Rural Development & Customer Experience

February 2020

Rural Development & Customer Experience

Creation of Innovation

Center

OneRDGuaranteed

Loan Initiative

Partnerships Division

E-Connectivity

Outreach

Creation of the Innovation Center

…The RD Innovation Center will be tasked with policy and trend analysis, data analysis and program outcomes measurement, identifying best practices, promoting multi-sector partnerships and capacity at the local level, and driving synergy between resources. These activities will support the goal of ensuring rural communities are well-equipped with a set of economic development tools to address challenges, seize new opportunities, and drive rural prosperity.

- Secretary Sonny Perdue

3

Innovation Center

Working together to develop fresh, creative solutions – Innovate!

• Centralization of key Reg Management functions to better support RD programs

• Building and leveraging Partnerships to increase impact

• Using Data Analytics to enhance evidence-based decision making 4

OneRD Guaranteed Loan Initiative

One RD Guaranteed Loan Initiative

Benefits

Supports OneUSDA Initiative

Standardize Documents Across Programs

Improved Program Delivery

Reduces Burden on Lenders, Applicants and Staff

Better Customer Experience

Business &

Industry

(B&I)

OneRD

Guaranteed

Loan Initiative

Water & Waste

(WEP)

Rural Energy

for America

(REAP)

Community

Facilities

(CF)

OneRD Guarantee: Customer Experience Priorities

Lenders noted three priority areas necessary to achieve a positive lender guaranteed loan experience

Timeliness

Transparency & Ease

USDA Knowledge &

Accessibility

Lenders want an easily accessible point of contact to be able to direct their questions:

• USDA staff with experience and knowledge about their specific program, irrespective of where they are

located (e.g., regional USDA SME teams)

• Available USDA contact list and contact information

Lenders desire a seamless and consistent application process:

• Consistency in regulations and interpretations across states

• Clearly-delineated application requirements and user-friendly portal for application submission and

tracking

Lenders need quicker turnaround times and clear timelines:

• Preferred timeline of 30 days from initial filing to conditional commitment issuance (60 days max), and 2

days from conditional commitment to issuance of Loan Note Guarantee

• Clarity on expected timeline and stages of review (e.g., National Office Loan Committees)

Innovation Center

Partnerships Division

Partnerships Division

Jamie Davenport, Director

Strategic Engagement

Kristen Grifka, Chief

Community Solutions

Vacant, Chief

Convening stakeholders

Facilitating partner connections

Developing and supporting strategic engagement plans

Innovation Center

Partnerships Division

Native American Coordinator

Tedd Buelow

5 staff 16 staff

The Division supports program delivery by engaging internal and external

stakeholders to: 1) identify resources and approaches to support rural prosperity;

and 2) implement and coordinate national economic development initiatives.

Innovation Center

Partnerships Division

Some examples of our work --

Convening Stakeholders

Developing and Implementing Strategic

Engagement Plans

Facilitating Partner Connections

• OneRD & Farm Bill listening sessions

• OneRD Human Experience Lab• RESP Roundtable • Water Quality Task Force• DOE/USDA Access to Capital

Summits & MOU coordination• Broadband capacity building

workshops & STEM listening sessions

• Innovation Matters (bi-weekly) • e-Connectivity @ USDA toolkit• Tribal toolkit• Workforce development

roundtables/summits in NY, AR, and KS; toolkit and more events in progress

• Recreation economy planning resources & toolkit in progress

• Cooperative development resources

• REDI economic development planning assistance for 48 regions

• Strategic Economic and Community Development (SECD)

• Opportunity Zones • RD Customer Experience

Strategy

E-Connectivity

• ReConnect Loans and

Grants

• Telecommunications

Infrastructure Loans

• Rural Broadband Access

Loans

• Community Connect

Grants

• Distance Learning &

Telemedicine Grants

USDA Rural Broadband Programs

ReConnect Outreach Efforts – Round 1

Let’s Connect!

Jacki Ponti-Lazaruk

Chief Innovation Officer

Jamie Davenport

Director, Partnerships Division

Jim Barham

Acting Director, Data Analytics Division

RD.Innovation@usda.gov