Technical Assistance to Cooperatives

The Department of Agriculture Rural Business Cooperative Services, operating under CFDA 10.350, provides non-monetary technical assistance and research support to rural cooperatives and groups forming cooperatives, with requests typically approved or disapproved within 30 to 60 days.

The program funds facilitation of strategic planning, board of director training, member surveys, feasibility analysis, and research on financial, organizational, management, legal, social, and economic aspects of rural cooperatives. Technical assistance is available year-round for activities typically completed within a single year. Eligible recipients include farmer and rural cooperatives, rural residents in all U.S. states and territories, and groups interested in forming cooperatives; ultimate beneficiaries must be located in rural areas. Assistance is provided on a first-come, first-served basis subject to available staff resources.

Requests for technical assistance from established cooperatives must be submitted in writing by the cooperative's board of directors. Requests for assistance with forming a cooperative must come in writing from a steering committee on behalf of the interested group and be directed to the National Office. The program operates without a formal grant application cycle or posted grant opportunities; instead, it processes requests continuously throughout the year with a stated 30- to 60-day turnaround for approval or disapproval decisions.

This program functions as a technical assistance line rather than a project-grant funding mechanism. No recent grant awards or posted funding opportunities are documented in the source material. Applicants should contact the National Office directly to submit a written request aligned with the cooperative's governance structure and rural beneficiary requirement. The program's value proposition centers on capacity-building support and feasibility analysis rather than capital funding; organizations should evaluate fit based on whether their cooperative development needs align with planning facilitation, governance training, or organizational analysis rather than cash disbursement.