Rural Energy for America Program Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvement Guaranteed Loans & Grants |
USDA |
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Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: March 31, 2022. This program provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy-efficiency improvements. Agricultural producers may also apply for new energy-efficient equipment and new system loans for agricultural production and processing. Increasing energy efficiency and developing more renewable-energy systems is cost effective and reduces the consumption of fuels that generate greenhouse gases, which contribute to climate change. Applications can be for grants of $20,000 or less or a loan/grant combination of $20,000 or less. Learn more and apply here.
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Rural, agriculture, energy, equipment, emissions |
Grants of $20,000 or less or a loan/grant combination of $20,000 or less. |
National |
Link |
Regional Conservation Partnership Program |
USDA |
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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.
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Agriculture, Natural Resource Management, Farming, Forestry, Ranching, Watershed, Collaboration |
$250,000-$10,000,000 |
National, International (US Territories) |
Link |
Crop Insurance in Targeted States Program |
USDA |
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Deadline Passed 7/30/2018. Deadline Unknown for 2019. The 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.
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crop insurance, education, farm management, planning |
Alaska- $203,000 |
Alaska |
Link |
Rural Cooperative Development Grant Program |
USDA |
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Deadline passed as of May 25, 2017. Deadline for 2018 unknown. The Rural Cooperative Development Grant program helps improve the economic condition of rural areas by helping non-profit corporations or higher education institutions in the startup, expansion or operational improvement of rural cooperatives and other mutually-owned businesses through cooperative development.
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Rural Development, Economic development, Business Development, Community Development, management, infrastructure, local economy, |
Maximum Grant Amount up to $200,000 |
National |
Link |
Community Facilities Economic Impact Initiative Grants |
USDA |
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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.
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community facilities, development, economic depression, rural areas, public health |
Varies |
Rural Areas |
Link |
USDA Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvement Program |
USDA |
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Applications are accepted year round. Provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. Businesses must be in an area other than a city or town with a population of greater than 50,000 inhabitants and the urbanized area of that city or town. Check eligible business addresses. Agricultural producers may be in rural or non-rural areas.
Funds may be used for renewable energy systems, such as:
- Biomass (for example: biodiesel and ethanol, anaerobic digesters, and solid fuels)
- Geothermal for electric generation or direct use
- Hydropower below 30 megawatts
- Hydrogen
- Small and large wind generation
- Small and large solar generation
- Ocean (tidal, current, thermal) generation
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Renewable energy, Agriculture, small businesses |
$1,500-$500,000 |
National, agriculture & small rural business |
Link |
Community Facilities Tribal College Initiative Grants |
USDA |
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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.
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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 |
USDA Community Connect Grants |
USDA |
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Deadline passed as of June 17, 2016. Deadline for 2017 unknown. The Community Connect program serves rural communities where broadband service is least likely to be available, but where it can make a tremendous difference in the quality of life for citizens. The projects funded by these grants will help rural residents tap into the enormous potential of the Internet.
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Development, Internet |
varies |
National, Northwest, Southwest, Southeast, Northeast, Midwest, Alaska |
Link |
Water & Waste Disposal Grants to Alleviate Health Risks on Tribal Lands and Colonias |
USDA |
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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.
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low-income communities, public health, safe drinking water, waste disposal |
varies |
Rural Areas, Tribal Lands |
Link |
USDA Local Foods, Local Places Program (Obama Admin Archives) |
USDA |
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Grant deadline unknown for 2016. Communities are invited to apply for assistance from Local Foods, Local Places, a new program supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), and the Delta Regional Authority (DRA) to help create more livable places by promoting local foods. Priorities given to communities within Appalachia and surrounding regions, see application for more details.
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public health, Agriculture, food justice, sustainability, human health, disease, local, economy |
Varies |
Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, Midwest |
Link |
Federally Recognized Tribes Extension Program (FRTEP) |
USDA |
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Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: Feburary 25, 2022. The purpose of this program is to establish an Extension presence and support Extension outreach on Federally Recognized Indian Reservations and Tribal jurisdictions of Federally-Recognized Tribes. This program seeks to continue the Land Grants mission of inclusion - providing education and research-based knowledge to those who might not otherwise receive it. Learn more and apply here.
