Rbdg rural business coop rural enterprise grant

Fresno Pacific University received a $358,157 Rural Business Development Grant (CFDA 10.351) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Business Cooperative Services, awarded September 30, 2025, with a completion date of September 30, 2027. Under this Project Grant, the university serves as an intermediary to provide technical assistance, business counseling, market research, and workforce development services to small and emerging private businesses in rural California communities. These services support eligible businesses that employ 50 or fewer new employees and have less than $1 million in projected gross revenue, with the ultimate goal of promoting sustainable economic development and job creation in disadvantaged rural areas.

As a Hispanic-serving, non-profit institution, Fresno Pacific University leverages its federal grant capacity to strengthen economic outcomes for underserved populations across rural and low-income regions of California. This award represents the university's second Rural Business Development Grant from USDA Rural Business Cooperative Services within 15 months, demonstrating institutional expertise in delivering enterprise development support aligned with federal priorities for job creation, income enhancement, and economic sustainability in rural communities.