Rural business development grants - disaster (rbdg e disaster) grants

Operation Hope, Inc. received a $360,384 Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) Disaster award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Business Cooperative Services (CFDA 10.351) on September 26, 2025, with a completion date of September 26, 2027. This project grant funds technical assistance and business development services to support sustainable economic development and small business growth in rural Puerto Rico. As an intermediary nonprofit organization, Operation Hope will deliver comprehensive economic development services designed to assist small and emerging private businesses that employ 50 or fewer new employees and have less than $1 million in projected gross revenue.

The grant specifically supports disaster recovery initiatives in rural communities, aligning with the Rural Business Development Grant program's mission to promote job creation and economic stability in underserved areas. Operation Hope's service delivery will likely encompass business counseling, technical assistance, financial literacy education, and related capacity-building services to help entrepreneurs and small business owners build resilience and sustainable operations in disaster-affected rural areas of Puerto Rico.