Rural cooperative development grants

The Cooperative Development Foundation (CDF) was awarded a $200,000 Rural Cooperative Development Grant (CFDA 10.771) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Business Cooperative Services on September 22, 2023. This Project Grant funding enables CDF, a non-profit organization, to provide technical assistance, training, feasibility studies, business planning, and other services to support the startup, expansion, and operational improvement of rural cooperatives and mutually-owned businesses in Virginia. CDF's efforts focus on assisting minority agricultural producers, socially disadvantaged groups, and rural communities experiencing persistent poverty. The grant funding will allow CDF to deliver critical services through its cooperative development centers to advance economic opportunities and strengthen cooperative business models in underserved rural areas.