USDA Launches Resource Guide for Disaster Resiliency

Two weeks ago the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) unveiled a disaster resiliency resource guide. The guide is being rolled out as part of National Preparedness Month to help rural communities looking for disaster resiliency and recovery assistance.

The Disaster Resiliency Resource Guide

The disaster resiliency resource guide provides users with the USDA Rural Development (UDSA-RD) programs and services that are available to help rural residents, businesses and communities when disasters hit. Rural Development has long provided loans and grants to assist with economic opportunities, creating jobs and improving the quality of life for rural communities.

Provided throughout the guide are links to programs for long-term planning and recovery efforts is also available. The programs that can support preparedness and recovery are broken down into four key assistance types:

• housing assistance, and community and economic development planning;
• infrastructure and equipment financing;
• industry, entrepreneurship and local business development; and
• education and training.

Winslow, Nebraska surrounded by the Elkhorn River in March 2019. (Photo courtesy state of Nebraska)

The resource guide also provides information on technical assistance providers and other federal agencies that can work with USDA to assist disaster planning and recovery efforts. The guide breaks down the relationships with each of the federal agencies. There’s even a matrix that details who would take the lead regarding certain recovery actions.

Additionally, there are a number of other resources for rural communities seeking disaster assistance. Check out these resources through the link provided below:

https://www.rd.usda.gov/page/rural-development-disaster-assistance

For details regarding all of these resource, start a conversation with your local USDA-RD office. Start a relationship with your local USDA-RD representatives now. Having that relationship in place will make everything much easier when their assistance is desperately needed.

Don’t Keep it to Yourself

The importance of this resource guide cannot be understated. Rural communities everywhere should have a copy of this guide on hand. I’ll be adding a link to it on the Tool Kit page. Also, share this post with other communities. All rural communities should have knowledge of this resource guide well before disaster strikes.