Funding

Deadline Passed July 31, 2022. This program helps qualified non-profits and Tribes create a revolving loan fund (RLF) to extend access to clean, reliable water to households in eligible rural areas.

Applications are accepted year round. Provides loans and grants to Microenterprise Development Organizations (MDOs) to:

• Provide microloans to help microenterprises startup and growth through a Rural Microloan Revolving Fund
• Provide training and technical assistance to microloan borrowers and micro entrepreneurs

Applications accepted year round. This program provides competitive financing for affordable multi-family rental housing for low-income, elderly, or disabled individuals and families in eligible rural areas. This program assists qualified applicants that cannot obtain commercial credit on terms that will allow them to charge rents that are affordable to low-income tenants.

This program accepts applications on a continuous basis. The program works with qualified private-sector lenders to provide financing to qualified borrowers to increase the supply of affordable rental housing for low- and moderate-income individuals and families in eligible rural areas and towns. Construction, improvement and purchase of multi-family rental housing for low to moderate income families and individuals is the primary objective for this program. Funding may also be available for:

• Buying and improving land
• Providing necessary infrastructure
• For a complete list see Code of Federal Regulations, 7CFR Part 3565.205

Deadline passed as of August 4, 2016. Deadline for 2017 unknown. This AFRI Challenge Area addresses critical water resources issues such as drought, excess soil moisture, flooding, quality and others in an agricultural context. Funding will be used to develop management practices, technologies, and tools for farmers, ranchers, forest owners and managers, public decision makers, public and private managers, and citizens to improve water resource quantity and quality. The long-term goal of the AFRI Water for Agriculture Challenge Area is to tackle critical water issues by developing both regional systems for the sustainable use and reuse, flow and management of water, and at the watershed and farm scales, water issues focused on production and environmental sustainability efforts. Project types supported within this Challenge area are multi-function Integrated Research, Education, and/or Extension Projects and Food and Agricultural Enhancement (FASE) Grants.

Deadline passed as of December 8, 2016. Deadline for 2017 unknown. The USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is charged with implementing the Farm to School Program. In this funding cycle, USDA anticipates awarding approximately $6 million in grant funding to support efforts that improve access to local foods in schools. Beyond the $5 million in funding provided in the HHFKA, in fiscal year (FY) 2016 USDA anticipates the availability of an additional $1 million, subject to appropriation, in grant funding to support placement of volunteer service members (e.g. AmeriCorps, VISTA, local service corps programs, etc.) in schools throughout the country to build or maintain school gardens, incorporate nutrition education into the schools’ culture, and support school food service personnel in procuring or promoting local and regional products for the school meal program - See link for more.

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: October 7, 2022. This grant aims to assist at-risk communities and tribes in preparing against and reducing the risks due to wildfire by restoring and maintaining landscapes, creating fire adapted communities, and improving wildfire response. Up to $250K is available for qualifying community wildfire protection plan development or updates. Up to $10M is available for qualifying community wildfire protection plan implementation. Tribes are also welcome to apply to the corresponding state Notices of Funding Opportunity. Learn more and apply here.

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: June 1, 2023. The Forest Service is requesting proposals from eligible entities that are working to provide equitable access to trees and green spaces and the benefits they provide. The Forest Service Urban & Community Forestry Program is a technical, financial, and educational assistance program, delivering nature-based solutions to ensure a resilient and equitable tree canopy where more than 84 percent of Americans live.

Deadline Passed 12/20/2019. Deadline Unknown for 2020. The U.S. Forest Service supports Moving Toward Shared Stewardship Across Landscapes as part of a conceptual framework for making strategic investments across landscapes to co-manage wildfire risk and achieve positive outcomes at the most appropriate scale. Within this framework, Eastern Region Cohesive Fire Strategy Competitive Request for Applications is designed to support and carry out the goals of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy (NCS) across the Midwestern and Northeastern States as well as meet the intent of the current year budget direction. These national goals are to restore and maintain landscapes, create fire adapted communities, and improve wildfire response.

Deadline is Ongoing. The Tribal College Extension grant program allows the 1994 Land-Grants to create extension offices for their reservation communities. Each extension office works with reservation communities to build programs that target local needs. The result is a diversified and targeted outreach. Reservation youth participate in fun activities in a safe environment. Farmers and ranchers gain science-based insights to improve their productivity. Financial literacy training enhances rural reservation economies. The 1994 Land-Grants also provide culture-centered family activities to restore Native languages, traditions and agriculture. Within this grant program are two types of funds: Capacity grants and Special Emphasis. Capacity grants fund an entire Extension office which can have many mission areas and clients. Special Emphasis are targeted, short-term pilot projects that allow Extension educators to explore new ways to better serve their community.

In Oregon, NRCS will focus the funding on cropland, rangeland and forestry conservation practices. For cropland practices, NRCS will assist producers with planting and managing cover crops and implementing emergency soil erosion measures. These practices will help farmers protect the soil from erosion, promote more organic matter in the soil, and aid in better water infiltration.

Deadline Passed for 2018. Deadline Unknown for 2019. The Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) offers grant funds with a 25% match to support the development and expansion of local and regional food business enterprises to increase domestic consumption of, and access to, locally and regionally produced agricultural products, and to develop new market opportunities for farm and ranch operations serving local markets. There are two types of project applications: planning grants and implementation grants. LFPP Planning Grants are used in the planning stages of establishing or expanding a local and regional food business enterprise. LFPP Implementation Grants are used to establish a new local and regional food business enterprise, or to improve or expand an existing local or regional food business enterprise.

Grant deadline unknown for 2016. The Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) provides financial assistance to owners and operators of agricultural and non-industrial private forest land who wish to establish, produce, and deliver biomass feedstocks.

Deadline: 5/28/21. The U.S. Forest Service (Forest Service) requests proposals to substantially expand and accelerate the availability of science-based information to inform producer decisions on the adoption and design of agroforestry systems. Agroforestry is the intentional integration of trees and shrubs into crop and animal farming systems to create environmental, economic, and social benefits. The agreements awarded under this announcement will support the USDA goal to strengthen the stewardship of private lands through technology and research, and the need by natural resource professionals for information that supports producer adoption of agroforestry. This Request for Proposals supports the efforts of the National Agroforestry Center (NAC) as identified in Section 8502 of the 2018 Farm Bill.