Northern Marianas College recently received a $183,300 grant from the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA-RD) for the procurement of vital equipment that will aid in the College’s recovery and rebuilding efforts.
The funding will come from USDA Rural Development’s Community Facilities Program with additional support from the Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act of 2019.
Through the grant, the College will be able to purchase equipment necessary to assist in the recovery of its campus from Super Typhoon Yutu. These equipment include a four-wheel drive pickup truck, utility carts, trailers, forklift, and an articulating aerial lift.
The new equipment will be used by the College’s facilities and maintenance department, and will also be used toward the institution’s construction and maintenance projects for the college.
The new equipment will also aid in faster and more efficient recovery efforts in future storms and typhoons. For instance:
- General post-storm cleanup, fallen trees and branches, dislodged roofing tin, and other debris can easily be tackled with the boom lift throughout the campus.
- The acquisition of trailers and a pick-up truck will also aid in transporting scrap material and green waste to designated waste sites.
- The acquisition of golf carts will allow for rapid response of campus safety and maintenance personnel in emergency situations.
- The acquisition of a forklift will allow for the transport and storage of campus property quickly and safely, especially during pre-storm preparations.
“We are extremely grateful to USDA Rural Development for their support in helping to rebuild,” NMC President Dr. Galvin Deleon Guerrero said. “I’d like to thank Joe Diego and Anthony Barcinas for their support and guidance.”
“We are very proud to be NMC’s community partner to meet its capital needs,” USDA Rural Development Area Director for the Western Pacific Joe Diego said. “We look forward to working closer with Dr. Galvin Deleon Guerrero on future capital needs for the college.”
The Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant program from USDA Rural Development provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas.
An essential community facility is defined by USDA as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial, or business undertakings.