Rural communities face unique challenges in managing their water systems. It can be challenging for rural communities to acquire assistance and resources when needed for smaller water systems.
The Rural Community Development (RCD) program, within the Office of Community Services, is a federal program dedicated to reducing the causes and consequences of poverty, increasing opportunity and economic security of individuals and families, and revitalizing communities.
The RCD program builds community capacity — through Regional Training and Technical Assistance grants and Tribal Training and Technical Assistance grants — for creating and maintaining safe and affordable water and wastewater systems for the nation’s unincorporated areas and lowest income communities, including tribal and persistent poverty areas. Learn more about the RCD Program's strategies and objectives. (PDF)
In Fiscal Year 2020, eight recipients were funded to serve six regions of the country and two tribal organizations. Each recipient has their own project focus.
Interested in learning about the impacts RCD funds make in communities across the country? Check out the new RCD Project Spotlights Map and these spotlight stories:
- Ellendale, DE (PDF)
- Lowndes County, AL (PDF)
Supporting Communities with Persistent and High Poverty
In FY 2021, more than 66% of RCD projects served communities in designated persistent poverty areas or high poverty areas. Additionally, half of hours spent on RCD projects and more than 40% of grant award dollars were invested in these communities.
Learn more about RCD grants' impact in Persistent Poverty Areas during Fiscal Year 2021 (PDF).
In FY 2019 and FY 2020, approximately 25% of RCD projects served communities in designated persistent poverty areas. In addition, 20% of RCD projects served communities in high-poverty areas.
Expanding Household Access to Safe Wastewater Services in Lowndes County, Alabama
Join Dr. Lanikque Howard, Director of the Office of Community Services, on a live-to-tape site visit with RCD grant recipient Communities Unlimited in Lowndes County, Alabama. During her time in Lowndes, Dr. Howard visits homeowners with septic and straight pipe sewage systems in states of disrepair. Without functioning sewage systems, the residents of Lowndes are living with raw sewage in their backyard, which leads to the spread of illness and disease. Supported by RCD funding, Communities Unlimited is working hard to ensure all residents of Lowndes County have strong, functioning sewage systems in their homes.
Hear more stories of communities benefiting from the RCD Program.