Rural Development is working to eliminate substandard housing from rural America by helping rural people buy, build or rent decent housing. It also creates jobs by funding the growth and creation of rural businesses and cooperatives. In a typical year, Rural Development programs create or preserve more than 150,000 rural jobs, enable 40,000 to 50,000 rural Americans to buy homes and help 450,000 low-income rural people rent apartments or other housing.

Other Rural Development programs help rural communities build or improve community facilities, such as schools, health clinics and fire stations. Rural Development also has programs that help rural communities build or extend utilities, including water, electricity and telecommunications services.

Program assistance is provided in many ways, including direct or guaranteed loans, grants, technical assistance, research and educational materials. To accomplish its mission, USDA Rural Development often works in partnership with state, local and tribal governments, as well as rural businesses, cooperatives and nonprofit agencies.

USDA Rural Development programs are delivered through three of its sister agencies: Rural Utilities Service (RUS) addresses rural America's need for basic services such as clean running water, sewers and waste disposal, electricity, and telecommunications. The Rural Housing Service (RHS) addresses rural America's need for single-family and multi-family housing as well as health facilities, fire and police stations, and other community facilities. The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) provides help to rural areas that need to develop new job opportunities, allowing businesses and cooperatives to remain viable in a changing economy.

In addition, the Federal Government is seeking to form partnerships with other entities-- such as state, local, and tribal governments, private and nonprofit organizations, and member- owned cooperatives--to revitalize rural areas. Rural Development programs are provided across the Nation through 47 state offices and 800 area and local offices.