Three Articles on USDA RD’s Water and Waste Disposal Direct Loan and Grant Program in Oklahoma: An Evaluation

Abstract

This record of study presented an evaluation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development’s Water and Waste Disposal Direct Loan and Grant Program. The study is presented in a three-article format. The study is introduced in the first chapter. Then, the three articles are examined. The first article examined the historical record of funding within the decade of 2008-2018 throughout the state of Oklahoma in USDA’s Water and Waste Disposal Direct Loan and Grant program recording the recipient of funding, location of recipient, amount of assistance, purpose, and agency definition of impact. The second article examined a qualitative approach to perform a utilization-focused program evaluation of USDA Rural Development’s Water and Waste Disposal Direct Loan and Grant Program. The third article employed a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis to identify needs and/or gaps of USDA, Rural Development’s Water and Waste Disposal Direct Loan and Grant Program in rural Oklahoma. The final chapter of this dissertation presents the findings throughout the study, along with discussions, implications, and recommendations.