The Rural Partners Network has been expanded to 17 communities across four additional states and Puerto Rico

According to a Nov. 3 U.S. Department of Agriculture news release by USDA, the RPN involves a partnership with rural people and the government for access to resources and creating local jobs, building infrastructure and supporting “long-term economic stability on their own terms.” The expansion includes Alaska, Nevada, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Puerto Rico.

“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,” U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom 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.”

The RPN was launched in April 2022 in 14 communities in Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Mexico and Native American communities in Arizona, the release reported. The network involves technical assistance by full-time federal staff members catered to each community. The staff members live and work in these rural communities and help to build relationships, help with federal programs and apply for funding. The Rural Prosperity Interagency Policy Council is responsible for advising the RPN program.

“Rural America is full of opportunities but these vital communities don’t always have a way to navigate federal agencies or access the resources of the government,” said Ambassador Susan Rice. who advises the White House on domestic policy, according to the release. “The Rural Partners Network is bringing federal staff directly to rural communities to ensure local leaders have access to federal resources as they build strong and vibrant economies.”