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Land Grant, education, outreach, research, Tribal youth development, economic and workforce development, food sovereignty, Native language and culture preservation |
Up to $360,000 |
National |
Link |
REAP Energy Audit and Renewable Energy Development Assistance Program |
USDA |
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Deadline Passed 01/31/2020. Deadline Unknown for 2021. REAP Energy Audit and Renewable Energy Development Assistance Program.Refer to Application Package AND Application Instruction links to obtain all necessary forms for a complete application
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Renewable energy, Infrastructure, Development |
up to $100,000 |
Northwest, Southwest, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska |
Link |
USDA Energy Audit and Renewable Energy Development Assistance Grants |
USDA |
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The USDA Rural Business Cooperative-Service Agency is accepting applications for Energy Audit and Renewable Energy Development Assistance grants to establish programs to assist agricultural producers and rural small businesses with evaluating energy efficiency and the potential to incorporate renewable energy technologies into their operations.
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Renewable energy, Agriculture, small businesses |
Unspecified |
National |
Link |
Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training Grant |
USDA |
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Previous Deadline: 04/30/2020. The Agency will make grants to public bodies and private nonprofit corporations, (such as States, counties, cities, townships, and incorporated towns and villages, boroughs, authorities, districts, and Indian tribes on Federal and State reservations) to provide associations Technical Assistance and/or training with respect to essential community facilities programs. The Technical Assistance and/or training will assist communities, Indian Tribes, and Nonprofit Corporations to identify and plan for community facility needs that exist in their area. Once those needs have been identified, the Grantee can assist in identifying public and private resources to finance those identified community facility needs.
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community facilities, infrastructure, planning, training, technical assistance |
up to $150,000 |
National |
Link |
USDA Seeks Applications for Grants to Help Socially-Disadvantaged Producers |
USDA |
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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.
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Agriculture, technical assistance, Business Development |
The maximum award under this notice is $175,000. |
National |
Link |
Water & Waste Disposal Predevelopment Planning Grants |
USDA |
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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
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water, waste disposal, planning, development, infrastructure, rural communities |
Maximum of $30,000 or 75 percent of the predevelopment planning costs. |
Rural Areas, Tribal Lands |
Link |
FY 2019 Farm to School Grant |
USDA |
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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
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Health, food security, local economy, agriculture, school health, public |
$20,000-$100,000 |
United States |
Link |
Mutual Self-Help Housing Technical Assistance Grants |
USDA |
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Provides grants to qualified organizations to help them carry out local self-help housing construction projects. Grant recipients supervise groups of very-low- and low-income individuals and families as they construct their own homes in rural areas. The group members provide most of the construction labor on each other’s homes, with technical assistance from the organization overseeing the project. Funds may be used to:
- Give technical and supervisory assistance to participating families
- Help other organizations provide self-help technical and supervisory assistance
- Recruit families, help them complete loan applications and carry out other related activities that enable them to participate
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housing, rural areas, low-income communities, technical assistance |
varies |
Rural Areas |
Link |
Pandemic Support for Certified Organic and Transitioning Operations |
USDA |
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Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: February 4, 2022. The USDA has extended the deadline for the Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program. This extension is eligible for expenses in 2020 and 2021. Organic farming may help farmers prepare for a changing climate, as organic practices can increase soil water-holding capacity, which can help crops grow in drought years. Learn more and apply here.
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Agriculture, organic, certification, education, pandemic |
25% of a certified operation’s eligible certification expenses, up to $250 per certification category; 75% of a transitional operation’s eligible expenses, up to $750, for each year; OTECP covers 75% of the registration fees, up to $200, per year, for educational events |
National |
Link |
Farmers Market Promotion Program |
USDA |
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Deadline Passed for 2018. Deadline Unknown for 2019. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), AMS, requests applications for the fiscal year (FY) 2016 Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) to competitively award grants to eligible applicants for projects that establish, expand, and promote direct producer-to-consumer marketing.
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Farmers Market, Local Foods, Sustainability, Bioregionalism, Sustainable Agriculture, Community Development. |
Capacity Building: Minimum grant award is $50,000. Maximum award is $250,000.
Community Development, Training, and Technical Assistance: Minimum grant award is $250,000. Maximum award $500,000. |
United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. |
Link |
Intermediary Relending Program |
USDA |
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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.
