RCAC selected as finalist for Wells Fargo NEXT awards for Opportunity Finance
Wells Fargo, in partnership with The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and Opportunity Finance Network selected Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) as a finalist for the 2014 Wells Fargo NEXT Awards for Opportunity Finance: The Future of Housing Finance.
The NEXT Opportunity Award selection committee chose RCAC as a finalist for its plan to expand its Development Solutions initiative and increase the supply of safe, quality affordable housing—especially on tribal lands—by taking on an extended role as development consultant, turn-key developer, partner/owner, or lender for local nonprofit partners. Read more>>
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RCAC honors a former RCAC Board Member and Mora volunteer with award
Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) will present the 2014 Yoneo Ono Outstanding Volunteer Award to Mora, New Mexico resident, Anita LaRan. The ceremony will be on August 7 at the Pendaries Resort.
RCAC recognizes LaRan (photo in upper right corner) for her many decades of dedication and volunteer work. Her leadership and hard work is seen throughout her community. Mora County community water systems have received millions of dollars in funding and technical assistance as a direct result of LaRan’s efforts. She has served as a board member for the New Mexico North Central Economic Development Corporation, advocating for main street projects, transportation and senior programs.
LaRan also served on the RCAC Board of Directors for 12 years. During her service, LaRan provided the board with insight and determination in helping find the right things to do.
“Anita provided the board with perspective on the impacts of federal policies on rural communities,” said Stan Keasling, RCAC chief executive officer.
The Yoneo Ono Award is named in honor of one of RCAC’s founding directors. During his lifetime, Yoneo Ono continually worked to better the lives of people living in America’s rural regions. In recognition of his tireless dedication to this vital cause, RCAC officials presented Ono with an award upon his 1984 retirement from the organization’s board of directors.
Since then, RCAC has presented the Yoneo Ono Award to 35 outstanding rural volunteers in the 13 western states.
For more information on past awardees>>
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California’s water authorities don’t keep accurate records of how much water nearly 4,000 companies, farms and others are using during the state’s drought
By Elizabeth Zach, RCAC staff writer
California’s water authorities don’t keep accurate records of how much water nearly 4,000 companies, farms and others are using during the state’s drought, according to an Associated Press (AP) report. Read more>>
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Government cutbacks threaten rural hospitals
By Elizabeth Zach, RCAC staff writer
Despite rising health care costs and difficulty attracting physicians, rural hospitals across the country have been praised for delivering quick and inexpensive care. Now, however, under the new federal health law, these hospitals face an additional challenge: reduced government subsidies. Read more>>
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Indian governments demand higher right-of-way fees
By Angela Terry, RCAC PR communications coordinator
Jemez Mountains Electric Cooperative paid $114,000 in the 1980s to run power lines, pipelines and roads through the San Idelfonso Pueblo in Santa Fe, New Mexico. During the next 25 years they will pay $4.7 million. Read more>>
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Meet RCAC’s interns!
By Michael Carroll, RCAC Loan Fund director
Meet Amir Traboly and Fredrick Zamara-Lombera, RCAC's interns!
Amir Traboly is a senior at University of California Davis (UCD) who is pursuing a degree in civil engineering. Traboly was born and raised in Egypt but moved here with his mother and siblings a few years back. Through his work with family and training as a civil engineer, Traboly has become intrigued and interested in real estate development. He will have the opportunity to expand his knowledge of real estate development by working with Paul Ainger, RCAC Development Solutions manager on a few of RCAC’s projects, most notably RCAC's Kunia project in Hawaii.
Frederik Zamara-Lombera recently graduated from UCD with a bachelor’s degree in community and regional development. He had previous internships with the Governor’s Office of Economic Development in Sacramento, and the city manager of Winters Calif. He is bilingual in Spanish/English and currently lives in Davis. He will report to Michael Carroll, Loan Fund director and will work in all aspects of the loan process and fund development.
Traboly and Zamara-Lombera come to RCAC from California Coalition for Rural Housing’s (CCRH) Internship Program for Diversity in Nonprofit Housing and Community Development. CCRH has operated this very successful program for the past 15 years and has graduated more than 80 students, more than half of which stayed in the housing and community development field.
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Oddz N Ends
The Value of Source Water Protection
Reprinted from SmallWaterSupply.org
This fact sheet from the Ground Water Protection Council offers recommendations at the federal, state, and local levels on how source water protection efforts can be improved.
Download the fact sheet>>
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