Publications and Resources

A Proclamation on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Pride Month, 2021
President Biden proclaims June 2021 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Pride Month.

Housing Assistance Council (HAC)
HAC has flexible loan capital available to support preservation of USDA Section 515 properties, HUD-subsidized properties, and naturally occurring affordable housing in rural places.

Community Capacity Building, Shaping the Future of Hometowns
This paper published by e2 Entrepreneurial Ecosystems, within their Rural Community Prosperity Development Framework, offers capacity building assistance to communities to lead in successful economic development.

Recovery Housing Program (RHP) Quick Guides
HUD provides rules and requirements for implementing the RHP program, examples of nationally recognized models for implementing recovery housing, best practices for forming partnerships across sectors, and guidance for accessing peer-to-peer support.

A New Path Forward: Place-Based Solutions for a Stronger Workforce Ecosystem.
Accelerator for America, with funding from the Kauffman Foundation, released a guide to help develop a workforce that meets the current needs of businesses and aims to alleviate chronic unemployment. The guide includes three pathways and four best practices to develop a dynamic “workforce ecosystem.”

Mobilizing Health Care Workforce via Telehealth 
ProviderBridge.org was created by the Federation of State Medical Boards through the CARES Act and the FORHP-supported Licensure Portability Program. The site provides up-to-date information on emergency regulation and licensing by state as well as a provider portal to connect volunteer health care professionals to state agencies and health care entities. 

Event Opportunities

Rural Workforce Innovation Network Workshop: Resources to Support Employees and Employers in the Rural Health Care Industry
June 10 | Virtual Workshop
Interested parties must register by Tuesday, June 8. Registrants will receive a calendar invitation with the Microsoft Teams link 24 hours ahead of the meeting start time.
In this workshop, representatives from USDA Rural Development and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will participate in a panel discussion to share resources to support rural employees and employers in the health care industry.

Annual Native American Economic Development Conference
June 14 - 15 | Conference
Through a variety of panels and interactive discussions, attendees will engage with top experts focusing on economic diversification.

Native CDFI 6th Annual Capital Access Virtual Convening
June 21 - 24 | Virtual Convening
Join a breakout session on June 23 to learn about the RD programs that Native CDFIs most often utilize. USDA will then present information on the process of unregulated lenders becoming an approved lender for the 502 Guaranteed Loan Homeownership Program and the OneRD Guaranteed Loan Initiative.

OneRD Guarantee Loan Initiative Quarterly Lender Feedback Forum  
June 23 | Virtual Forum
USDA Rural Development invites lenders to join the second session of a quarterly feedback forum who are interested in applying to, or have applied to, programs under the OneRD Guarantee Loan Initiative.

BroadbandUSA Webinar Series: NTIA Broadband Grant Programs
National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA) offers various workshops to discuss the three new broadband grant programs: The Broadband Infrastructure Program, The Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, and The Connecting Minority Communities Program.

Broadband Infrastructure Deployment Grants Program

Tribal Broadband Connectivity Grants Program

Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program

CDFA Rural Development Finance Webinar: Best Practices for Rural Development Finance Agencies
Aug. 31 | Webinar
Discover best practices of development finance agencies to help you identify the right partner for your projects.