A hospital and a school in rural Colorado will receive grants and loans of nearly $5 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture as part of a $153 million nationwide investment in community facilities.

“Rural America needs safe, modern infrastructure to help residents and businesses achieve greater prosperity and have access to essential services,” said Bette Brand, USDA’s deputy under secretary for rural development.

Pagosa Peak Open School Building Corporation will receive $2.9 million in loans for helping the tuition-free school of kindergarten through fourth grade students to purchase their existing building. The charter school operates year-round and focuses on outdoor education and horticulture. In the 2017-2018 school year, there were 66 students enrolled, half of whom were eligible for free and reduced-price lunch. The school intends to gradually add classes to become a K-8 facility.

Trinidad Area Health Association is the recipient of nearly $50,000 in grants and a more than $1.9 million loan to renovate and expand Mt. San Raphael Hospital. The facility, a 25-bed critical access hospital, will have a new emergency department, utilities plant and 14-bed surgical unit.

The USDA’s Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant is intended for localities and tribal areas of under 20,000 people to purchase, build and improve facilities that serve the community, and for related expenses.

Correction: The funding totals nearly $5 million, rather than the lesser amount previously noted.