Rural cooperative development grants

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Housing Service and Rural Business Cooperative Services awarded a $200,000 Rural Cooperative Development Grant (CFDA #10.771) to the Northcountry Cooperative Foundation, a nonprofit organization, on September 25, 2023. The grant provides funding to the Northcountry Cooperative Foundation to deliver technical assistance, training, and feasibility studies to help establish and improve the operations of cooperatives and mutually-owned businesses in rural areas. This includes supporting the startup, expansion, and operational improvement of rural cooperatives and other mutually-owned enterprises across sectors such as agriculture, fishing, utilities, retail, and credit unions. The grant builds on Northcountry Cooperative Foundation's past experience providing rural cooperative development services through previous federal awards.