StrikeForce
USDA's StrikeForce delivers promising, sustainable results by building partnerships with community organizations, businesses, foundations, universities, faith-based and other groups to help challenged communities shape a future based on local assets and regional strengths.
"Growing the economy by investing in rural communities, farmers, makers and innovators, and increasing opportunities for families are keys to our nation's future, said Secretary Vilsack in a January 2016 press release announcing the expansion of the program. ”StrikeForce has proven to be an effective, collaborative process that builds partnerships and enables USDA to bring economic opportunity directly to rural Americans where they live and helps rural communities leverage their assets."
Launched in 2010, more than 1,500 StrikeForce partnerships have already helped USDA support nearly 190,000 projects and invest $23.5 billion in high-poverty areas in rural America. Altogether, 970 counties, parishes, boroughs, and census areas through StrikeForce. From 2010-2016, NIFA has 33 NIFA funded projects that map onto the StrikeForce criteria inclusive of :
- Job creation
- Building homes
- Feeding youth
- Assisting farmers, and
- Conserving natural resources in the country’s most economically challenged areas.
NIFA has $50,327,345 in monetary investments that map onto the StrikeForce Initiative; the information was provided by Division Directors and NPLs.