Rural eNews

June 2020

Funding & Finance Opportunities

Broadband

HIGH SPEED BROADBAND/RURAL OPPORTUNITY FUND. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) designed the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund to bring high speed fixed broadband service to rural homes and small businesses that lack access. The first phase of the FCC reverse auction will target over six million homes and businesses in census blocks that are entirely underserved by voice and broadband with download speeds of at least 25 Mbps. Deadline: 10/22/2020.

Community

RURAL LISC (Rural Local Initiatives Support Corporation) created Community Facilities Fund to provide capital to help develop and improve essential community facilities in rural areas. Rural LISC utilizes this fund to provide permanent and construction-to-permanent financing for rural community facilities, including health care centers, hospitals, educational facilities, and other nonprofit and public facilities in rural communities with populations under 20,000. Deadline: ongoing.

THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS (CDFI) FUND published a notice opening the fiscal year 2020 round for the Capital Magnet Fund (CMF) in the Federal Register. Through the CMF, the CDFI Fund will award up to $173.8 million in grants to CDFIs and nonprofit organizations to finance affordable housing and related economic development and community service facilities.

OTTO BREMER TRUST. The Otto Bremer Trust is dedicated to building healthy, vibrant communities—places where basic needs are met, mutual regard is prized, and opportunities for economic, civic, and social participation are within everyone's reach. The Trust provides grants to nonprofit organizations whose beneficiaries are residents of Minnesota, North Dakota, or western Wisconsin, with priority given to communities or regions served by Bremer Bank. The focus is on supporting initiatives in the following broad categories: basic needs, community asset building, health and well-being, and restorative and emergency services. (There are separate focus areas for organizations serving the Minnesota/St. Paul metropolitan region.) The upcoming application deadline is 6/30/2020.

WORKFORCE OPPORTUNITY FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES. The U.S. Department of Labor program will fund projects supporting rural communities in aligning workforce development efforts with economic development plans, serving the following areas hard-hit by economic transition and recovering slowly: The Appalachian region; and The Lower Mississippi Delta region. Deadline: 7/29/2020.

Children

AMERICAN LEGION CHILD WELFARE FOUNDATION supports organizations that contribute to the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual welfare of children through the dissemination of information about new and innovative programs designed to benefit youth, or through the dissemination of information already possessed by well-established organizations. Grant requests should have the potential to help American children in a broad geographic area (more than one state). Deadline: July 15, 2020.

EOS FOUNDATION: COMMUNITY-WIDE EMERGENCY CHILDREN'S MEALS GRANT PROGRAM. Through the Eos Foundation's Community-Wide Emergency Children's Meals Grant Program, Massachusetts school districts are eligible to apply for emergency grants of up to $10,000. Funds may be used for equipment and supplies necessary to increase the numbers of meals served, including mobile and delivered meal solutions. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

COVID-19 Funding

APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR $1.5 BILLION IN EDA CARES ACT FUNDS TO RESPOND TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC. The Economic Development Administration (EDA) is now accepting applications from eligible grantees for $1.5 billion in economic assistance to help communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic using funds authorized by under the CARES Act. Deadline: Ongoing.

ALABAMA BUSINESS CHARITABLE TRUST FUND: CORONAVIRUS RELIEF
The Coronavirus Relief Program supports nonprofit and faith-based organizations throughout the state working to address health and human service needs in response to COVID-19 relief efforts or to provide general health and human service support to low-income citizens. Grants of up to $500 are awarded. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

NORTH TEXAS CARES CORONA VIRUS RELIEF FUND will award funds to nonprofit organizations providing services in the North Texas area to provide support for organizations that work with people and communities who may be most negatively affected by COVID-19. This includes agencies who support individuals and families with access to food or healthcare; supplementing lost wages or housing costs; serving vulnerable populations; as well as supporting academic learning and distance learning. Deadline: Rolling.

EMERGENT FUND COVID-19 RAPID RESPONSE GRANTS. Emergent Fund grants will be provided to nonprofit organizations mobilizing to respond to the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable communities. Deadline: Open.

