The Adrian Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) applied for a Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) in March of 2009.  On January 22, 2010; the HRA’s RBEG request for $99,999.00 was granted by the Rural Development Offices of the United State Department of Agriculture.  These funds will be used to boost business development in Adrian.

The RBEG program provides grants for rural projects (like the HRA) that finance and facilitate development of small and emerging rural businesses.  To assist with business development, RBEGs may fund a broad array of activities.  The HRA will be exploring and committing to those uses in the near future.

The RBEG program is a broad based program that reaches to the core of rural development in a number of ways. Examples of eligible fund use include: Acquisition or development of land, easements, or rights of way; construction, conversion, renovation of: buildings, plants, machinery, equipment; access streets and roads, parking areas, utilities; pollution control and abatement; capitalization of revolving loan funds including funds that will make loans for start ups and working capital; training and technical assistance; distance adult learning for job training and advancement; rural transportation improvement; and project planning.

  There are numerous funding opportunities at hand with an RBEG.  Any project funded under the RBEG program should benefit small and emerging private businesses in rural areas. Small and emerging private businesses are those that will employ 50 or fewer new employees and have less than $1 million in projected gross revenues.

  These funds were obtained and achieved through the assistance of our local USDA office in Worthington, MN.  Specifically, Paul E. Pierson’s assistance was instrumental toward the success of obtaining the grant.  Sterling Drug of Adrian also offered information and an innovative business model that certainly caught the attention of USDA.  The HRA Commissioners, the City Council, and their staff worked hard to obtain these funds. 

Congratulations Adrian on this business boost.