Susan M. Corbett owns and operates Axiom Technologies, a telecommunications company headquartered in Machias, Maine. Axiom was able to expand and purchase its own building with funding support through USDA. USDA photos.

Earlier this month, Revolving Loan Fund partners representing 13 Maine Intermediaries and 8 Microenterprise Development Organizations gathered at the USDA State Office in Bangor to listen to and share ideas for investing in rural Maine businesses. This meeting was one of dozens of Revolving Loan Fund Roundtables taking place around the country to assist USDA’s Intermediary Relending Program (IRP) and Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP) providers share Best Practices and challenges encountered in financing business projects in rural areas. In Maine, there is approximately $9.3 million in existing revolving loan funds for credit-worthy businesses seeking capital. Read more »

Bruce Pleasant, USDA Rural Development Business & Cooperative Program Director, facilitates the “Rural Job Maker Initiative Roundtable” held recently in Raleigh, North Carolina with more than 35 community and business stakeholders and revolving loan providers. USDA photo.

Earlier this month, USDA Rural Development staff, Intermediary Relending providers and partners held a Rural Job Maker Initiative Roundtable at the Rural Development State Office in Raleigh, North Carolina. Read more »

As Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan wrapped up a multi-state visit last week, she stopped in Kentucky where she announced the recipients for the Rural Microentreprenuer Assistance Program (RMAP) on Oct. 28. Read more »