Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) applauded the recent announcement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development to award the City of Fort Gaines $169,800 to purchase patrol vehicles and security equipment. The award — a $100,000 grant and a $69,800 loan — will be matched with $68,000 from the city. The USDA Rural Development funding comes through its Community Facilities Direct Loans and Guaranteed Loans program.
“Thanks to these USDA funds, the residents of Fort Gaines get much needed equipment for local police and emergency responders. Too often, smaller communities have difficulty raising the large amount of funds needed up front for these important investments,” said Congressman Bishop. “That is why I work hard every year as the Appropriations subcommittee chairman responsible for USDA Rural Development programs to make sure they have the resources needed to support a wide range of quality of life issues, including public safety.”
“This award will go a long way towards strengthening our police and public works departments. These funds will also help improve City Hall’s digital presence and accessibility to our community as well as ensure uninterrupted operation as a crisis center,” said Fort Gaines Mayor Kenneth Sumpter. “We have been working for a few years to pull together the needed funds and this award will allow us to move forward with these crucial projects.”
More than 100 types of projects are eligible for Community Facilities funding. Eligible applicants include municipalities, public bodies, nonprofit organizations and federally recognized Native American tribes. Projects must be in rural areas with a population of 20,000 or less. For more information, visit https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/community-facilities/community-facilities-direct-loan-grant-program.
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