CONNECTICUT MANUFACTURING INNOVATION FUND VOUCHER PROGRAM COVID-19 RESPONSE. Eligible companies can apply for vouchers up to $50,000 for the purchase of specialized equipment and expertise that will help improve operations, including marketing, LEAN, compliance, and other technical needs. Participating companies must pay half of the cost. A program of the Connecticut Manufacturing Innovation Fund, the voucher program is a partnership of the state Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) and the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, Inc (CCAT). Deadline: Open.

NATIONAL DISLOCATED WORKER GRANT - FUNDING TO ADDRESS THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO COVID-19. U.S. Department of Labor National Dislocated Worker Grants (DWGs) are discretionary grants awarded to states, outlying areas, tribal governments and local Workforce Development Boards to provide employment-related services for dislocated workers. The Department funds two types of DWGs: Disaster Recovery and Employment Recovery. Deadline: Open.

PUBLIC WORKS AND ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS INCLUDING CARES ACT FUNDING. These U.S. Department of Commerce grants are awarded to entities to provide investments that support construction, non-construction, planning, technical assistance, and revolving loan fund projects. The grants are available to state or local government entities; Indian Tribes; institutions of higher education; and nonprofit organizations. Deadline: Open.

WILLIAM CASPAR GRAUSTEIN MEMORIAL FUND: COVID-19 RESPONSE GRANTS
The William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund is offering immediate support to communities in Connecticut responding to current events related to COVID-19. Support could include crisis response that addresses the physical, social, and emotional well-being and safety of those most affected by racism and poverty. Applications are currently being accepted.

Food

USDA, FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE is offering funding through the Summer Food Service Program to provide free, nutritious meals and snacks to help children in low-income areas get the nutrition they need during the summer months. Deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.

Opioids

RURAL COMMUNITIES OPIOID RESPONSE PROGRAM-PLANNING. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) funding to rural communities to enhance capacity to address substance use disorder to conduct planning activities, engage multi-sector consortiums and participate in the RCORP-Planning learning collaborative. Application Deadline: July 13, 2020

Other Opportunities

MOBILE BEACON: CONNECT FOR SUCCESS STUDENT ACCESS DONATION PROGRAM. Mobile Beacon's Connect for Success Student Access Donation Program was created to offer schools in 50 cities across the United States the laptops and mobile Internet access they need to help students struggling to keep up. The program makes it possible for K-12 schools and higher education institutions in Sprint's 4G LTE service area to provide students without Internet access at home with the tools, connectivity, and hardware they need to complete homework assignments, access educational resources at home, and keep up with their peers. Schools can request up to 25 laptops and 4G LTE hotspots with free 4G LTE high-speed Internet service for 12 months. Requests are accepted throughout the year.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. The Rural Residency Planning and Development Program supports the development of new rural residency programs in a variety of fields, including family medicine, internal medicine, public health and general preventive medicine, psychiatry, general surgery, and obstetrics and gynecology. The program seeks to address the physician workforce shortages and challenges faced by rural communities. The application deadline is 6/30/2020.

USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT offers support to help rural communities use the unique capabilities of telecommunications through the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program to connect to each other and to the world, overcoming the effects of remoteness and low population density. Application Deadline: 7/13/2020.

STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL WELLNESS GRANTS PROGRAM. The State and Local Government Financial Wellness Grants Program, administered by the National Association of State Treasurers Foundation and its partners, will provide support to state and local governments that have the interest and capacity to develop and offer a financial wellness program to their employees. This program is seeking proposals that will reach the intended employees in one or a combination of formats, and that will raise awareness, improve knowledge, and change their employees' financial wellness behaviors. Grants can be used to expand programming already offered, to establish new programs, to work with third-party vendors to reach the public sector workforce, or to reach a wider audience through other quality programming. Grant amounts range up to $100,000, depending on the number of employees reached. Proposals are encouraged from any local or state governmental entity of any size and from any part of the United States, including the U.S. territories. The application deadline is 7/15/2020.

