Rbdg rural business coop rural enterprise grant

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Business Cooperative Services awarded a $150,000 Rural Business Development Grant (CFDA 10.351) to Bladen's Bloomin' Agri-Industrial, Inc. on June 12, 2024. This two-year project grant will enable the non-profit community development corporation to provide technical assistance, business counseling, market research, and workforce development services to support small and emerging private businesses in rural North Carolina communities. The funding will also allow Bladen's Bloomin' Agri-Industrial to deliver entrepreneurship training and assist with industry cluster projects, with a focus on underserved demographics including minority, veteran, and Native American entrepreneurs. This award builds on the organization's history of receiving federal grants to foster sustainable economic development and job creation in rural areas.