7 17 RBEGsChamp

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                                               NEWS RELEASE
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                                               United States Department of Agriculture • Rural Development
                                                     375 Jackson St. • Suite 410 • St. Paul, Minn. 55101
                                      Phone: (651) 602-7800 • Fax: (651) 602-7826 • Web: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/mn


Contact: Adam Czech, Public Information Coordinator
Phone: (651) 602-7799 (office); (320) 309-1160 (cell)                                                FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
E-mail: adam.czech@mn.usda.gov


            USDA Rural Development Recognizes Recent Grant
              Recipients and Kittson and Marshall Counties
HALLOCK, Minn., July 17 – A number of economic development efforts in Kittson and
Marshall Counties were celebrated during a special ceremony today.

Officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development program recognized the
City of Stephen, the City of Kennedy and the Kittson County Economic Development Authority
for recently being awarded Rural Business Enterprise Grants (RBEG). Also honored were
Kittson and Marshall Counties for being designated Champion Communities by USDA Rural
Development.

Northwest Community Action has overseen Kittson and Marshall’s champion community status
since 2002 and put together the applications for the three RBEG awards. Northwest Community
Action began this successful venture by applying for an Enterprise Zone designation prior to the
Champion Community status. To date, the Northwest has been instrumental in garnering
approximately $2 million for Kittson and Marshall County, with the collaborative efforts of
participating counties, cities, and businesses.

“Everyone here today has put in a lot of time and effort to improve the quality of life in Kittson
and Marshall Counties,” said Steve Wenzel, State Director of Rural Development in Minnesota.
“These grants help create jobs and new development opportunities in Northwestern Minnesota. I
look forward to returning to this area in a few years to see the positive impact of this funding
firsthand.”

Rural Development’s RBEG program provides grants for rural projects that finance and facilitate
development of small and emerging rural businesses. Rural Development awards a grant to an
intermediary, which then loans the funds to an ultimate recipient at a low interest rate (usually
between 1-5 percent).

The Kittson County Economic Development Authority was awarded $143,538 to assist with an
upgrade project at C&M Ford Sales in Hallock. The city of Kennedy was awarded $99,999 and
will assist RP Machine, a startup local small manufacturing business that will specialize in
precision machining, welding and fabrication design. The city of Stephen was awarded $99,900
and will assist Sunsdahl TV and Appliance with an expansion project.




                                                “USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.”
                                                                                                                                      th
                  To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14 and
                              Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice or TDD).
Each project was awarded additional points on its application thanks to Kittson and Marshall
Counties being designated Champion Communities by Rural Development. Rural Development
designated the two counties Champion Communities due to their special economic needs.

“Northwest Minnesota is evidence of the outstanding value and critical need of Rural
Development’s RBEG program, said Randy Nordin, Director of Northwest Community
Development. “The activity in job retention, business expansion, and job creation through new
business, is a blessing to our Northern Minnesota communities and families.”

USDA Rural Development finances infrastructure and economic development projects in rural
areas. Examples include wastewater treatment, hospitals, renewable energy, day care, and
housing. For more information, visit www.rurdev.usda.gov/mn, or call the local office in Thief
River Falls at (218) 681-2843, ext. 4.


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