NEA OUR TOWN. The purpose of this National Endowment for the Arts program is to support projects that integrate arts, culture, and design activities into efforts that strengthen communities. Eligibility Requirements: State and local governments; Native American tribal governments; institutions of higher education; school districts; and nonprofit organizations. Deadline: August 6, 2020.

Veterans

INFINITE HERO FOUNDATION provides grants of up to $100,000 to nonprofit organizations offering innovative and effective programs or treatments to active duty service members, veterans, and/or military families for service-related mental and physical injuries. Grants must be applied directly to program costs and cannot be used for fundraising or administrative overhead. Deadlines: July 1, 2020 (letters of interest); invited grant applications must be submitted by Sep. 15, 2020.

MCCORMICK FOUNDATION: VETERANS PROGRAM offers support to nonprofit organizations throughout the state that address one or more of the following focus areas: Employment, Education, and Entrepreneurship; Behavioral Health and Wellness; and Systems Navigation and Care Coordination. Grant requests of up to $50,000 are reviewed three times per year; the remaining 2020 deadlines for initial applications are July 17 and October 16.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS is offering grants for new organizations to assist veterans in highly rural areas through innovative transportation services to travel to VA medical centers and to otherwise assist in providing transportation services in connection with the provision of VA medical care to these veterans. Deadline: 7/17/2020.

Training Events and Conferences

WEBINARS, Online Events, and Calls

The U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services and USDA collaborated recently to host a Rural Health and COVID-19 webinar. The webinar provided an overview of the rural health focused efforts by HHS and USDA and highlighted specific tools and resources to help combat COVID-19. You can find the recording, audio transcript, and presentation slides at the link above.

Novogradac Tax Credit Tuesday podcasts feature managing partner Michael Novogradac, CPA, who offers an in-depth look at affordable housing and community development investment topics through thoughtful discussions. Tune in on Tuesdays at 10:00 AM EDT to hear the latest news and analysis. The podcast is now available on Spotify.

Recording Available of National Low Income Housing’s (NLIH’s) May 18 National Call on “Coronavirus, Housing, and Homelessness”. NLIHC’s last national call on “Coronavirus, Housing, and Homelessness” took place on May 18. The call featured updates from national, state, and local advocates and service providers working to assist people experiencing homelessness, low-income households, and members of marginalized communities, all of whom are disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

LISC Institute is offering a webinar “Using the Emergency Solutions Grant Program for COVID-19 Housing Response,” Monday, June 1, 2020 at 2:00-3:00 PM EDT. As COVID-19 threatens the economic stability of millions of individuals and families, the need for resources and programs to assist families at risk of experiencing homelessness is more evident than ever. The Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program is one tool being used by Community Development practitioners to respond to local housing needs.

National Low Income Housing Coalition’s (NLIHC’s) Tenant Talk Live resident engagement webinar will be held on Monday, June 1, 2020 at 6:00 PM EDT. NLIHC has invited key HUD officials to join residents in conversation about changes in HUD programs and requirements such as income recertifications and inspections in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) will host a webinar on Tuesday, June 2, 2020 1:00 PM-2:00 PM EDT, that will offer participants an introduction to the Commercial District Recovery Guide, dive deeper into tips and recommendations outlined in the guide – by phase of emergency management, including tactical strategies on how to effectively communicate re-opening of districts, adapt public realm for social distancing, and how to conduct comprehensive assessment of impact to make the case for funding and resources.

Rural Stakeholder Call Invitation from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy: On Tuesday, June 2, 2020 the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy will host a call from 3:00 to 4:00 PM EDT for rural stakeholders to provide a comprehensive overview of the policy changes, resources, and funding that have been made available to support rural communities impacted by substance use disorder during this public health emergency. To register, please click the link above.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) will join the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s next national call on Coronavirus, Housing and Homelessness on Tuesday, June 2, 2020, 3:30-5:00 PM EDT, to talk about the HEROES Act, its essential housing and homelessness components, and the urgency of having the bill enacted.

