USDA announced on August 24 that it awarded $121 million in grants for a wide variety of projects.   

Among those recipients are the following projects impacting communities in rural California: 

  • Modoc County received $74,230 for the purchase of two special service rural patrol vehicles.   

  • Mendocino County received $64,200 for the purchase of new library equipment.   

  • The City of Fortuna received $140,800 for the purchase of for new law enforcement vehicles. 

  • The City of Orland received $49,500 to purchase a new water tender for their fire department.   

  • Golden Valley Community Broadcasters received $27,100 to purchase an emergency generator to support local emergency broadcasting resiliency. 

  • The Fall River Valley Fire Protection District received $368,100 to purchase an emergency response vehicle and a fire engine. 

  • The Groveland Community Services District secured $50,000 to purchase and install a generator to power its administrative building. 

USDA also awarded several grants to California farmers, ranchers, and small businesses to install solar panels and make energy and water efficiency improvements.

The announcement highlighted 415 investments the USDA is making through three programs designed to help people and businesses in rural areas:  Community Facilities Disaster Grants, Rural Energy for America Program Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvement Guaranteed Loans & Grants, and Rural Energy for America Program Energy Audits and Renewable Energy Development Grants. Applications for each program are being accepted now for the 2023 fiscal year, with more information available from the USDA website.