Rural economic development grant - electric farm bill

The Department of Agriculture's Rural Business Cooperative Services awarded Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation $300,000 on April 16, 2026, under the Rural Economic Development Loans and Grants program (CFDA 10.854). Performance runs through April 16, 2028, with place of performance in North Carolina.

Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation, a tax-exempt nonprofit electric cooperative based in Lenoir, North Carolina, serves as an intermediary utility under this project grant, deploying zero-interest pass-through financing and technical assistance to rural businesses and development projects within its service territory. Eligible activities include project feasibility studies, business start-up funding, business incubator services, and technical assistance designed to generate employment and sustain economic growth in underserved rural communities.

The Rural Economic Development Loans and Grants program provides funding for rural projects through local utility organizations, with maximum grant amounts of $1.5 million and maximum loan terms of ten years at zero percent interest. Projects must promote rural economic development and job creation. Assistance type is Project Grant.