Ratcheting Up Rural Response, Recovery and Resilience:
Five Good Ideas for Philanthropy Right Now. An Action/Learning Exchange
Tuesday, June 2, 2020
Hour 1: 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. ET
Rural practitioners and funders will briefly detail each of the Five Good Ideas.
Hour 2: 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. ET Optional: Join a breakout to explore the Idea that most interests you.

Corrected Date: June 4, 2020, at 1:30 p.m. ET | REIMAGINED IN AMERICA: TAKING A WELL-BEING APPROACH | Join the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for a discussion about what U.S. communities can learn from cities and countries around the world, like Scotland and Bhutan, that are reorienting policies, programs and budgets to put the well-being of people and the planet at the center of all decisions.

CDFA is offering “Intro to Opportunity Zones Finance Web Course.” Please register By June 5, 2020 for Early Bird Rates; the online course will be offered June 24-25, 2020 from 12:00-5:00 PM EDT. Just having an Opportunity Zone in your community may not be enough to draw in investments from Opportunity Funds. Tool utilization is complex, complicated, and requires a deep level of understanding. Those communities and practitioners with the greatest understanding of key strategies and deployment mechanisms will feel the biggest impact from this creative financing program.

The CDFA Federal Financing Webinar Series is an eight-part online offering that will convene finance experts, federal agencies, and local practitioners to discuss the variety of federal programs available to finance economic development. In light of new funding provided to federal agencies in the CARES Act, and anticipated additional stimulus funding coming throughout the summer, CDFA will be featuring timely and in-depth conversations with federal financing leaders every other Friday from May 22 - September 11, 2020.

National Association of Regional Councils (NARC) Conference will be a virtual event on June 8-9, 2020. NARC will host sessions on economic recovery, public health, transit, and more.

CDFA-ARI Rural Finance Webinar Series: Building the Road to Recovery, Wednesday, June 10, 2020 - 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM EDT. During the third installment of the CDFA-ARI Rural Finance Webinar Series, we will discuss the development finance tools that can support rural economies as they rebuild to be stronger than ever.

2020 POINTS OF LIGHT CONFERENCE. This year's Points of Light Conference has transitioned to an online format. Held from June 10 to 12, 2020, this conference brings together nonprofit, government, business, and civic leaders to collaborate and share the knowledge and resources needed to galvanize the power of people to create change. The new online format opens the opportunity for global access to knowledge and best practice sharing relevant both prior to and through recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Utilizing Federal Data to Measure the Digital Divide Webinar" will be held June 17, 2020 at 2:00 PM EDT. National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) BroadbandUSA is providing this webinar learning opportunity on federal data sources, current trends and how to access local information on broadband efforts. This webinar will feature NTIA and U.S. Census Bureau data findings.

Dakota Resources is hosting a two-day virtual event, RuralX, June 17-18, 2020. RuralX will leave participants more connected, more confident and even more committed to a thriving rural. Take part in breakout sessions to discuss relevant topics, be inspired by speakers who love rural places as much as you do, and network with like-minded people, all from the comfort of your home or office.

Join Thompson Grants virtually for The Advanced Federal Grants Forum from July 22-23, 2020, or watch the recording whenever is convenient for you, to ensure that you and your entire team are up-to-date on the latest grants rules and regulations. You will learn from powerhouse sessions how to tackle the toughest grants management challenges while addressing how COVID-19 has changed the game.

CDFA Food Systems Finance Webinar Series

July 30 | Neighborhood Revitalization Through Food Systems Finance

Sept 29 | Financing Food Systems Entrepreneurs
Council of Development Finance Agency (CDFA) is providing a free online series that aims to advance opportunities and leverage existing capital financing streams for rural communities that scale local and regional food systems and increase access to better food while creating new living wage jobs in communities across the country.

CDFA Virtual Summer School. Organizations, big and small, are encouraged to take advantage of this innovative educational opportunity. Together we will rebuild and bring these resources to our local communities. This two-week-long event, August 3-13, 2020 will bring together the nation’s top development finance experts to one virtual stage, giving development finance professionals access to the best educational experience in our industry. This year, CDFA Virtual Summer School will offer seven different training courses, including two advanced courses, enabling us to reach all levels of learning in the development finance community.

