BishopNueces County 115 South Ash Suite 106B Bishop, Texas 78343 Phone: 361-584-8928 Hockley County 1611 FM 300 Levelland, Texas 79336 Phone: 806-897-1113 Trent Taylor County 117 North Main Street Trent, Texas 79561 Phone: 325-862-6000 Phone: 940-553-3556 City Hall Bedias Grimes County 3603 East Main Street Bedias, Texas 77831 Phone: 936-395-2456 La GrangeFayette County 255 Svoboda La Grange, Texas 78945 Phone: 979-968-6764 & 979-968-8307 Rusk Cherokee County County Courthouse Annex 165 East Sixth Street Suite 301 Rusk, Texas 75785 Phone: 903-683-4251 Carrizo SpringsDimmit County 307 W Nopal Carrizo Springs, Texas 78834 Phone: 830-876-3082 TDRa austin BishopNueces County 115 South Ash Suite 106B Bishop, Texas 78343 Phone: 361-584-8928 Hockley County 1611 FM 300 Levelland, Texas 79336 Phone: 806-897-1113 Trent Taylor County 117 North Main Street Trent, Texas 79561 Phone: 325-862-6000 Phone: 940-553-3556 City Hall Bedias Grimes County 3603 East Main Street Bedias, Texas 77831 Phone: 936-395-2456 La GrangeFayette County 255 Svoboda La Grange, Texas 78945 Phone: 979-968-6764 & 979-968-8307 Rusk Cherokee County County Courthouse Annex 165 East Sixth Street Suite 301 Rusk, Texas 75785 Phone: 903-683-4251 Carrizo SpringsDimmit County 307 W Nopal Carrizo Springs, Texas 78834 Phone: 830-876-3082 TDRa austin abouT TDRa TDRA’S MISSION “To enhance the quality of life for rural Texans.” TDRA makes the resources of state government more accessible to rural communities. The agency works to strengthen rural communities by providing services and technical support, making policy recommendations to the Texas Legislature and distributing state and federal grants for community development, disaster recovery and rural health. ONLINE @ WWW.TDRA.STATE.TX.US • Create custom reports for your district, county or city • Apply for TDRA grants • Research TDRA’s rural-focused grants clearinghouse • View events on an agency calendar • Access electronic news and more TDRA OFFICES TDRA Headquarters TDRA Disaster Recovery Office 1700 N. Congress Avenue 1340 Airport Commerce Blvd. Suite 220 Building 4, Suite 490 Austin, Texas 78701 Austin, Texas 78741 Phone: 512-936-6701 Phone: 512-936-0934 Toll Free: 800-544-2042 Toll Free: 888-693-2236 Fax: 512-936-6776 Fax: 512-936-0356 Vernon Wilbarger County Vernon College Sumner Arts Center 4400 College Drive, Bldg. D Levelland Vernon, Texas 76384 Nacogdoches Nacogdoches County 202 E Pilar, Rms 303 & 333 Nacogdoches, Texas 75961 Phone: 936-560-4188 & 936-564-1980 Kountze Hardin County Courthouse Annex 440 W Monroe Kountze, Texas 77625 Phone: 409-246-8547 & 409-246-8712 DEPARTMENTOFRURALAFFAIRS TEXAS EXA Dedicated to Rural Texaswww.tdra.state.tx.uswww.tdra.state.tx.us P.O Bo.x 12877Austin, TX 78711-2877 TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF RURAL AFFAIRS 1700 N. Congress AvenueSuite 220Austin, TX 78701 Phone: 512-936-6701Toll Free: 800-544-2042Fax: 512-936-6776E-mail: tdra@tdra.state.tx.usWeb: www.tdra.state.tx.us TDRa’s GRanTs, PRoGRams & seRvices TEXAS COMMUNITy DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT TDRA awards grants from the TxCDBG program, the largest CDBG program in the nation, serving approximately 1,015 rural communities, 244 rural counties, and benefitting more than 483,000 Texans each year. STATE OFFICE OF RURAL HEALTH TDRA is the Texas State Office of Rural Health, designated by the US Department of Health and Human Services. The agency’s SORH programs serve 150 rural hospitals and benefit more than 3 million rural Texans. DISASTER RECOVERy TDRA is the state’s lead agency for disaster recovery funding from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, managing non-housing awards in both urban and rural areas for hurricanes Ike and Dolly. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Community Development Fund: Grants to improve public infrastructure, water/wastewater facilities, streets, drainage and housing activities. Awards: $75,000 - $800,000. Planning & Capacity Building Fund: Grants for local public facility and housing planning activities. Awards: Up to $50,000. Texas Small Towns Environment Program Fund: Funds water and sewer projects for invited cities and counties. Volunteer labor required. Awards: Up to $350,000. DISASTER RELIEF Disaster Relief & Urgent Need Fund: Cities and counties may apply following a disaster declaration or for qualifying urgent water and sewer needs. First come, first served. Awards: $50,000-$350,000 (DR); $25,000-$250,000 (UN). COLONIAS Colonia Planning and Construction Fund: Grants for eligible counties within 150 miles of the Texas-Mexico border for community development projects. Includes a construction component and a planning component, which funds an inventory of colonias. Awards: $75,000 - $500,000. Colonia Economically Distressed Areas Program: Grants to counties for colonias in the Texas Water Development Board’s Economically Distressed Areas Program (TWDB EDAP). Awards: Up to $500,000. Colonia Self-Help Center Fund: Grants for counties to assist colonias. Colonia Self-Help Centers are located in counties of Cameron/Willacy, El Paso, Hidalgo, Starr, Webb, Maverick and Val Verde. Administered by the Texas Department of Housing & Community Affairs through an interagency agreement. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Texas Capital Fund: An economic development tool and job creation/retention fund. Programs include Downtown Revitalization, Infrastructure Development, Main Street Improvements and Real Estate Development. Administered by the Texas Department of Agriculture through an interagency agreement. Awards: $50,000 - $750,000. RENEWABLE ENERGY TDRA helps rural communities cut energy costs and create new jobs by developing their renewable energy resources. Renewable Energy Demonstration Pilot Program: Grants to install wind turbines, solar panels and other technologies at water treatment and wastewater treatment plants. Awards: Up to $500,000. Desalination Program: Grants to install wind turbines to desalinate brackish groundwater and create new drinking water sources. Awards: Up to $1.5 million. CRITICAL ACCESS HOSPITALS & RURAL HOSPITALS CAH Board Training Reimbursement: Continuing education for CAH board trustees. Awards: Up to $750/year. Certified Health Care Continuing Education Program: TDRA and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center assist with education and training for CAHs. Rural Health Planning Grant: Planning activities to improve financial performance in rural hospitals. Awards: Up to $5,000. Rural Health Technology Grant: Supports technology investment for CAHs. Awards: Up to $30,000. Rural Hospital Designation: Technical assistance with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Servic es’ rural hospital reclassification. QUALITY IMPROVEMENT & CAPITAL INVESTMENT Rural Health Facility Capital Improvement Loan Fund: Grants to construct new health facilities, make capital improvements, or purchase equipment. Awards: Up to $50,000. Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program Grant: Pays for costs of quality improvement, PPS, and HIPAA. Awards: Up to $9,000. RECRUITMENT & RETENTION Medically Underserved Community-State Matching Incentive Program: Matches local funds to cover start-up costs for physicians to establish primary care practices. Awards: Up to $25,000. Physician Assistant Loan Repayment Program: Loan reimbursement to PAs who practice in qualifying rural areas. Awards: Up to $5,000/year. Texas Health Service Corps Program: Incentives to primary care physicians in their residency to practice in Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs). Awards: Up to $15,000/year. Rural Communities Health Care Investment Program: Stipends or loan repayment assistance to non-physician health care professionals who agree to practice in MUAs. Awards: Up to $6,000/year. Outstanding Rural Scholar Recognition Program: Matches community funds to support a student in a health professional education program, in exchange for future service. Recruitment & Retention Services: TDRA hosts HealthFind, an annual job recruitment event, and sponsors assistance via the Internet at www.3Rnet.org. EMERGENCY SERVICES Rural & Frontier EMS Enhancement Grant: This SORH program increases access to EMS and improves the quality of care between EMS and hospitals. Awards: Up to $2,500. ESDs & VFDs Emergency Services Districts (ESDs): Technical assistance for ESD conversion. ESDs must file district information with TDRA by January 1st of each year. The 2008 ESD Operating Guide, reporting requirements, and other information is online at TDRA’s web site. Volunteer Fire Departments (VFDs): Technical assistance for volunteer fire departments on recruitment and retention, lowering ISO ratings, and writing a county-wide emergency response manual. TExAS RECOVERS AND REBUILDS Significant progress has been made hit Texas in 2008. • The agency has fostered collaborative partnerships focused on recovery results and maximizing resources for recovery. • TDRA provided project assessment assistance to non-entitlement communities and technical assistance to entitlement communities. have surpassed Hurricane Rita and rebuilding efforts since hurricanes Ike and Dolly • Recovery time frames by three months; • The agency has helped both entitlement and non-entitlement communities move toward normalcy in an effective manner; Eligible Non-housing Activities: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds may be used for eligible public infrastructure projects, including building, drainage, transportation, and water/wastewater. Non-housing activities eligible for the TDRA Hurricane Recovery Program include infrastructure that either: • Was damaged as a result of Hurricane Ike or Dolly; or • Failed to function as a result of Hurricane Ike or Dolly. Quick Start Generator Program: The Quick Start Generator Program (QSGP) is a TDRA initiative that allows communities to identify generator projects that will have the highest impact, and at the same time, can be quickly installed. Generators help keep hospitals and shelters operational, and power water and wastewater services in communities hit by destructive storms. The facility priorities are: • shelters • water production facilities • water distribution facilities • wastewater facilities RURAL POLICy TDRA wants your help making rural policy recommendations: TDRA ensures a continuing focus on rural issues, monitors governmental actions, researches problems and recommends solutions, and is a coordinator and provider of rural-focused state and federal resources. • Help us identify and prioritize policy issues and concerns affecting your rural community. E-mail your suggestion or ideas to allpolicy@tdra.state.tx.us.