U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill today announced that 26 Missouri projects will receive a total of $1,424,098 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding to help rural communities across the state. The stimulus funding is provided through the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Development's Community Facilities grant program.
According to the USDA, the Community Facilities Program helps rural communities finance essential facilities and equipment for public use. These funds can be used for a variety of services including the purchase of emergency equipment, such as fire, medical and police vehicles, and the development of public facilities like childcare centers, hospitals and medical clinics. Nationwide, USDA is allocating over $60 million for 280 projects in 39 states.
Missouri recipients of grant funding:City of Queen City - $18,000
St. Francois County Board for the Developmentally Disabled - $373,080
City of Richland Police - $16,500
Willow Springs - $18,500
City of Gerald - $15,118
Stoddard County Development Corporation - $93,300
Mississippi County Development Corporation - $112,000
Morehouse Community Development Corporation - $26,000
Morehouse Community Development Corporation - $60,000
Portageville Community Development Corporation - $220,000
Village of Allenville - $14,250City of Campbell - $56,200
City of Campbell - $66,000City of Chaffee - $30,850
Clearwater Ambulance District - $27,500
Dunklin County - $25,200
East Prairie Nutrition Center - $22,500
City of Fisk - $13,800City of Gideon - $24,700
City of Hayti - $22,500
City of Kennett - $8,800
Malden Nutrition Center - $82,500
City of Miner - $8,300
New Madrid County - $47,300
City of Senath - $13,700
City of Steele - $7,500
Funding to states and localities through the economic recovery package will be allocated through existing federal programs like these, rather than earmarks, in order to ensure prompt distribution and better accountability. Local projects receive funds from these grants by following the process set up by each program. During Congressional consideration of the economic recovery bill, McCaskill worked to put additional accountability measures in place.
McCaskill believes that federal grants and loans are a positive alternative to earmarks, which in the past have frequently had too little accountability. Competitive merit and need based federal grants and low-interest government loans bring federal assistance to Missouri in an honest and fiscally responsible manner. |
