RCAC funding stream bolsters rural communities

By June Otow, RCAC corporate development advisor

RCAC effectively serves rural communities because of contributions, investments and fee-for-service contracts from foundations, corporations, government entities and other nonprofit organizations. RCAC appreciates its funders for their commitment to a vision for a better rural America through community development.

Recent Funders (October 2008 – November 15, 2008)

Wells Fargo Bank has again awarded RCAC a flexible grant. This year’s grant will support four specific activities:

The Rural Symposium held in February 2009, which kicked off the process for a new strategic plan for RCAC
Create an online application submission system for RCAC U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) sub-grantees
Outreach and partnership building activities of RCAC’s Government Affairs and Rural Policy Team to strengthen programs and policies that impact rural America
Build RCAC’s capacity to holistically address the needs of rural communities

The California/Nevada chapter of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) has contracted with RCAC to conduct nine water operator workshops. The water treatment and water distribution workshops will be held in Reno, Nevada and taught by Steven Palmer, RCAC rural development specialist. Palmer is a certified MSHA instructor and he has a Grade III water treatment and water distribution operator certificate in Nevada.

RCAC is a HUD approved National Housing Counseling Intermediary. For the fifth consecutive year, HUD has awarded funds to RCAC to provide oversight and compliance assistance, technical assistance and training to housing counseling sub-grantees in the West. In the previous year, RCAC’s 20 housing counseling sub-grantees counseled nearly 14,000 individuals.

An anonymous donor funded RCAC’s housing counseling program. These funds will be used to assist self-help agencies improve or establish housing counseling programs, help housing counseling agencies meet HUD requirements and conduct foreclosure workshops with a focus on legal aspects of foreclosure.

Enterprise Community Partners executed an agreement with RCAC to provide capacity building technical assistance to a nonprofit housing developer in Arizona. As a result, 175 units of affordable housing will be constructed for low-income rural residents.

Bank of Hawaiifunded RCAC to assist a nonprofit housing developer create a new self-help housing model for the state. This model will produce more affordable units in a state with a staggering need for affordable housing. This model could also be instrumental in building affordable housing on lands held by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL). DHHL has expressed an interest in utilizing Section 502 financing for low-income housing and an experienced mutual self-help housing agency is interested in piloting the model on DHHL property.

Cooperative Personnel Services, Human Resourceshas partnered with RCAC again to provide workshops for water operators throughout California. There are currently 30 workshops scheduled through June 2009. Workshops include topics such as Distribution Certification Exam Preparation, Basic Budgeting for Operators, Consumer Confidence Reports and Coliform Sampling and Disinfection Techniques. Most of these courses are taught by John Hamner, RCAC rural development specialist. Mr. Hamner brings years of experience as a certified small water system’s operator to the classroom.

California State Water Resources Control Board funded RCAC to provide technical assistance to the city of Colfax regarding compliance with Proposition 218 and its effect on financing wastewater operations. Workshops will be conducted at the community level and city staff will be supported in finding alternative sources of funding.

Closed Loan Fund investments

In the fiscal year that ended September 30, 2008, RCAC’s loan fund closed a record 55 loans totaling $41,723,000. By doing so, the loan fund committed nearly all of its lending capital. Therefore, investments secured in this quarter were highly appreciated as they enabled the loan fund to continue making loans. Supporters who recently closed investments include: