Rbdg rural business coop rural enterprise grant

This $167,000 Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Housing Service Rural Business Cooperative Services was awarded on September 11, 2023 to the Blue Sky Sustainable Living Center, a nonprofit community development corporation. The two-year grant will fund initiatives to promote sustainable economic development and facilitate the growth of small and emerging private businesses in rural California communities. Typical activities supported by RBDG grants include technical assistance, business counseling, market research, workforce development, and revolving loan funds. The funding is expected to support a range of projects such as feasibility studies, entrepreneurship training, business incubators, and industry cluster initiatives, with a focus on underserved demographics like minority, veteran, and Native American entrepreneurs.