Rural economic development grant - electric farm bill

The Department of Agriculture Rural Business Cooperative Services awarded West Central Electric Cooperative Inc. $258,000 on March 20, 2026, under the Rural Economic Development Loans and Grants program (CFDA 10.854).

The grant funds West Central Electric Cooperative to identify, evaluate, and support rural business development projects and feasibility studies within its service territory in South Dakota. The cooperative, a non-profit rural electric utility based in Murdo, South Dakota, will execute the work through March 20, 2028.

The Rural Economic Development Loans and Grants program provides funding for rural projects through local utility organizations to promote economic development and job creation. Eligible recipients include current Rural Development borrowers, former Rural Utilities Service borrowers who have repaid prior loans, and nonprofit utilities eligible under the Rural Development Electric or Telecommunication Programs. The program permits USDA to provide zero-interest funding to local utilities, which pass resources through to eligible rural economic development projects.