Funding

Title Organizationsort descending Grant Deadline Description Category Funding Amount Geography Website
Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants USDA 12/31/2023

Applications accepted continuously. This program provides grants to assist rural communities that have had a significant decline in quantity or quality of drinking water. Grant may fund waterline extensions from existing systems, construction of new water lines; repairs to existing systems, construction of new wells, reservoirs, transmission lines, treatment plants, and other water sources. Priority is given to areas with less than 10,000 people, low-income areas, and communities facing imminent decline and shortage of water.

Water, Natural Resources, Health, Emergency Individual awards range from 150,000 to $500,000 depending on the severity of decline in quantity or quality of water. Northwest, Southwest, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska Link
Multi-Family Housing Direct Loans USDA

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.

housing, rural communities, multi-family housing, improvement, development varies Rural Areas Link
Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities: Second Funding Pool. USDA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: June 10, 2022. Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities pilot projects must focus on the on-farm, on-ranch or forest production of climate-smart commodities and associated reductions of greenhouse gas emissions and/or carbon sequestration. Proposals from $250,000 to $4,999,999 are in the second funding pool and are limited to particularly innovative pilot projects. These projects should place an emphasis on: enrollment of small and/or underserved producers; and/or monitoring, reporting and verification activities developed at minority-serving institutions. Learn more and apply here.

Rural communities, innovation, underserved communities, agriculture, forestry, farmers, ranchers, emissions reduction, climate solutions, resilience $250,000 - $4,999,999 National Link
USDA Housing Preservation Grants USDA

Deadline Passed. Latest Deadline: July 11, 2022. The USDA is seeking applications for grants to preserve and repair housing for very-low- and low-income families living in rural areas. The funds are being made available through USDA Rural Development's Housing Preservation Grant program. USDA does not provide funding directly to homeowners under this program.

Infrastructure, public health, rural housing Varies Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, Midwest Link
Crop Insurance in Targeted States Program USDA

Deadline Passed 7/30/2018. Deadline Unknown for 2019The purpose of the Targeted States program is to deliver crop insurance education and information to U.S. agricultural producers in States where there is traditionally, and continues to be a low level of Federal crop insurance participation and availability, and producers are underserved by the Federal crop insurance program. These states, defined as Targeted States for the purposes of this RFA, are Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Any cooperative agreements that may be funded will not exceed the maximum funding amount established for each of the Targeted States. Recipients must agree to the substantial involvement of RMA in the project.

crop insurance, education, farm management, planning Alaska- $203,000 Alaska Link
Multi-Family Housing Loan Guarantees USDA 12/31/2023

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
housing, rural communities, development, infrastructure varies Rural Areas Link
New Beginning for Tribal Students Program USDA

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.

Tribal students, higher education, experiential learning, academic success Up to $500,000 National Link
Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentives Program (VPA-HIP) USDA

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.

Conservation, recreation varies Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, Midwest Link
Community Facilities Economic Impact Initiative Grants USDA

Application Window Closed. This program provides funding to assist in the development of essential community facilities in rural communities with extreme unemployment and severe economic depression. An essential community facility is one that provides an essential service to the local community, is needed for the orderly development of the community, serves a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial or business undertakings.

community facilities, development, economic depression, rural areas, public health Varies Rural Areas Link
Community Facilities Tribal College Initiative Grants USDA 12/31/2023

Deadline is ongoing. This program provides funding to 1994 Land Grant Institutions (Tribal Colleges) to make capital improvements to their educational facilities and to purchase equipment.

community facilities, development, educational facilities, infrastructure, renovation and improvements, cultural projects Grants up to $250,000 per land grant institution Funds can be used to pay up to 95% of the project cost National Link
Rural Economic Development Loan & Grant Program USDA 12/31/2023

Rolling Deadline. The Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program provides funding for rural projects through local utility organizations. USDA provides zero-interest loans to local utilities which they, in turn, pass through to local businesses (ultimate recipients) for projects that will create and retain employment in rural areas. The ultimate recipients repay the lending utility directly. The utility is responsible for repayment to USDA.

Economic Development, Rural Development, Grants and Loans Up to $300,000 in grants may be requested to establish the RLF Up to 10 percent of grant funds may be applied toward operating expenses over the life of the RLF Up to $2 million in loans may be requested National Link
Rural Housing Site Loans USDA 12/31/2023

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
housing, rural communities, development Varies Rural Areas Link
Alaska Native-Service and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Education Competitive Grants Program USDA

Deadline Passed. Latest 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.

