MBDA Rural Business Center Program

The Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency is soliciting applications for cooperative agreements to establish Rural Business Centers providing technical assistance, capacity building, and entrepreneurial development services to rural business enterprises, with applications due June 29, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

Eligible applicants are institutions of higher education meeting specific criteria under the Higher Education Act of 1965, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribal Colleges, and similar designations, or consortia of such institutions. Applicants must provide a 20% non-federal cost share or matching requirement, though MBDA may reduce or waive this requirement based on demonstrated substantial need.

MBDA will award approximately $14.5 million across 5–7 cooperative agreements, with awards ranging from approximately $2.25 million to $3 million per recipient over a three-year period (September 1, 2026–August 31, 2029). Centers must primarily serve rural minority business enterprises or minority businesses located more than 50 miles from existing MBDA Business Centers.

Program priorities include broadband access, digital literacy including artificial intelligence, e-commerce, advanced manufacturing, trade and export opportunities, access to capital, workforce development, and supply chain resilience. Applications are evaluated on a 100-point scale: Project Description (50 points), Applicant Capability (25 points), and Project Performance and Start-up (25 points). Merit reviewers must award at least 75 points for applications to be considered meritorious. Construction, capital investments, loans, and equity investments in businesses are not allowable uses of funds. Recipients must attend a post-award implementation webinar, submit semi-annual Performance Progress Reports, and participate in comprehensive program evaluation.

The Assistance Listing number is 11.805.