Greater effort is being made to strengthen faith-based organizations to increase support of our nation’s rural communities. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman announced a new US Department of Agriculture faith-based and community organization pilot program called the Rural Development Community Facilities Guaranteed Loan Program. The program will help educate nonprofit organizations to improve their services to the communities and allow them better access to federal resources. USDA Rural Development will soon hold educational workshops about the program.
"To further support our nation's rural communities, these workshops will help faith-based and community organizations get the information they need about available resources," said Veneman, "This Administration remains committed to helping faith-based and community organizations get access to federal resources to enhance their capacity to serve their communities."
USDA was incorporated into President Bush’s Faith-based and Community Initiative in Oct. in 2002. USDA allows equal access of funding to faith-based organizations, including its programs and benefits and tries to offer as much resources as possible for the faith groups to facilitate community outreach involving health care clinics, schools, and child care centers.
