RURAL DEVELOPMENT GRANTS

2/20/25

Illinois Farm Bureau recently announced the recipients of its 2024-25 Rural Development Grant program, and the Xenia Fire Protection District is among the recipients.

The Xenia Fire Protection District is receiving $2,800 in grant money.  According to Fire Chief Vince King the Department will use the funds to buy a Milwaukee MX Fuel 14” Cut-Off Saw.  The saw will be used to cut ventilation holes in metal roofing, and can be used to cut the sides of grain bins in case of entrapment.

Overall, the organization awarded 23 grants totaling $105,000, with seven of those for emergency services and 16 for rural development projects, according to Ryan Tate, IFB associate director of local government.

The emergency services grant awards primarily centered around projects that improved response times, quality of service and impacted the largest number of members/citizens.  For the rural development grants, the awards primarily centered on projects that impacted economic/community development or quality of life for the largest number of members/citizens while also being ready to move forward.