Save the Date...

The next Regards to Rural (R2R) conference scheduled for fall 2020 will transition to a virtual event.

Grounded Solutions Network National Conference will be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, September 21-24, 2020.

Radically Rural: Remote will be a one-day online event designed to host panels of speakers and allow audiences to interact with their own questions. It will take place on September 24, 2020.

Prosperity Now will host The 2020 Prosperity Summit, at the National Harbor, Maryland, September 30-October 2, 2020.

The 2020 GIA Annual Conference, “Bigger, Bolder, Older: Promoting Innovation for All Ages,” will take place at the Austin Marriott Downtown, Austin, Texas October 14-16, 2020.

Information and Other Resources

Articles, Information, and Reports

National Low Income Housing (NLIHC) recently released new resources on coronavirus, housing, and homelessness, including Spanish translations of all Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). NLIHC has created COVID-19 FAQs about homelessness, Economic Impact Payments, eligibility for assistance based on immigration status, FEMA resources, racial equity, Unemployment Insurance, and renters’ rights.

CDFA is excited to share the launch of the Franklin County Food Business Portal, created in partnership with CDFA! Check out this model that provides entrepreneurs and business owners with the information needed to plan, launch, and grow a food business in Franklin County. This includes any business on the food supply chain, such as farms, aggregation, processing, distribution, restaurants, food trucks, grocery stores, and composting operations.

National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) and the Public and Affordable Housing Research Corporation (PAHRC) released a new report, 2020 Picture of Preservation, which explores the pivotal role the federal government plays in building and preserving affordable rental homes at a time when millions of people in America are facing housing instability during the coronavirus pandemic. This report highlights the need for additional resources to protect the affordability of these homes; nearly 300,000 may be lost from the nation’s affordable stock in the next five years.

CBS News reports that Doctors Without Borders sent a team of nine to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic unfolding in the Navajo Nation. The report shows how Native Americans are at a much higher risk for complications from the disease due to limited access to healthcare, food, and water, as well as higher chronic disease rates.

TNTP has created a new COVID-19 School Response Toolkit, including the full Learning Acceleration Guide and other free resources to help school systems implement at-home learning, survey stakeholders about their experiences during the crisis, run a virtual teacher hiring process, and much more.

Manufacturing Counties Have Rural America’s Fastest Growing Infection Rate. New cases of Covid-19 at meatpacking plants are the primary factor in rural America’s rising infection rate. It’s important to note that counties classified as manufacturing in the ERS system include more than just meatpacking. So using this system to analyze the impact of meatpacking on the rural infection rate is less than ideal. For a detailed look at infections related to meatpacking, The Food & Environment Reporting Network (FERN) has an excellent interactive map.

COVID-19 Pandemic Operational Guidance for the 2020 Hurricane Season. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides information and guidance for emergency managers on how FEMA plans to adapt hurricane response and recovery operations related to COVID-19. Data includes checklists and resources to help emergency managers adapt their response and recovery plans.

SBA: Business Loan Program Temporary Changes; Paycheck Protection Program-Loan Increases. The Small Business Administration has published an additional interim final rule, supplementing the previous rules for the CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The new rule is effective May 19, 2020 and increases certain PPP loan amounts. Comments on the change are due by June 18, 2020.

COVID-19 Resources on Vulnerable Populations. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services provides a collection of federal COVID-19 resources for those working with vulnerable populations, including people living in rural areas, older adults, those with underlying medical conditions, racial and ethnic minorities, and people with disabilities. Data offers information for healthcare professionals, researchers, community partners, consumers, and patients.

Housing Assistance Council reports on COVID-19 cases in rural areas between March 16, 2020 and May 3, 2020. The Report includes maps and charts looking at changes over time, comparing nonmetro to metro cases, and examining rural per capita COVID-19 rates. Based on data collected by the New York Times.