Alaska Native-serving institutions, Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, agricultural sciences, career development, equity, youth $150,000 - 1,000,000 Alaska, Hawaii Link
Demonstration Projects to End Child Hunger USDA

The purpose of the demonstration projects is to test innovative strategies to end childhood hunger, including alternative models for service delivery and benefit levels that promote the reduction or elimination of childhood hunger and food insecurity. Projects may include enhanced SNAP benefits for eligible households with children; enhanced benefits or innovative program delivery models in school meals, afterschool snacks programs, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program; and other targeted Federal, State or local assistance, including refundable tax credits, emergency housing, employment and training, or family preservation services, for households with children who are experiencing food insecurity.

Health, Hunger varies Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, Midwest Link
FY 2019 Farm to School Grant USDA

Deadline Passed 12/04/2018. Deadline Unknown for 2019. Section 18 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (NSLA) established aFarm to School program in order to assist eligible entities, (schools, school districts, agricultural producers, Indian tribal organizations, nonprofit organizations, state agencies and local agencies), through grants and technical assistance, in implementing farm toschool programs that improve access to local foods in eligible schools

Health, food security, local economy, agriculture, school health, public $20,000-$100,000 United States Link
Community Connect Grant USDA 06/23/2023

The Community Connect provides financial assistance to eligible applicants that will provide broadband service in rural, economically-challenged communities where service does not exist.

development, economy, rural communities, Unknown National Link
Water & Waste Disposal Grants to Alleviate Health Risks on Tribal Lands USDA 12/31/2023

Applications are accepted year-round. This program provides low-income communities, which face significant health risks, access to safe, reliable drinking water and waste disposal facilities and services.

low-income communities, public health, safe drinking water, waste disposal Varies Rural Areas, Tribal Lands Link
Water & Waste Disposal Loan Guarantees USDA 12/31/2023

Applications accepted year round. This program helps private lenders provide affordable financing to qualified borrowers to improve access to clean, reliable water and waste disposal systems for households and businesses in rural areas. Funds may be used to Construct or improve facilities for:

  • Drinking water
  • Sanitary sewers
  • Solid waste disposal
  • Storm water disposal facilities
water quality, water quantity, waste disposal, rural communities, business, development varies Rural Areas Link
Local Food Purchase Assistance Program USDA

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.

Food assistance, economic opportunity, food storage, food distribution National Link
Rural Broadband Access Loan and Loan Guarantee USDA

Deadline Passed 09/30/2018. Deadline Unknown for 2019. The Rural Broadband Access Loan and Loan Guarantee Program (Broadband Program) furnishes loans and loan guarantees to provide funds for the costs of construction, improvement, or acquisition of facilities and equipment needed to provide service at the broadband lending speed in eligible rural areas. For more information on other programs administered by RUS Telecommunications please visit : http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/all-programs/telecom-programs. Broadband loans provide funding on a technology-neutral basis for financing:

  • The construction, improvement, and acquisition of facilities required to provide service at the broadband lending speed including facilities required for providing other services through the same facilities
  • The cost of leasing facilities required to provide service at the broadband Lending speed if such lease qualifies as a capital lease under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
  • An acquisition, under certain circumstances and with restrictions
  • For additional detail see 7 CFR 1738
broadband access, internet, implementation, development, rural communities varies Rural Areas Link
Farm Business Management and Benchmarking Competitive Grants Program USDA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: April 8, 2022. The Farm Business Management and Benchmarking (FBMB) Competitive Grants Program provides funds for improving the farm management knowledge and skills of agricultural producers by maintaining and expanding a national, publicly available farm financial management database to support improved farm management. Learn more and apply here.

Farm business, agriculture, financial management Up to $500,000 National Link
Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants USDA

Past deadline: May 15, 2019. The DLT Program provides financial assistance to enable and improve distance learning and telemedicine services in rural areas. DLT grant funds support the use of telecommunications-enabled information, audio and video equipment, and related advanced technologies by students, teachers, medical professionals, and rural residents. These grants are intended to increase rural access to education, training, and health care resources that are otherwise unavailable or limited in scope.

telecommunications, rural, telemedicine $500,000-$50,000 National Link
Telecommunications Infrastructure Loans & Loan Guarantees USDA 12/31/2023

Applications accepted year round. This program provides financing for the construction, maintenance, improvement and expansion of telephone service and broadband in rural areas. For more information on other programs administered by RUS Telecommunications please visit : http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/all-programs/telecom-programs

telecommunications, infrastructure, development, broadband, construction, rural communities varies Rural Areas Link
Grants for Rural and Native Alaskan Villages USDA 12/31/2023

