Rural Business Development Grant Program

Closed Posted

Opportunity number
RDBCP-RBDG-2025
Agency
Applications due
Award size
Not on record

Opportunity facts

Assistance listings
Funding instrument
Grant
Category
  • Business and Commerce
Eligible applicants
  • State Governments
  • County Governments
  • 501(c)(3) Nonprofits
  • Higher Education Inst. (Public)
  • Higher Education Inst. (Private)
  • Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized)
  • City/Township Governments
Full announcement

Opportunity details come from Grants.gov. Updated .

About this opportunity

The Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) program, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Housing Service and Rural Business Cooperative Services, provides grant funding to eligible entities such as state/local governments, nonprofits, higher education institutions, and tribal governments. The program aims to promote economic development and job creation in rural areas through two categories of grants - business opportunity grants and business enterprise grants. Applicants must demonstrate the project's economic impact, alignment with strategic plans, and ability to create or save jobs. Key application requirements include SAMS registration, organizational/financial documentation, and details on the scope of work, budget, and performance measures. The evaluation criteria consider factors like population, unemployment, median household income, economic distress, and leveraging of non-federal funds.

Approximately $30 million is anticipated to be available for the program, subject to appropriations. Individual awards typically range from $10,000 to $500,000, with most falling between $50,000 and $200,000. The awards are two-year Project Grants, with completion dates set two years from the award date. Eligible projects must be located in designated rural areas as defined by program regulations.

Synopsis

The purpose of the program is to promote economic development and job creation projects through the awarding of grant funds to eligible entities.

Applications will compete in two separate categories, business opportunity grants and business enterprise grants, for use in funding various

business and community projects that serve rural areas.

Files

File Type Posted
FY 2025 RBDG Application Toolkit.docx DOCX document
1970-A Exhibit C.pdf PDF
Exhibit C Environmental Documentation Checklist.doc DOC document
1940-Q 1.pdf PDF
RD 400-4.pdf PDF
RD 400-1.pdf PDF
SF-424.pdf PDF
Federal Register Notice 2024-20344 10-18-2024.pdf PDF

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