Read the 2022 Rural Partners Network Annual Report to learn about the impact RPN is having in rural communities. 

Juntos somos más fuertes Oportunidades de financiación y planificación federales destinadas a promover el desarrollo económico sostenible en el área rural de los Estados Unidos. Hay una amplia gama de recursos federales disponibles para ayudarle a identifcar programas complementarios, pero puede ser desalentador saber por dónde empezar. Juntos, la Administración de Desarrollo Económico (EDA, por sus siglas en inglés) del Departamento de Comercio de EE.UU. y la unidad de Desarrollo Rural del Departamento de Agricultura de EE. UU. (USDA RD, por sus siglas en inglés) se complacen en ofrecer esta guía conjunta de recursos para la planifcación, diseñada para ayudarle a eliminar las barreras y fomentar la colaboración entre las partes interesadas.

Together, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development and the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) updated their Stronger Together guide in English and Spanish. The guide was developed to support rural communities build strategies to boost local economic development.  This unique joint resource guide offers programs and services that can be used for economic development and advance job creation. Contacts at each agency are available in the guides

The Distressed Cities and Persistent Poverty Technical Assistance (DCTA) program is designed to improve fiscal health and build capacity of relatively small units of general local government (UGLGs) and their nonprofit partners in places experiencing persistent poverty and economic distress. “Local governments” include villages, towns, tribes, cities, counties, and other small municipalities.

Needs for TA may stem from multiple factors including, but not limited to, changing market dynamics, economic decline, emigration, and/or natural disasters. TA is primarily focused on financial management but may include governance and management, leadership development, data and research, building partnerships, community engagement, strategic planning, plan implementation, and program evaluation. The guidance provided by TA teams helps recipients build specific knowledge and skills to be more successful in meeting the needs of their communities.

The Thriving Communities Technical Assistance (TCTA) program, funded in FY 2022 with $5 million, is designed to support coordination and integration of transportation and housing in infrastructure planning and implementation. Jurisdictions can leverage these infrastructure investments to revitalize communities, ensure equitable access to resources, create economic opportunities for residents and businesses, and improve housing availability, affordability, and quality. 

The Rural Gateway is an information clearinghouse providing technical assistance, training workshops, and peer learning and resource sharing to support rural housing and economic development.

This Climate Resilience Implementation Guide provides step-by-step instructions to assist communities in implementing mobility improvements to decarbonize their transportation systems, build resilience, and adapt to the impacts of natural hazards. Grantees are encouraged to use this guide for suggestions on how to effectively use Community Planning and Development (CPD)-funded programs and other resources to design and implement such solutions.

Historically underserved farmers and ranchers represent a diverse share of all U.S. agricultural producers.1 This includes socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers (SDFRs), who are producers belonging to a group whose members have been subjected to racial, ethnic, or gender discrimination, including tribal and Indigenous agricultural producers. At the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), historically underserved producers also include beginning farmers or ranchers (BFRs), veteran farmers or ranchers (VFRs), and limited resource farmers and ranchers (LRFRs). Although these producer groups are eligible for USDA programs available to all U.S. farmers and ranchers, recent legislation and omnibus farm bills have provided targeted support for these groups. This report provides a list of authorized programs and provisions that reference these selected agricultural producers.

The Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP) Stakeholder Toolkit includes resources to help organizations amplify funding available through the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 LAMP grants. LAMP encompasses the Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP), Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP), Regional Food System Partnerships Program (RFSP), and Value-Added Producer Grants Program (VAPG). The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) administers FMPP, LFPP, and RFSP. VAPG is administered through USDA Rural Development (RD). The Stakeholder Toolkit focuses only on funding available through USDA AMS for FMPP, LFPP, and RFSP. All information provided is available for public use.  

The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) developed the Rural Grant Applicant Toolkit for Competitive Federal Transportation Funding to guide potential applicants in identifying and navigating these discretionary opportunities for rural transportation projects. 

Although the focus of the Grant Applicant Toolkit is rural transportation projects, many of the grant funding resources contained throughout also apply more broadly to other types of transportation projects.

The Grant Applicant Toolkit is designed for all levels of grant applicant experience. It illustrates key applicant activities for the discretionary grants process, covers USDOT and non-USDOT grant programs, and provides resources to maximize the potential for award success.