Applications accepted continuously. Meant to fund water and waste disposal systems in rural Alaskan Villages. Funds must be used for development and construction of water and wastewater systems to correct dire health and sanitation conditions in those villages. Many communities in remote rural Alaska, where villages are accessible by plane or boat only, are essentially inaccessible during the long, hard winters. They lag far behind the lower 48 States in having safe and dependable drinking water and suitable waste disposal systems available. Construction costs are extremely high. This is due in part to the severe weather conditions, which makes laying pipe difficult, if not impossible. These conditions also require the use of insulated pipe, or in areas of permafrost, above ground utilidors, often with heat traced insulated pipe. The vast distances from the transportation hub of Anchorage to a village increases costs substantially as the material must be delivered by barge or air.

Adaptation, Emergency Management, Water, Health, Natural Resources The maximum grant is 75 percent of the project cost. Alaska, Coastal Link
Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program USDA

Past Deadline: May 16, 2019. Beginning farmer education for adult and young audiences in the United States can generally be traced back to the advent of the 1862 and 1890 Morrill Land-Grant Acts. But, for the first time, the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Pub .L. No. 110-234, Section 7410) appropriated $75 million for FY 2009 to FY 2012 to develop and offer education, training, outreach and mentoring programs to enhance the sustainability of the next generation of farmers. The Agriculture Act of 2014 provided an additional $20 million per year for 2014 through 2018. The reasons for the renewed interest in beginning farmer and rancher programs are as follows: the rising average age of U.S. farmers; the 8% projected decrease in the number of farmers and ranchers between 2008 and 2018; and the growing recognition that new programs are needed to address the needs of the next generation of beginning farmers and ranchers. The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (aka the 2018 Farm Bill) reauthorized the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program and provides mandatory funds for which supports education, mentoring, and technical assistance initiatives for beginning farmers and ranchers.

ranchers, Farm Bill, outreach, programs food $600,000- $50,000 National Link
Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program (2501 Program) USDA

Deadline passed as of July 29, 2016. Deadline for 2017 unknownThe 2501 Program provides funding to eligible organizations for training and technical assistance projects designed to assist socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers in owning and operating viable agricultural enterprises. The 2501 Program extends USDA's capacity to work with members of farming and ranching communities by funding projects that enhance the equitable participation of socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers in USDA programs. It is OAO's (Office of Advocacy and Outreach) intention to build lasting relationships between USDA, awardee organizations, and socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers.

agricultural, food security, veterans, ranching, environmental justice, technical assistance, business, Award amounts vary; total program funds $8.4 million. National, Rural Link
Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) USDA

he Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) helps the owners of non-industrial private forests restore forest health damaged by natural disasters. The EFRP does this by authorizing payments to owners of private forests to restore disaster damaged forests.

The local FSA County Committee implements EFRP for all disasters with the exceptions of drought and insect infestations. In the case of drought or an insect infestation, the national FSA office authorizes EFRP implementation.

forest restoration, forest management, private forests, non-industrial forests, natural disasters, forest health National Link
Individual Water & Wastewater Grants USDA

Applications accepted continuously. The purpose of this grant is to provide water and waste disposal facilities and services to low income rural communities whose residents face significant health risks. Every effort is made to identify and fund the neediest projects. This program is only eligible in states with Colonias, and those are Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas.

Adaptation, Water, Health, Natural Resources Generally, applicants are expected to borrow as much as they can afford to repay, as in the regular loan program. However, water and waste disposal systems can obtain up to 100 percent grants to construct basic drinking water, sanitary sewer, solid waste disposal and storm drainage to serve the residents. Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas Link
Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for FY22 (Alaska) USDA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: April 11, 2022. This funding seeks to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies. Applications are accepted from eligible entities for projects carried out in the state of Alaska. A total of up to $415,000 is available for the Alaska (State) CIG competition in FY 2022. Learn more and apply here.

Conservation, innovation, Alaska, technology $5,000 - 415,000 Alaska Link
Emergency Watershed Protection Program USDA

Applications accepted continuously. The Emergency Watershed Protection Program responds to emergencies created by natural disasters. The program is designed to help people and conserve natural resources by relieving imminent hazards to life and property caused by floods, fires, wind­storms, and other natural occurrences. All projects undertaken, with the exception of the purchase of floodplain easements, must have a project sponsor.

Water, Natural Resources, Adaptation, Disaster, Emergency Management, Health Varies Northwest, Southwest, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska Link

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