Funding

Rolling deadline. If you’re a Veteran, and either you or your spouse is Native American, our Native American Direct Loan (NADL) program may help you get a loan to buy, build, or improve a home on federal trust land. You may also get a loan to refinance an existing NADL and reduce your interest rate. Find out if you qualify for an NADL—and how to apply. An NADL offers many benefits, including:

No down payment required in most cases.
No need for private mortgage insurance (PMI), which is commonly charged to conventional loan borrowers.
Limited closing costs (fees you pay for services and other costs related to getting a loan and buying a home).
A low-interest, 30-year fixed mortgage (a fixed mortgage means your interest rate will stay the same over the full life of the loan). The current VA interest rate for NADLs starts at 2.5%. To find out what your interest rate will be, contact an NADL coordinator by email at NADL@va.gov or by phone at 888-349-7541 (TTY: 711). We’re here Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET.
A reusable benefit, which means you can get more than one NADL to buy, build, or improve another residence in the future.
The ability to refinance a current NADL for a lower interest rate.
The ability to borrow up to the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac conforming loan limit on a no-down-payment loan in most areas—and more in some high-cost counties. You can borrow more than this amount if you want to make a down payment.

Oregon Sea Grant offers modest grants for project opportunities or special circumstances when resources are available. These funds generally are not intended to supplement an existing project, but to provide seed money for exploratory or high-risk efforts, or to respond to urgent needs or unforeseen opportunities that require a timely effort. 

Rolling deadline. This funding opportunity seeks proposals primed to impact health equity moving forward. We are interested in ideas that address any of these four areas of focus: Future of Evidence; Future of Social Interaction; Future of Food; Future of Work. Additionally, we welcome ideas that might fall outside of these four focus areas, but which offer unique approaches to advancing health equity and our progress toward a Culture of Health.

We want to hear from scientists, anthropologists, artists, urban planners, community leaders—anyone, anywhere who has a new or unconventional idea that could alter the trajectory of health and improve health equity and wellbeing for generations to come. The changes we seek require diverse perspectives and cannot be accomplished by any one person, organization, or sector.

Rolling Deadlines. 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

Categories: Renewable energy, Infrastructure, Development, IRA

Rolling deadline. REAP (formerly known as the "006" program) offers grants and/or loan guarantees for the purchase and installation of renewable energy generating systems. Assistance is limited to small businesses, farmers and ranchers. Projects must be located in a rural area. REAP grants and guarantees may be used individually or in combination. Together, they may finance up to 75 percent of a project's total cost. Grants can never finance more than 25 percent if a project or $500,000 -- whichever is less. While applications are accepted continuously, funding is not always available. Please see website for opportunity to sign up to be notified about funding availability.

Categories: Renewable energy, Rural Development, IRA

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 programSection 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

Categories: housing, rural communities, development

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 FundProvide training and technical assistance to microloan borrowers and micro entrepreneurs

Categories: business development, rural areas, microenterprise

Rolling deadline. This program helps very small, financially distressed rural communities with predevelopment feasibility studies, design and technical assistance on proposed water and waste disposal projects.

Categories: water, waste disposal, rural

Applications accepted year-round. To advance projects which support long-term community and economic growth strategies that reflect both multi-jurisdictional stakeholder collaboration and capitalize upon the unique strengths of the rural area. Through this provision, USDA Rural Development is empowered to work further with rural communities to align resources with long-range and multi-jurisdictional challenges and needs by leveraging federal, state, local, or private funding. Applicants to any of several existing Rural Development programs whose projects support the implementation of multi-jurisdictional strategic economic and community development plans may apply for priority consideration through SECD. Consideration will be based on: (1) How well the project supports a multijurisdictional plan and (2) How well the plan addresses collaboration, regionalism, and investments from other federal and philanthropic agencies. Interested participants are encouraged to have their plans reviewed by their State's staff early in the process for feedback and possible modification prior to submitting with the formal application.

Categories: Rural Development

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

Categories: telecommunications, infrastructure, development, broadband, construction, rural communities

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

Categories: water, waste disposal, planning, development, infrastructure, rural communities

Funding Available: Natural Resources Conservation Service offers technical & financial assistance to help farmers, ranchers and forest landowners. Land eligible includes privately held wetlands that were previously degraded due to agricultural uses and can be restored. 

Types of Projects: To enroll land through wetland reserve easements, NRCS enters into purchase agreements with eligible private landowners or Indian tribes that include the right for NRCS to develop and implement a Wetland Reserve Plan of Operations (WRPO).

