Community project grants congressionally delegated

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service awarded $1,000,000 to Zapata County Sheriff's Office on September 16, 2025, under the Community Facilities Loans and Grants program (CFDA 10.766) to support the development of the Zapata County Emergency Operations Center. This essential community facility project, with a completion date of September 16, 2027, will provide critical emergency management and coordination infrastructure serving the rural Zapata, Texas community. The Community Facilities program prioritizes funding for projects that enhance public safety and serve low-income rural residents through the development of essential services facilities, including emergency operations capabilities.

The Emergency Operations Center will function as a central coordination hub for emergency response and disaster management services in Zapata County, supporting law enforcement, emergency management, and interagency coordination efforts in this rural border region. This grant award reflects the program's emphasis on strengthening public safety infrastructure in underserved rural communities and represents the Rural Utilities Service's commitment to facilitating essential facility development that supports orderly community development and enhanced emergency preparedness capacity.