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

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Business Cooperative Services awarded $202,000 to West Central Texas Council of Governments under the Rural Business Development Grant (CFDA 10.351) program on September 29, 2025, with a completion date of September 29, 2027. This grant funds technical assistance and business development services designed to support small and emerging private businesses across West Central Texas's 19-county service region. The RBDG-Disaster program specifically targets communities affected by disasters, providing intermediary organizations with resources to deliver capacity-building support, feasibility studies, business planning assistance, and related services that enable eligible small enterprises (those employing 50 or fewer new employees and projecting less than $1 million in gross revenue) to develop sustainable operations and create employment opportunities in rural areas.

West Central Texas Council of Governments, doing business as West Central Texas Regional Foundation, will leverage this funding to address economic recovery and development needs within its service territory, aligning with federal program priorities that emphasize job creation, retention of existing employment, and investment in communities with elevated poverty and unemployment rates. As a regional council of governments, the organization functions as a grant intermediary, channeling federal support to businesses and entrepreneurs rather than receiving direct business assistance, consistent with the Rural Business Development Grant program's established framework.