Wetland Reserve enrollment options include:

• Permanent Easements – Permanent easements are conservation easements in perpetuity. NRCS pays 100 percent of the easement value for the purchase of the easement. Additionally, NRCS pays between 75 to 100 percent of the restoration costs.
• 30-year Easements – 30-year easements expire after 30 years. Under 30-year easements, NRCS pays 50 to 75 percent of the easement value for the purchase of the easement. Additionally, NRCS pays between 50 to 75 percent of the restoration costs.  
• Term Easements - Term easements are easements that are for the maximum duration allowed under applicable State laws. NRCS pays 50 to 75 percent of the easement value for the purchase of the term easement. Additionally, NRCS pays between 50 to 75 percent of the restoration costs.
• 30-year Contracts – 30-year contracts are only available to enroll acreage owned by Indian tribes and program payment rates are commensurate with 30-year easements.

Categories: Easement

The U.S. Department of the Interior’s (Department) WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America’s Resources for Tomorrow) Program provides a framework for Federal leadership and assistance to stretch and secure water supplies for future generations in support of the Department’s priorities. Through WaterSMART, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) leverages Federal and non-Federal funding to work cooperatively with States, Tribes, and local entities as they plan for and implement actions to increase water supply sustainability through investments in existing infrastructure and attention to local water conflicts. WaterSMART provides support for priorities identified in Presidential Executive Order 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad (E.O. 14008) and aligned with other priorities, such as those identified in Presidential Executive Order 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government (E.O. 13985). The WaterSMART Small-Scale Water Efficiency Projects also support the goals of the Interagency Drought Relief Working Group established in March 2021 and the National Drought Resiliency Partnership. These grants will advance the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiative. Established by E.O. 14008, the Justice40 Initiative has it made it a goal that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities. Federal agencies are using the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool to help identify disadvantaged communities. The objective of this NOFO is to invite States, Indian Tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, and other organizations with water or power delivery authority to leverage their money and resources by cost sharing with Reclamation on small-scale on-the-ground projects that seek to conserve, better manage, or otherwise make more efficient use of water supplies. Proposed projects that are supported by an existing water management and conservation plan, System Optimization Review, or other planning effort led by the applicant are prioritized. This prioritization will help ensure that projects funded under this NOFO are well thought out, have public support, and have been identified as the best way to address water management concerns. Reclamation has simplified the evaluation criteria and streamlined the application process for this category of WaterSMART Grants to ensure that the process works for smaller entities. Simplified evaluation criteria are intended to provide each applicant with an opportunity to succinctly explain how the proposed project would meet a defined need identified through a prior planning effort

Categories: water management, water efficiency

Deadline for Applications, January 15, 2025. The Flood Mitigation Assistance Swift Current (Swift Current) effort provides funding to mitigate buildings insured through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) after a major disaster declaration following a flood-related disaster event to reduce risk against future flood damage. Structures that are considered substantially flood-damaged during and after a flood event are eligible for Swift Current. Once a disaster declaration is issued, the local community can submit a project for consideration. 

Categories: flood, flood mitigation assistance, disaster, emergency management

Eligible projects described in section 148(a)(4) are strategies, activities, and projects on a public road that are consistent with a transportation safety plan and that (i) correct or improve a hazardous road location or feature, or (ii) address a highway safety problem. TTPSF emphasizes the development of strategic transportation safety plans using a data-driven process as a means for Tribes to identify transportation safety needs and determine how those needs will be addressed in Tribal communities. FHWA has identified four eligibility categories: transportation safety plans; data assessment, improvement, and analysis activities; systemic roadway departure countermeasures; and infrastructure improvements and other eligible activities as listed in 23 U.S.C. § 148(a)(4).

Categories: transportation, infrastructure,

Under this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), the DOE Office of Indian Energy is soliciting applications from Indian Tribes, which include Alaska Native Regional Corporations and Village Corporations, Intertribal Organizations, and Tribal Energy Development Organizations to:

(1) Conduct clean energy planning (Topic Area 1);

(2) Comprehensively assess the feasibility and viability of deploying clean energy technology (Topic Area 2); or,

(3) Conduct clean energy design and development activities (Topic Area 3).

The United States Department of the Interior’s (DOI’s) WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America’s Resources for Tomorrow) Program provides a framework for Federal leadership and assistance to stretch and secure water supplies for future generations in support of DOI’s priorities. Through WaterSMART, Reclamation leverages Federal and non-Federal funding to work cooperatively with States, Tribes, and local entities as they plan for and implement actions to increase water supply reliability through investments in existing infrastructure and attention to local water conflicts. This Environmental Water Resources Projects NOFO provides funding for water conservation and efficiency projects, water management and infrastructure improvements, and river and watershed restoration projects and nature-based solutions that provide significant ecological benefits, have been developed as part of a collaborative process, and help carry out an established strategy to increase the reliability of water resources.Reclamation’s WaterSMART Environmental Water Resources Projects provide support for priorities identified in Presidential Executive Order (E.O.) 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad and is aligned with other priorities such as those identified in E.O. 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. The Environmental Water Resources Projects also support the goals of the Interagency Drought Relief Working Group established in March 2021 and the National Drought Resiliency Partnership.11 For more information, see E.O. 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad (January 27, 2023), https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/02/01/2021-02177/tacklin…; Justice40 Initiative, https://www.whitehouse.gov/environmentaljustice/justice40/; Addendum to the Interim Implementation Guidance for the Justice 40 Initiative, M-21-28, on using the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST), M-23-09, (January 27, 2023), https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/M-23-09_Signed_CE….

