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USDA Rural Development Announces $2.1 Million for Montana’s Tribal Colleges

The State Director for USDA Rural Development, Tim Ryan, is making a tour of each of Montana’s seven tribal colleges to announce grant funds awarded under the Rural Development Tribal College Initiative Program.

This fiscal year’s awards totaled $2.1 million with $300,000 going to each tribal college. Mr. Ryan began his announcement tour of the colleges on Tuesday with ceremonial check presentations to the college Presidents at Chief Dull Knife College in Lame Deer and Little Big Horn College in Crow Agency. Wednesday’s announcement was at Fort Peck Community College in Poplar and will be followed by Fort Belknap Community College in Harlem on Thursday and Stone Child College in Box Elder on Friday. Mr. Ryan will finish up the tribal college announcement tour next week at Blackfeet Community College in Browning on Monday and then Salish Kootenai College in Pablo on Tuesday.

“We wanted to bring the good news about these Tribal College Initiative Grants to each of the colleges in person,” said Ryan. “This is an opportunity for USDA Rural Development to strengthen our ties with the state’s Tribal Colleges and also meet with the Presidents to discuss the future plans for each college. These colleges are the cornerstone for the communities they serve and Rural Development is committed to do everything we can to ensure they meet the needs of their students.”

The program that made these announcements possible is the Tribal College Initiative Grant Program. These national competitive grant funds are available to eligible tribal colleges for the development of essential community facilities in rural communities. Grant funds may be used to develop facilities that include medical clinics, transitional housing, administrative office buildings, childcare centers, libraries, museums, food preparation centers, fire trucks, and other essential community facilities.

USDA Rural Development’s mission is to deliver programs in a way that will support increasing economic opportunity and improve the quality of life of rural residents. As a venture capital entity, Rural Development has invested over $54 billion since the beginning of the Bush Administration to provide equity and technical assistance to finance and foster growth in homeownership, business development, and critical community and technology infrastructure. As a result, over 1 million jobs have been created or saved through these investments. Further information on rural programs is available at a local USDA Rural Development office or by visiting Montana Rural Development’s web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/mt/

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