Find Programs & Opportunities
Browse funding opportunities, technical assistance, and other programs supporting a broad range of rural community and economic development activities. You can also find assistance for residents, including families, homeowners, seniors, veterans, small businesses, agricultural producers, and more.
Programs & Opportunities
Program Name
Category
Status
Assistance Type
Community Development, Economic & Business Development, Employment & Career Development
Open
Financial
Status:
Open
Category:
Community Development, Economic & Business Development, Employment & Career Development
Assistance Type:
Financial
Summary:
USDA provides loans and grants to Microenterprise Development Organizations (MDOs) who then relend the funds to microenterprises with 10 or fewer employees. The program helps small, rural enterprises get started and grow in rural areas and cities or towns with populations of 50,000 or fewer. Funds may also be used to provide training and technical…
Financial Assistance Type:
Grant, Loan/Loan Guarantee
Agency Provider:
Department of Agriculture
Eligible Applicants:
Business, Higher Education, Indian Tribe, Nonprofit
Use of Funds:
Equipment & Materials, Operations/Staffing
Broadband & Telecommunications, Community Development, Economic & Business Development, Infrastructure, Utilities- Other
Open
Financial
Status:
Open
Category:
Broadband & Telecommunications, Community Development, Economic & Business Development, Infrastructure, Utilities- Other
Assistance Type:
Financial
Summary:
This program supports economic development and job creation in rural areas by providing zero-interest loans to eligible local utilities. Funds are then used to establish revolving loan funds (RLFs) that make pass-through funding available to ultimate recipients that back projects to create or retain rural jobs.
Financial Assistance Type:
Loan/Loan Guarantee
Agency Provider:
Department of Agriculture
Eligible Applicants:
Business, Nonprofit
Use of Funds:
Construction/Renovation, Equipment & Materials, Technical Assistance
Community Development, Economic & Business Development, Education, Employment & Career Development
Open
Financial
Status:
Open
Category:
Community Development, Economic & Business Development, Education, Employment & Career Development
Assistance Type:
Financial
Summary:
Rural Community Development Initiative Grants are awarded to help non-profit housing and community development organizations, low-income rural communities and federally recognized tribes support housing, community facilities and community and economic development projects in rural areas.
Financial Assistance Type:
Grant
Agency Provider:
Department of Agriculture
Eligible Applicants:
Business, Local Government, Nonprofit
Use of Funds:
Construction/Renovation, Operations/Staffing, Outreach, Project Planning, Strategic Planning, Technical Assistance
Status:
Open
Category:
Community Development
Assistance Type:
Financial
Summary:
This program provides one percent loans to local lenders (“intermediaries”) who then re-lend to businesses to improve economic conditions and create jobs in rural communities. Funds can be used to finance rural businesses and community development projects. The maximum loan to borrowers is $400,000.
Financial Assistance Type:
Loan/Loan Guarantee
Agency Provider:
Department of Agriculture
Eligible Applicants:
Indian Tribe, Local Government, Nonprofit, Other
Use of Funds:
Construction/Renovation, Equipment & Materials, Land Acquisition, Operations/Staffing, Outreach, Project Planning, Research/Development, Strategic Planning, Technical Assistance
Community Development, Health Facilities, Health Services
Open
Financial
Status:
Open
Category:
Community Development, Health Facilities, Health Services
Assistance Type:
Financial
Summary:
These programs help finance construction of – or improvements to – essential community facilities such as hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, schools, childcare centers, libraries, and town halls, among others. Funds also can be used to purchase necessary equipment and pay for related project expenses, and to buy or build electric vehicle (EV)…
Financial Assistance Type:
Grant, Loan/Loan Guarantee
Agency Provider:
Department of Agriculture
Eligible Applicants:
Indian Tribe, Local Government, Nonprofit, State
Use of Funds:
Construction/Renovation, Equipment & Materials
Broadband & Telecommunications
Open
Financial
Status:
Open
Category:
Broadband & Telecommunications
Assistance Type:
Financial
Summary:
This program provides funds to build, maintain, improve, or expand telephone and broadband service in rural areas. In certain instances, funds also can support refinancing. Direct loans are fixed at current U.S. Treasury rates depending on loan maturity at the time of each advance. Loan guarantees (up to 80 percent) encourage private lenders to…
Financial Assistance Type:
Loan/Loan Guarantee
Agency Provider:
Department of Agriculture
Eligible Applicants:
Business, Indian Tribe, Local Government, Nonprofit
Use of Funds:
Construction/Renovation, Equipment & Materials, Land Acquisition
Agriculture & Forestry
Upcoming/Cyclical
Financial
Status:
Upcoming/Cyclical
Category:
Agriculture & Forestry
Assistance Type:
Financial
Summary:
These USDA planning and implementation grants help eligible nonprofits, local and Tribal government organizations, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and school districts improve access to local foods. The program supports innovative agricultural practices such as community gardens, urban farms and agroforests, rooftop farms, food forests,…
Financial Assistance Type:
Grant
Agency Provider:
Department of Agriculture
Eligible Applicants:
Indian Tribe, Local Government, Other
Use of Funds:
Construction/Renovation, Equipment & Materials, Outreach, Project Planning, Research/Development
Status:
Rolling Application
Category:
Agriculture & Forestry
Assistance Type:
Financial
Summary:
The Community Forest Program (CFP) is a competitive grant program that provides financial assistance to tribal entities, local governments, and qualified conservation non-profit organizations to acquire and establish community forests that provide community benefits. Community benefits include economic benefits through active forest management,…
Agency Provider:
Department of Agriculture
Eligible Applicants:
Indian Tribe, Local Government, Nonprofit
Use of Funds:
Construction/Renovation, Land Acquisition
Status:
Upcoming/Cyclical
Category:
Energy
Assistance Type:
Financial
Summary:
The Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) program is part of the Inflation Reduction Act, which represents the largest investment in rural electrification since President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Rural Electrification Act into law in 1936. With $1 billion in funding, PACE helps make clean, affordable, and reliable energy accessible…
Financial Assistance Type:
Loan/Loan Guarantee
Agency Provider:
Department of Agriculture
Eligible Applicants:
Agricultural Producer, Business, Indian Tribe, Local Government, Nonprofit, Other, State, Utility
Use of Funds:
Construction/Renovation, Equipment & Materials
Economic & Business Development, Energy
Upcoming/Cyclical
Financial
Status:
Upcoming/Cyclical
Category:
Economic & Business Development, Energy
Assistance Type:
Financial
Summary:
The Empowering Rural America (New ERA) program helps rural Americans transition to clean, affordable, and reliable energy. By reducing air and water pollution, New ERA funding improves health outcomes and lower energy costs for people in rural communities. New ERA program funding is available to member-owned rural electric cooperatives, which have…
Financial Assistance Type:
Grant, Loan/Loan Guarantee
Agency Provider:
Department of Agriculture
Use of Funds:
Construction/Renovation