Categories: water supply, nature-based solutions, drought

NASA released a new solicitation—”A.60 Earth Action: Ecological Conservation”—to help accelerate biodiversity conservation, fueled with NASA information about the Earth as a system. The resulting awards will support two priorities surfaced through the engagement referenced above. Namely, for Feasibility Activities to support new collaboration and engagement, and Decisional Activities to help scale efforts that show promise. To access the solicitation, click here: https://www.catalyst4conservation.org/

Categories: biodiversity, conservation

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program is a $550 million grant program funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. It is designed to assist states, local governments, and Tribes in implementing strategies to reduce energy use, to reduce fossil fuel emissions, and to improve energy efficiency. Tribal allocations can be viewed here: https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2023-01/IIJA%20%2840552%29%20EECBG%20Program_Attachment%201c.%20_Tribal%20Allocations_FINAL.pdf

Categories: energy, greenhouse gas, carbon emissions, energy efficiency

This program will guarantee loans to projects that retool, repower, repurpose, or replace energy infrastructure that has ceased operations or that enable operating energy infrastructure to avoid, reduce, utilize, or sequester air pollutants or anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases. The IRA placed a total cap on loan guarantees of up to $250 billion and appropriated $5 billion in credit subsidy to support these loan guarantees under section 1706 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

Categories: Energy (136), Infrastructure (46)

Applications Due: September 5, 2024. Hazardous Fuels Transportation Assistance grants support projects that remove hazardous fuels from national forests and grasslands to a location where the materials may be used for various wood products and services. This program contributes to the Wildfire Crisis Strategy implementation by removing hazardous fuels from forests and supports local forest product facilities and rural economies. The forest products industry and infrastructure are key are partners to maintain forest health and resilience while reducing wildfire risk. Successful forest restoration and implementation of the 10-year Wildfire Risk Reduction Strategy are dependent on a robust forest products industry. The Forest Service is partnering with industry to discover creative solutions and explore new markets. For more information and to apply, visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/forest-management/products/hazardous-fuels-transport-assist-grants. Detailed information about the application process, selection criteria and eligible expenses can be found in the Forest Service Hazardous Fuels Transportation Assistance Program Notice of Funding Opportunity and Frequently Asked Questions.  Public webinars will be hosted in partnership with the National Wild Turkey Federation. 

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: 05/24/2021. The NOAA Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Program (CAMP) supports research, programs, projects and other activities related to NOAA’s mission, primarily through collaborations among scientists and professionals in areas of mutual interest across the full spectrum of NOAA climate sciences. This cooperative agreement will focus on the following four priority areas: 1) Improved scientific understanding of the changing climate system and its impacts; 2) Scientific assessments of current and future states of the climate system that identify potential impacts and inform science, service, and stewardship decisions; 3) Mitigation and adaptation efforts supported by sustained, reliable, and timely climate services; 4) A climate-literate public that understands its vulnerabilities to a changing climate and makes informed decisions. Eligible applicants must be academic institutions of higher learning which offer doctoral degrees in NOAA-related sciences; consortia of academic institutions of higher learning which offer doctoral degrees in NOAA-related sciences; or non-profit research institutions. Multi-institution applications will not be accepted.

Categories: climate, mitigation, adaptation

Last Deadline: May 2022. AmeriCorps grants are awarded to eligible organizations proposing to engage AmeriCorps members in evidence-based or evidence-informed interventions to strengthen communities. An AmeriCorps member is an individual who engages in community service through an approved national service position. Members may receive a living allowance and other benefits while serving. Upon successful completion of their service, members earn a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award from the National Service Trust that members can use to pay for higher education expenses or apply to qualified student loans.