“Pandemic Leads to Early Prisoner Release, But Finding Housing for Them Remains Difficult,” by David Howard King, Shelterforce. As the infection rate at jails in places like New York began to climb, officials started looking for criteria to use in determining which inmates could be released. Then they ran into a familiar but now heightened dilemma.

Revealing Rural Realities: What Fuels Inaccurate and Incomplete Coverage of Rural Issues is a new report co-produced by The Aspen Institute Community Strategies Group, Housing Assistance Council, Center for Rural Strategies, and Hattaway Communications looks at how ongoing changes in the structure and business of media and journalism contribute to the gap between rural realities and public perception of rural America.

The Journal of Rural Health has published a study on the COVID-19 risk in rural communities by race and ethnicity. The paper highlights the different issues that influence the health outcomes of people of color and Indigenous people living in rural areas in light of COVID-19.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced the launch of the COVID Coach app, a new mobile app designed to help both veterans and civilians cope with feelings of stress and anxiety they may be experiencing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The app includes practical tools, information and resources that can all be used from the safety of one’s home to track well-being, mood swings and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms.

The Philadelphia Fed has released a series of briefs to identify those most at economic risk in from Covid-19 and set a policy framework for a more equitable recovery: "The Jobs and Workers Most Likely to Be Economically Impacted by Social Distancing"; "How Measures to Stop COVID-19’s Spread Are Affecting Small Businesses"; and "COVID-19’s Economic Impact by Neighborhood."

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have created online multifamily property lookup tools to help renters find out if they are protected from evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The tools allow renters to determine if the property they live in is financed by one of the GSE and thus included in the eviction moratorium under the CARES Act.

National Indigenous Elder Justice Initiative provides COVID-19 Tribal Elder Resources for Native American elders related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Information provides guidance on social distancing, food security, and mental health for Native elders.

Prosperity Now has released a new report, The Cascading Impact of COVID-19 on Microbusinesses. The devastating financial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have hit small businesses, particularly microbusinesses (businesses with 0-9 employees), like a tsunami wave with no end in sight. The report released today, looks at why businesses owned by people of color, women, and immigrants were highly susceptible to an economic downturn prior to the pandemic. It also details how microbusinesses, which are historically the most vulnerable to financial shocks, have been severely impacted by the virtual stoppage of economic activity in the sectors of the economy where they are most represented – including the food service industry, retail, and accommodation services.

Perspectives from Main Street: The Impact of COVID-19 on Communities and the Entities Serving Them reflects the opinions of 3,899 respondents across the United States. COVID-19 is having a significant disruption on organizations serving low- and moderate-income people, according to community organizations nationwide. Respondents are split, though, about whether their recovery will be quick or difficult. That’s one of the takeaways from a survey released May 1 by the Federal Reserve System.

Borealis Philanthropy: COVID-19 Collective Fund for Trans Communities gets financial resources to trans-led organizations and transgender, gender nonconforming, and nonbinary communities who are organizing in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

In an Impact Lenders Podcast, hear Deb Markley, Senior Vice President, LOCUS Impact Investing, talk about the ways foundations can turn these challenging times into opportunities to rebuild economies that work for everybody.

What Prior Disasters Have Taught Us About How to Respond to COVID-19, Shelterforce. When it comes to helping people maintain or recover their housing, hurricanes and fires aren’t as different from a pandemic as one might think.

The Case for Opportunity Zone Investments in Rural Areas. For investors battered by the stock market, Opportunity Zones offer a win-win. Opportunity Zones allow investors to benefit from the initiative's capital gains tax breaks, to make money, accomplish multi-generational long-term financial planning and diversify their portfolios away from equities. The tool has been underutilized in rural areas, despite the potential these areas hold.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness released “The State of Homelessness: 2020 Edition,” which provides national homelessness statistics, data visualization, detailed resources about homelessness in each state and Continuum of Care (CoC), and predictions about the impact of the pandemic on people experiencing homelessness. This year’s report notes that homelessness increased by 3% in the 2019 Point-in-Time Count over the previous year, the third straight year of increases, and that the COVID-19 crisis could eliminate all gains made in eliminating homelessness since 2007.

