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<![if !supportLists]><b><span style="font-size:11.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Georgia","serif""><span style="mso-list:Ignore">1.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span></b><![endif]><b><u><span style="font-size:11.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Georgia","serif"">USDA Webinar</span></u></b><span style="font-size:11.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Georgia","serif"">: Tomorrow, March 31st, at 1:00pm
CT the National Main Street Center will be hosting a webinar with USDA on their Strategic Economic and Community Development (SECD) Program. To register and learn more about the webinar
<a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/usda-strategic-economic-and-community-development-secd-program-tickets-22929117608" target="_blank">
<span style="color:windowtext">click here</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Established under the 2014 Farm Bill (P.L. 113-79), the SECD program allows USDA-RD to reserve up to 10 percent
of funding appropriated to specific programs until June 30 of each fiscal year to fund projects that support the implementation of strategic economic and community development plans across multi-jurisdictional areas. The four Rural Development programs with
SECD set-aside funds include: Community Facilities, Water and Environmental Programs, Rural Business Development Grants, and Business and Industry Guaranteed Loans. The goal of SECD is to support rural communities who are working collaboratively across jurisdictions
and capitalizing on their regional strengths to help create a larger impact.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">This webinar will provide an overview of the SECD and the Rural Development Programs mentioned above. Please
join us in this opportunity to learn more about SECD and how it can benefit rural communities. Speakers for the webinar are:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ul type="disc">
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<b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Sam Rikkers,</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture-Rural Development<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Farah Ahmad</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">, Program Manager, Strategic Economic and Community Development, U.S. Department of Agriculture-Rural
Development<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Gregory Dale</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">, Southern Region Community Economic Development Coordinator, U.S. Department of Agriculture-Rural
Development<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
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<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:.25in;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:150%;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><b><span style="font-size:13.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Georgia","serif""><span style="mso-list:Ignore">2.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span></b><![endif]><b><u><span style="font-size:13.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Georgia","serif"">2016 Main Street Trends Survey</span></u></b><span style="font-size:13.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Georgia","serif"">: Yesterday The
National Main Street Center launched the 2016 Main Street Trends Survey. <i>I strongly encourage you to participate!</i> This survey is an important tool for the Center, helping us understand the profile of those we serve. <span style="color:#0070C0"><a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/X2GTKXC" target="_blank"><span style="color:#0070C0">Click
here</span></a></span> to take the survey and please encourage your local programs to do the same. As a thank you for your time in completing the survey, NMSC is offering three prizes that they will award to three individuals who complete the survey:<br>
• The 10th person to complete the survey will receive conference registration to the 2016 Main Street Now Conference in Milwaukee, Wis.<br>
• Two winners will receive a ticket to the Big Bash at the conference.<br>
*If a winner has already registered, a refund will be issued in the amount of the prize.<br>
The survey will close on Friday, April 15. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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