FARIBAULT — The United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development is currently accepting applications for loans and grants offered through the Community Facilities Loan and Grant Program. Public entities (counties, townships and communities), nonprofit organizations and tribal communities with a population of 20,000 or less are eligible to apply. Interest rates for this program are at historically low levels of 3.5 percent. The terms for these loans are based on the useful life of the security and can be up 40 years. The loan and grant purpose under this program is for essential community facilities. Some examples of essential community facilities include:

Health care facilities: hospitals, medical clinics, dental clinics, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, rehabilitation centers or boarding homes for the elderly.

Public facilities: town halls, city or county offices, courthouses, airport hangars, street improvements, bridges, dams, sidewalks, parking lots or parks.

Community support services: child care centers, community centers, fairgrounds or transitional housing.

Public safety services: fire departments, fire trucks, emergency warning systems, police stations, rescue vehicles and equipment, prisons, police vehicles, public works vehicles or equipment.

Educational services: libraries, schools, museums, educational camps or colleges.

Utility services and energy transmission and distribution: telemedicine and distance learning equipment, natural gas distribution, electrical system related improvements and buildings.

Local food systems: community gardens, food pantries, community kitchens, food banks, food hubs or greenhouses.

Funding is based upon an annual appropriation. Currently, significant loan funding and limited grant funding is available.

For more information pertaining to the counties of Blue Earth, Dakota, Dodge, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, LeSueur, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Scott, Steele, Wabasha, Waseca and Winona,  contact Laurie Balata or Charles Phillips at 332-7418, ext. 4 or visit the USDA, Rural Development office at 1810 30th St. NW, Suite 3, Faribault.