facilities Guaranteed Loan Program; the Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program; and the Rural Energy for America Guaranteed Loan Program.

These improvements include allowing eligible entities to use the Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan program to finance rural broadband and telecommunications projects that are not eligible for funding under USDA Rural Utilities Service programs. Also, the Department has clarified when utility projects that serve rural and non-rural areas are eligible for a USDA loan guarantee.

The Department is no longer requiring lenders to maintain a minimum 50 basis points servicing fee from holders or other participants in the guarantee. Additionally, USDA now says it will consider loan guarantees for infrastructure and business projects in addition to those listed in the initial October 2020 regulation.

For more information on the regulatory changes and how to apply to the programs under this initiative, visit www.rd.usda.gov/onerdguarantee.

To learn more about investment resources for rural areas, interested parties should contact their USDA Rural Development state office and see page 70349 of the Dec. 10, 2021, Federal Register.

USDA issued a correction for the notice originally published on Dec. 10. For further information, see page 7367 of the Feb. 9, 2022, Federal Register.

USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.

If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.