In a Forbes article, Ahead of the Curve: How to Make Rural America A Priority During COVID-19, the authors highlight how rural residents can access new career opportunities during and after the Pandemic Recession.

How Artists Helped a Housing Organization Adapt to Demographic Change. A Shelterforce article takes an in-depth look at the many lessons the Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership learned after receiving a multimillion dollar grant to integrate arts and culture strategies in its work.

Blue Cross Blue Shield Of Arizona Commits $5 Million To Chicanos Por La Causa To Provide Financial Assistance For Arizona Small Business Owners. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ) is committing $5 million to Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC) to provide loans through their lending division Prestamos CDFI to assist Arizona small business owners whose businesses have been economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This collaboration will help CPLC distribute loans to small business owners through the federal government's Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

Rural census response is running behind, especially online; interactive maps show how your county is doing. The Rural Blog reports that rural residents are filling out their census forms more slowly than other Americans, according to the Housing Assistance Council, which helps build homes in the rural U.S. As of May 17, almost 60 percent of U.S. households had responded to the census. HAC used Census Bureau data and a tract-level analysis to estimate response rates for rural, suburban, and urban census tracts. Suburban areas had the response rate, 66%, rural and small-town tracts were at 53%.

Delta Leadership Institute Now Accepting Applications for the 2020-2021 Executive Academy The Delta Regional Authority (DRA) has launched the application cycle for the 2020-2021 Delta Leadership Institute (DLI) Executive Academy. Since 2005, DLI has provided leadership development to more than 500 community leaders from diverse backgrounds, sectors, and industries to strengthen skills development, information sharing, regional collaboration, and improve the economic competitiveness and social viability of the Mississippi River Delta and Alabama Black Belt.

USDA to loan up to $1 billion to rural businesses Talk Business & Politics reports that USDA has announced that the department is making available up to $1 billion in loan guarantees to help rural businesses meet their working capital needs during the coronavirus pandemic. Additionally, agricultural producers that are not eligible for USDA Farm Service Agency loans may receive funding under USDA Business & Industry (B&I) CARES Act Program provisions included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

---------------------------------------------

COVID-19 Resources

COVID-19 Data from the U.S. Census Bureau
This resource provides access to demographic data, economic data and interactive tools.

Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), Financial Stability Resources COVID-19, click here.

Visit the website here for the latest news from Rural Development on the resources available for USDA partners, customers, and stakeholders impacted by COVID-19.

For community development, affordable housing and renewable energy updates related to COVID-19, see Novogradac’s dedicated page.

Compilation of state workforce agency COVID-19 guidance (including unemployment insurance guidance) from the National Association of State Workforce Agencies, click here.

NHC’s COVID-19 Housing Resource Center, an online platform designed to provide you with information on COVID-19 from every facet of the housing industry; click here.

Community Action Partnership, guidance and resources for managing Coronavirus risks, click here.

National Alliance on Mental Health: COVID-19 Resource and Information Guide
Provides guidance on maintaining mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Features frequently asked questions and a number of contacts for more information. Click here to get the guide.

Periodic updates on local and national philanthropic responses to COVID-19 from Philanthropy News Digest, click here.

“Protecting your finances during the Coronavirus pandemic,” Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, click here.

Covid-19 Impact – Alternative Tax Preparation Options from Prosperity Now: Compilation of resources, including guidance for Facilitated Self Assistance (FSA), Virtual Intake, COVID-19 messaging templates, webinars and presentations, click here.

Quick Links to COVID-19 Resources to Support Tribal Entities:

Rural LISC works with 88 partner organizations creating sustainable rural communities across 45 states. Visit our website here and sign up for the Rural LISC RSS feed here. If this email was forwarded to you and you would like to sign up to receive the Rural eNews each month, click here.

Send information on funding opportunities, events, publications, resources, or rural-related issues to sfelzke@lisc.org. Announcements will be published at our discretion based on space and applicability. Please do not copy this document without permission.