Rbdg rural business coop rural enterprise grant

Kentucky State University received a $193,176 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Business Cooperative Services under the Rural Business Development Grant program (CFDA 10.351) awarded on September 26, 2025. The grant funds activities through September 26, 2027 to support sustainable economic development and job creation in rural Kentucky communities. As an intermediary grant recipient, the institution will provide technical assistance and capital support to small and emerging private businesses in rural areas that employ 50 or fewer new employees and have less than $1 million in projected gross revenue.

The award aligns with the program's priority objectives to serve low-income communities, preserve existing employment, and foster job creation in areas experiencing high unemployment. Kentucky State University, as the only public historically Black 1890 land-grant institution in Kentucky, will leverage its extensive experience in rural development, agricultural extension, and underserved population support to deliver business development services consistent with its land-grant mission.