New Federal Program to Bring Assistance and Resources to Rural Communities in Clark County
Moapa Valley and Southern Clark County Community Networks Selected to Participate in the USDA’s Rural Partners Network (RPN) Program
Clark County, Nev. – The Moapa Valley Community and Southern Clark County Community Networks have been selected as two of just 22 rural regions nationwide added to the Rural Partners Network (RPN). RPN is an all-of-government program that partners with rural people to help them access resources and funding to create local jobs, build infrastructure, and support long-term economic stability on their own terms.
“This is a tremendous opportunity to ensure that our rural communities have local opportunities to succeed and grow,” said Shani Coleman, director of the Clark County Office of Community and Economic Development (OCED). “Furthering the connection between rural communities and federal resources speaks to my office’s mission to advance inclusive growth to ensure economic opportunities for all Clark County residents.”
The Moapa Valley Community Network includes unincorporated areas of Clark County such as Moapa, Moapa Valley, Overton, Logandale, and Bunkerville and the Southern Clark County Community Network includes Laughlin, Cal-Nev-Ari and Searchlight. Both networks are coordinated by the Clark County Office of Community and Economic Development.
RPN Community Networks receive on-the-ground, full-time support from federal staff assigned to provide technical assistance tailored to the community’s unique needs and objectives. These community liaisons live and work in the rural communities they serve, allowing them to develop partnerships with local leaders to promote growth and prosperity for rural families and local communities.
These federal staff members will help rural communities navigate federal programs, identify community-driven solutions, and develop successful applications for funding.
Additionally, RPN includes an-all-of government strategy supported by more than 20 federal agencies and commissions, working closely together with each other, rural communities, and existing programs and policies. The Rural Prosperity Council, co-led by the White House Domestic Policy Council and USDA advises the RPN program and escalates lessons learned through RPN for policy consideration. A team of Rural Desk Officers representing each participating federal entity supports the RPN program and the selected Community Networks.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack and White House Domestic Policy Advisor Susan Rice announced the expansion of the Rural Partners Network (RPN) November 3, 2022, at an event with residents, businesses and organizations that will benefit from RPN’s expansion in Wisconsin.
“The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to ensuring that people in rural communities have every opportunity to succeed – and that they can find those opportunities right at home in rural America,” Vilsack said. “Rural people make up America’s spirit and character and provide the everyday essentials our country depends on. We know that when rural people thrive, America thrives. By expanding the Rural Partners Network, we can help these important but often overlooked communities receive their fair share of government resources to keep rural people and economies prepared for the future.”
RPN was launched in April 2022 in partnership with14 rural and Tribal community networks in Arizona, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, and New Mexico. With the current announcement RPN is expanding to community networks in Alaska, Nevada, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Additional community networks are expected to be added in 2023.
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The Office of Community and Economic Development (OCED) is the primary resource for new, established, and prospective businesses interested in investing, expanding, or relocating to Clark County, Nevada. With a dedicated team of experts, OCED provides businesses and developers with the answers, tools, and resources needed to start a new project or expand an existing business. Home to 2.3 million residents, Clark County covers roughly 8,000 square miles and is the 11th-largest county in the nation. Committed to enhancing and supporting the economic viability of the unincorporated areas of Clark County and advancing inclusive, sustainable growth, OCED is building awareness of the economic opportunities and “bright beyond the lights” of Las Vegas.