Sikeston among 10 communities targeted in Main Street’s USDA grant

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Sikeston is one of 10 communities targeted by a USDA grant awarded this week to the Missouri Main Street Connection.

Missouri Main Street Connection (MMSC) is proud to announce the receipt of a Rural Community Development Initiative grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

This grant will allow MMSC to partner with USDA on the My Community Matters initiative in select targeted communities. The RCDI grant program helps community-based development organizations promote economic development in low-income, rural communities. This grant is awarded to MMSC, a non-profit entity that has proven skills in economic development and rural job creation. MMSC will provide matching funds for the program.

MMSC unveiled the My Community Matters program Monday in Jefferson City at the Capital Building. Representatives from the communities targeted by the grant were in attendance as well as the legislators for these communities.

“MMSC looks forward to working with both USDA and Missouri communities to implement this program and help build sustainable communities through downtown revitalization. Without our valuable partners, this program would not possible,” said MMSC State Director Gayla Roten.

In addition to Sikeston, the communities targeted by MMSC in the My Community Matters initiative are Brunswick, Butler, Concordia, Kirksville, Knob Noster, Monett, Monroe City, Rockaway Beach and Willow Springs.

My Community Matters initiative will provide technical training and assistance to 10 communities in rural Missouri. This assistance and training will focus on a variety of topics centered on the four points of the Main Street Approach which are Organization, Design, Promotion and Economic Vitality.

Within these four points services will cover visioning, market analysis, board training, sustainable design practices, micro-enterprise development, and entrepreneurship. The overall goal of the program is to help Missouri communities build capacity to support sustainable economic development.

USDA funds will supply new necessary support to local community economic goals by engaging targeted rural towns in undertaking meaningful economic development projects. The new communities will receive basic start-up services as well as a never before offered slate of group and hands on training for new communities. Previously-involved communities, who have demonstrated increased capacity, will receive more extensive and advanced technical assistance.