Application Guide

How to Apply for Rural Development Specialist, Self-Help Housing (Job #351) ($76,103 - $83,976)

at Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC)

🏢 About Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC)

RCAC is unique for its dedicated focus on rural and Tribal communities, providing hands-on technical assistance rather than just funding. Working here means directly impacting underserved populations through sustainable housing solutions, with a mission-driven culture that values community partnerships over bureaucratic approaches.

About This Role

This role involves facilitating self-help housing projects by providing technical assistance to grantees managing USDA Section 523 grants, ensuring low-income families can achieve homeownership. You'll be the bridge between communities, USDA staff, and RCAC resources, making tangible impacts through training, coalition-building, and problem-solving specific to rural housing barriers.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve morning virtual meetings with USDA staff to troubleshoot grant compliance issues, followed by developing training materials for an upcoming self-help housing workshop. Afternoons could include one-on-one technical assistance calls with grantees in different time zones, documenting obstacles and solutions in RCAC's tracking system, and preparing for a webinar on leveraging local assets for rural housing projects.

🚀 Application Tools

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Interview Prep

Practice questions for this role

🎯 Who Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) Is Looking For

  • Has 3+ years of hands-on experience with mutual self-help housing programs or similar USDA rural development initiatives
  • Demonstrated success in building coalitions with rural/Tribal communities to leverage local assets for housing projects
  • Experience navigating USDA Rural Development grant requirements and reporting, specifically Section 523 grants
  • Proven ability to deliver technical training to diverse audiences, from community members to professional conferences

📝 Tips for Applying to Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC)

1

Quantify your experience with USDA programs - specify grant types (like Section 523), dollar amounts managed, and number of families served

2

Highlight any remote technical assistance experience, as this is a remote position serving dispersed rural communities

3

Include specific examples of overcoming barriers in underserved communities, not just general community work

4

Mention experience with mutual self-help housing methodology specifically, not just general affordable housing

5

Demonstrate knowledge of RCAC's existing programs by referencing their current initiatives in rural housing

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Specific experience with USDA Rural Development programs and Section 523 grant requirements', 'Examples of successful coalition-building in rural or Tribal communities for housing projects', 'Experience delivering technical training to diverse audiences (workshops, webinars, conferences)', 'Understanding of mutual self-help housing model and its unique challenges in remote settings']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → RCAC's current self-help housing projects and geographic service areas
  • → USDA Rural Development's Mutual Self-Help Housing Program (Section 523) guidelines and recent changes
  • → RCAC's technical assistance approach - review their training materials and webinar archives
  • → Specific challenges facing rural and Tribal housing in the regions RCAC serves
Visit Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC)'s Website →

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Walk us through your experience managing USDA Section 523 grants from application through completion
2 Describe a time you helped a rural community overcome a specific barrier to housing development
3 How would you deliver technical assistance remotely to a Tribal community with limited internet access?
4 What metrics would you track to demonstrate success in a self-help housing program?
5 How have you previously worked with USDA Rural Development staff to resolve grant management issues?
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Using urban housing development examples without connecting them to rural context
  • Vague references to 'community work' without specific outcomes for low-income families
  • Focusing only on grant writing rather than the technical assistance and training aspects of the role

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC)!

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