Categories: community service, disaster prevention and relief, education, employment, labor, training, environment

Most Recent Deadline: June 2024. Through this NOFO, HUD is announcing the availability of approximately $91,000,000 in total funding including $88,500,000 in FY 2024 funding for its Community Compass Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Program (Community Compass) and up to $2,500,000 in FY 2023 Departmental Technical Assistance funding for the Thriving Communities Technical Assistance program (TCTA). Community Compass brings together TA investments from across HUD program offices, including the offices of Community Planning and Development, Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, Housing, and Public and Indian Housing. This cross-funding approach allows TA to address the needs of grantees and subgrantees, often within the same engagement, and promotes intra- and inter-agency issue resolution. You are encouraged to procure contractors and consultants that demonstrate experience across a wide variety of HUD programs, as well as in specific skill and policy areas related to HUD programs. Through this NOFO, HUD will also address the TA needs of some emerging priorities that include: community violence intervention, implementation of and compliance with the Violence Against Women Act's (VAWA) 2022 Reauthorization, climate resilience, housing needs of youth, and environmental reviews. It is highly encouraged that applicants assemble a diverse team of professionals and people with lived experience from the communities HUD serves. Their perspectives can add immeasurable value in the development and delivery of technical assistance.

Categories: technical assistance (317) capacity building

Most Recent Deadline: March 1, 2024. The purpose of this call for proposals (CFP) is to support Indigenous-led systematic inquiry to enhance the health and wellbeing of Indigenous Peoples and generate approaches to improve health equity. This will be achieved by funding community-prioritized investigation, elevating and integrating Indigenous cultures and knowledge-building practices. To support a diverse range of projects tailored to different phases of development and scope, awards will be made through two tracks, as described later in this solicitation. Preference will be given to applicant organizations that are Tribal entities (including those that are state recognized, federally recognized, or have no formal recognition status) or Indigenous-Serving Organizations, including Urban Indian Organizations. Track 1: Initiating and Developing Research Capacity and InfrastructureThere is not an explicit budget cap for awards funded under this track, but we expect that grants will be in the approximate range of $100,000–$400,000 total. We anticipate much of the grant duration to involve relationship-building, trust development, and community feedback processes. Proposals must demonstrate a clear plan for ongoing and sustained collaboration and continued work with newly engaged partners.Track 2: Supporting Later-Stage, Sustained Research Efforts  There is not an explicit budget cap for awards funded under this track, but we expect grants will be in the range of approximately $500,000–$750,000 total. We expect project teams to demonstrate established, equitable partnerships with Indigenous communities who can begin testing a solution or strategy as part of their project.  

Most recent deadline: 11/14/2024. The Agricultural Risk Protection Act (ARPA) of 2000, Public Law 106-224 authorized the Secretary of USDA, acting through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, herein referred to as NIFA, to carry out the program Partnerships for Risk Management Education. Under this authority NIFA partners with four regional Extension Risk Management Education (ERME) Centers to carry out a national competitive grants program in Risk Management Education to educate agricultural producers about the full range of risk management activities. Community-based organizations, higher education institutions and eligible tribal entities can play a critical role with training that provides decision tools, practices and other risk management strategies that producers can adopt to improve their economic viability.

Categories: agricultural, crops, risk management

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: 6/30/2021. The Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) is requesting proposals for its Energizing Insular Communities (EIC) Program which provides grant funding for sustainable energy strategies that mitigate climate change, reduce reliance and expenditures on imported fuels, develop and utilize domestic energy sources, and improve the performance of energy infrastructure and overall energy efficiency in the territories.

Categories: Energy efficiency, energy infrastructure, sustainability, climate change, rural

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: 2/21/2021. Funding Opportunity #: NOAA-NMFS-PIRO-2018-2005476. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA/NMFS) is soliciting competitive applications for the 2018 Pacific Islands Region Marine Education and Training (MET) Mini-Grant Program. Projects are being solicited to improve communication, education, and training on marine resource issues throughout the region and increase scientific education for marine-related professions among coastal community residents, including indigenous Pacific islanders, Native Hawaiians and other underrepresented groups in the region.

Categories: communication, education, training, marine resources

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: August 31, 2023. Application deadline recently extended. Under Section 40101(d) Formula Grant Program of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the Department of Energy will provide grants to States (including U.S. Territories) and Indian Tribes to improve the resilience of their electric grids. States and Indian Tribes may further allocate funds to “eligible entities”, as defined by Section 40101(d). These grants offer a unique opportunity to advance the capabilities of States and Indian Tribes, and their communities, to address not only current, but future resilience needs.

Categories: energy, electric grids, infrastructure, power, BIL

Deadline Passed. Most Recent Deadline February 28, 2024. Application deadlines vary by state. Check with your local program staff. RBDG is a competitive grant designed to support targeted technical assistance, training and other activities leading to the development or expansion of small and emerging private businesses in rural areas that have fewer than 50 employees and less than $1 million in gross revenues. Programmatic activities are separated into enterprise or opportunity type grant activities.

Categories: small business, rural business, family-owned, private business, rural communities