Funding

The Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentives Program (VPA-HIP) encourages private landowners to voluntarily make their land available to the public for wildlife-dependent recreation. States and tribes approved for funding of this Farm Service Agency (FSA) program use the funds as incentives to encourage private landowners of farms, ranches, and forests to make that land available to the public for wildlife-dependent recreation. This may include hunting or fishing. The overall goal of VPA-HIP is to enhance wildlife habitat and management and to boost local economies through activities that attract wildlife enthusiasts.

Funding will be made available through USDA's Socially-Disadvantaged Groups Grant Program (formerly the Small, Socially-Disadvantaged Producer Grant Program), which assists organizations that provide technical assistance to socially-disadvantaged groups in rural areas. Examples of technical assistance are conducting feasibility studies, developing business and strategic plans, and providing leadership training.

Applications accepted year round. This program assists low-income communities with initial planning and development of applications for USDA Rural Development Water and Waste Disposal direct loan/grant and loan guarantee programs. The area must also have a median household income below the poverty line or less than 80 percent of the statewide non-metropolitan median household income

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: April 13, 2022. The Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) promotes coordination of Natural Resources and Conservation Service (NRCS) conservation activities with partners that offer value-added contributions to expand our collective ability to address on-farm, watershed, and regional natural resource concerns. Through RCPP, NRCS seeks to co-invest with partners to implement projects that demonstrate innovative solutions to conservation challenges and provide measurable improvements and outcomes tied to the resource concerns they seek to address. This year’s funding includes updates that encourage projects to address climate change, benefit historically underserved farmers, and support urban agriculture.

Applications accepted year round. This program provides 1 percent low-interest loans to local intermediaries that re-lend to businesses to improve economic conditions and create jobs in rural communities.

Application Deadline April 16, 2019. The purpose of the Crop Protection and Pest Management program is to address high priority issues related to pests and their management using IPM approaches at the state, regional and national levels. The CPPM program supports projects that will ensure food security and respond effectively to other major societal pest management challenges with comprehensive IPM approaches that are economically viable, ecologically prudent, and safe for human health. The CPPM program addresses IPM challenges for emerging issues and existing priority pest concerns that can be addressed more effectively with new and emerging technologies. The outcomes of the CPPM program are effective, affordable, and environmentally sound IPM practices and strategies needed to maintain agricultural productivity and healthy communities.

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: March 30, 2022. New Beginning for Tribal Students makes competitive grants to land-grant colleges and universities to provide identifiable support specifically targeted for tribal students. A land-grant college or university that receives this grant shall use funds for, but not limited to, recruiting; tuition and related fees; experiential learning; student services, including tutoring; counseling; academic advising; and other student services that would increase the retention and graduation rate of tribal students enrolled at the land-grant college or university. Learn more and apply here.

Deadline: March 28, 2023. The purpose of this program is to promote and strengthen the ability of Alaska Native-Serving Institutions and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions to carry out education, applied research, and related community development programs in food and agricultural sciences-related disciplines. Priority will be given to those projects that enhance educational equity for underrepresented students; strengthen institutional educational capacities; prepare students for careers related to the food, agricultural, and natural resource systems of the United States; and maximize the development and use of resources to improve food and agricultural sciences teaching programs. Learn more here.

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: April 5, 2022. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will establish cooperative agreements with state and tribal governments for the purpose of supporting local, regional, and socially disadvantaged farmers/producers through food purchasing under the Build Back Better Initiative. These cooperative agreements will allow for entities to procure local, domestic foods that are unique to their geographic area and meet the needs of the populations. In addition to increasing local food consumption, funds are expected to help build and expand economic opportunity for local and socially disadvantaged farmers/producers. Learn more and apply here.

Deadline Passed 2/24/2020. Deadline Unknown for 2021. The purpose of this program is to support research, education/teaching, and extension projects that increase participation by women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas in STEM. NIFA intends this program to address educational needs within broadly defined areas of food, agriculture, natural resources, and human (FANH) sciences. WAMS-funded projects improve the economic health and viability of rural communities by developing research and extension initiatives that focus on new and emerging employment opportunities in STEM occupations.

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

Applications accepted year round. Rural Housing site loans provide two types of loans to purchase and develop housing sites for low- and moderate-income families:

• Section 523 loans are used to acquire and develop sites only for housing to be constructed by the Self-Help method. Refer to RD Instruction 1944-I for more information about the Self-Help program
• Section 524 loans are made to acquire and develop sites for low- or moderate-income families, with no restriction as to the method of construction. Low-income is defined as between 50-80% of the area median income (AMI); the upper limit for moderate income is $5,500 above the low-income limit

Deadline passed as of December 5, 2016. Deadline for 2017 unknown.

Deadline to Apply, April 15, 2019. Deadline for 2020 Unknown. This program helps fund broadband deployment into rural communities where it is not yet economically viable for private sector providers to deliver service. The Community Connect program helps rural communities extend access where broadband service is least likely to be commercially available, but where it can make a tremendous difference in the quality of life for people and businesses. The projects funded by these grants help rural residents tap into the enormous potential of the Internet for jobs, education, healthcare, public safety and community development