2018 farm bill- northern border great plains grant- discretionary

The Department of Agriculture Rural Business Cooperative Services awarded $2.5 million to the Northern Border Regional Commission on March 24, 2026, under the Rural Business Development Grant program (CFDA 10.351), a Project Grant funding technical assistance and business development services to small and emerging enterprises across northern border regions.

The Northern Border Regional Commission, a government entity headquartered in Concord, New Hampshire, delivers comprehensive technical assistance and capacity-building services including business counseling, market research, feasibility studies, workforce development training, and business incubator support. These services target small and emerging private businesses with 50 or fewer new employees and less than $1.0 million in projected gross revenue, with explicit prioritization for economically distressed areas characterized by high low-income populations and elevated unemployment. Work is performed in New Hampshire and extends to Maine, Vermont, and New York.

The award obligates $2.5 million with a period of performance through March 24, 2028. The Rural Business Development Grant program promotes sustainable economic development and job creation in rural communities through grants to government entities, private nonprofit corporations, and federally recognized Indian tribes that assist business-type operations; grants are not made directly to businesses. Priority projects are located in communities with large low-income populations, save existing jobs, create jobs, or are located in areas with high unemployment.