New On-Line Tools Can Help Rural Communities, RD Notes

The latest addition to Rural Development’s Rural Data Gateway online dashboard looks to show how the department’s commercial guaranteed loans benefit not only community projects but other local investments.

“The Lender’s Lens is providing a perspective to our customers of the lenders we work with," said Jim Barham is with Rural Development. . What we've made available to the public is our commercial guaranteed loan portfolio.”

Barham says another way to look at it; RD works within these specific loan products.

“The community, whether it's a local bank or a small business owner, if he's looking to finance his business and he goes to his local bank, he knows that there is an opportunity to also work with USDA to help back that loan, lower that risk for that local bank so we can actually have success and he can build his business,” Barham noed.

The Lender's Lens and Rural Data Gateway are located on Rural Development’s Website.

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