Rbdg rural business coop rural enterprise grant

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Business Cooperative Services awarded a $432,402 Rural Business Development Grant (CFDA 10.351) to the Foundation For Puerto Rico Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, to promote sustainable economic development and facilitate the growth of small and emerging private businesses in rural communities in Puerto Rico. The two-year grant, which began on September 28, 2023, will fund a range of technical assistance, business counseling, market research, workforce development, and community engagement initiatives designed to strengthen entrepreneurship, infrastructure, and disaster preparedness capabilities across the island. Key activities include delivering pandemic relief support to small businesses through the SBA's Community Navigator program, providing rural business development grants for entrepreneurship and emergency preparedness, and developing an NSF-funded participatory technology platform to improve disaster response coordination. The organization frequently partners with local governments, universities, and community groups as a prime or sub-recipient to execute these capacity-building programs that enhance Puerto Rico's economic resilience.