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rural communities, local economy, jobs, development |
$250,000; or 75 % of the total cost of the ultimate recipient's project for which the loan is being made, whichever is less. |
Rural Areas |
Link |
Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program |
USDA |
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Deadline Passed 10/01/2018. Deadline Unknown for 2019. This program assists in the development, construction, and retrofitting of new and emerging technologies for the development of Advanced Biofuels, Renewable Chemicals, and Biobased Product Manufacturing by providing loan guarantees for up to $250 million. Letters of intent are due 9/1/2018.
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biofuels, renewable chemicals, biobased products, renewable energy, manufacturing, development |
varies |
National |
Link |
Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) |
USDA |
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Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: April 19, 2022. The USDA has opened up grant applications to the RISE program, which seeks to increase equity in rural America by offering grants of up to $2 million to consortiums of local governments, investors, industry, institutions of higher education, and other public and private entities that create projects in distressed communities. Communities that have traditionally had high concentrations of employment in fossil fueled energy production and are transitioning away from this are encouraged to apply. Learn more and apply here.
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Job creation, business development, rural areas, worker training, local economies |
Grant amounts are awarded competitively with a minimum of $500,000 and a maximum grant amount of $2,000,000. |
National |
Link |
Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants |
USDA |
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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 5,000 people, low-income areas, and communities facing imminent decline and shortage of water.
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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 |
Value Added Producer Grant (VAPG) |
USDA |
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Deadline passed as of June 24, 2016. Deadline for 2017 unknown.The VAPG program helps agricultural producers enter into value-added activities related to the processing and/or marketing of bio-based, value-added products. Generating new products, creating and expanding marketing opportunities, and increasing producer income are the goals of this program. You may receive priority if you are a beginning farmer or rancher, a socially-disadvantaged farmer or rancher, a small or medium-sized farm or ranch structured as a family farm, a farmer or rancher cooperative, or are proposing a mid-tier value chain. Grants are awarded through a national competition. Each fiscal year, applications are requested through a notice published in the Federal Register and through an announcement posted on Grants.gov.
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Small Farmers and Ranchers, Sustainable Agriculture, Family Farms, Marketing Opportunities. |
Maximum Grant Amount: $75,000 for planning grants; $250,000 for working capital grants
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National. |
Link |
High Energy Cost Grants (USDA) |
USDA |
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Applications are currently being accepted. The USDA Rural Development High Energy Costs Grant assists energy providers and other eligible entities in lowering energy costs for families and individuals in areas with extremely high per-household energy costs (275 percent of the national average or higher.) The funds may be used to finance the acquisition, construction or improvement of facilities serving eligible communities. NOTE: Program details may change over time. Before you begin an application, please confirm you have the most current information by emailing Rural Electric Program staff or consulting the program instructions listed in the section above titled "What Governs this Program?"
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Energy conservation, Infrastructure, Community development |
$100,000-$3,000,000 |
National |
Link |
Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program |
USDA |
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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
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business development, rural areas, microenterprise |
Up to $50,000 |
Rural Areas |
Link |
Rural Energy Pilot Program (REPP) |
USDA |
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Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: April 19, 2022. USDA has opened up grant applications for communities to further develop renewable energy through REPP. Funds can be used to support community energy planning, community efficiency and weatherization, installing and equipping community scale renewable energy. Learn more and apply here.
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Renewable energy, rural areas, efficiency, weatherization, community development |
Awards to successful applicants will be in the form of cost-share grants for up to 80 percent of total eligible project costs, not to exceed $2 million. |
National |
Link |
Household Water Well System Grants |
USDA |
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Deadline Passed 07/20/2018. Deadline Unknown for 2019. 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.
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Food/Water Security, Water Systems Development, Community Development, Infrastructure Development. |
Unknown. |
National. Rural areas and towns with 50, 000 or fewer people - check eligible addresses. Tribal Lands in rural areas. Colonias |
Link |
Business and Industry Loan Guarantees |
USDA |
12/31/2023 |
Rolling Deadline. This program bolsters the availability of private credit by guaranteeing loans for rural businesses.
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Rural areas, business development, credit, local economy |
Up to $25 million |
Rural Areas |
Link |