Rural Cooperative Development Grants
Closed Posted
- Opportunity number
- USDA-NIFA-OP-012058
- Agency
-
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Department of Agriculture
- Applications due
- Award size
- $200,000 to $1,000,000
Opportunity facts
- Assistance listings
- Funding instrument
- Grant
- Category
-
- Agriculture
- Eligible applicants
-
- Other
- Points of contact
- Full announcement
Opportunity details come from Grants.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture within the Department of Agriculture is soliciting applications for Rural Cooperative Development Grants to fund nonprofit institutions that establish and operate centers providing technical assistance for rural cooperatives and mutually owned businesses, with applications due July 24, 2026 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time.
Eligible applicants are nonprofit institutions serving rural areas. Applicants must provide matching funds equal to 25 percent of the total award cost from non-Federal sources (cash or in-kind contributions); 1994 land-grant institutions may provide a reduced match of 5 percent. The program anticipates awarding approximately $5 million across 12 awards, with individual grant ceilings of $1 million and award floors of $200,000. The period of performance spans 12 to 36 months.
All project activities must focus on rural cooperative development and job creation in rural areas. Ultimate beneficiaries must be located in rural areas, and funded activities may encompass multiple economic sectors including agriculture, fishing, utilities, retail, and credit unions. The program prioritizes support for minority producers and communities experiencing persistent poverty.
Applicants are evaluated on six criteria: experience in cooperative development (up to 30 points), work plan and budget detail (up to 45 points), regional and national scope of the project (up to 25 points), networking and collaboration (up to 10 points), qualifications of key personnel (up to 10 points), and matching funds commitment (5 points). Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov with a project narrative not exceeding 15 pages plus 5 additional pages for figures and tables, a data management plan, and required federal forms. The assistance listing number is 10.771.
Synopsis
The purpose of the RCDG program, under assistance listing number 10.771, is to enable nonprofit institutions to establish and operate centers for rural cooperative development (Center). The primary objective of the program is to improve the economic condition of rural areas by helping nonprofit organizations that in turn provide technical assistance to start, expand, or improve cooperatives and mutually owned businesses in rural areas.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| FY26-RCDG-NOFO-P.pdf |
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