Rural Cooperative Development Grants
Active
- Assistance listing
- 10.771
- Agency
-
Rural Business Cooperative Services
Washington Office, Department of Agriculture
- Grant awards
- 2,214 $465,895,649 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- RCDG
- Assistance type
-
- Project Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 12-1900-0-1-452
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of Agriculture Rural Housing Service Washington Office Rural Business Cooperative Services awards Rural Cooperative Development Grants (CFDA 10.771) to fund technical assistance for the startup, expansion, or operational improvement of rural cooperatives and mutually owned businesses, with the most recent award on January 28, 2026.
Grant awards have remained consistent at 40–46 per year through 2024, declining sharply to 24 in 2025 and 1 award as of January 2026, suggesting either a reporting lag or material contraction in activity. The portfolio spans 2,214 awards totaling $465.9 million in federal dollars obligated. Rural Housing Service has dominated the program historically, funding 2,199 awards ($460.1 million), while the Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture has funded 15 awards ($5.8 million). All awards in the portfolio are structured as Project Grants.
Funded activities focus on hands-on technical assistance to rural cooperatives across agricultural and food-system sectors. Recent awards support grocery co-ops addressing food access in underserved areas, agricultural producer cooperatives improving market access and pricing, worker-ownership conversions preserving local businesses during ownership transitions, childcare co-ops meeting rural workforce needs, and value-added agricultural processing and food hubs. Recipients include nonprofit cooperative development centers and university-affiliated programs operating regionally: the Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (awarded $217,884 for technical assistance across rural Kentucky); the Center for an Agricultural Economy (awarded $615,623 for food co-op and rural cooperative expansion across Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island); and the Cooperative Development Foundation with nine co-op development partners (awarded $999,999 for training, technical assistance, and cooperative developer capacity-building focused on food and home care cooperatives). Individual awards cluster around $200,000 to $600,000, though recent discretionary grants show variation from $173,409 to $1,055,082.
The program follows an annual solicitation cycle. The most recent posted opportunity (USDA-NIFA-OP-012058) was posted July 7, 2026 with a due date of July 24, 2026, indicating a July–September annual funding window. Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) nonprofits and higher education institutions. Evaluation criteria emphasize administrative capability, technical assistance services, economic development impact, past performance in establishing legal entities, regional networking, matching funds, work plan quality, personnel qualifications, and local and future support. Applications are typically approved or disapproved within 60–90 days. Awards are typically made in September, with one-year periods of performance.
Objective and description
- Objective
To improve the economic condition of rural areas by assisting individuals and businesses in the startup, expansion or operational improvement of rural cooperatives and other mutually-owned businesses through Cooperative Development Centers.
- Description
This program provide funds that must be used to provide technical assistance to individuals and businesses in rural areas for the purpose of cooperative development. Funds must be used for cooperative development, although limited use of funds for assistance to other business types may be allowed at the Agency's discretion. All available funds are discretionary funds and must be awarded through a national competition.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Applicants are not eligible if they have been debarred or suspended or otherwise excluded from participation in Federal assistance programs under Executive Order 12549, "Debarment and Suspension." Applicants are not eligible if they have an outstanding judgement obtained by the U.S. in a Federal Court (other than U.S. Tax Court), are delinquent on the payment of Federal income taxes, or are delinquent on a Federal debt. Any corporation that has been convicted of a felony criminal violation under any Federal law within the past 24 months or that has any unpaid Federal tax liability that has been assessed, for which all judicial and administrative remedies have been exhausted or have lapsed, and that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant to an agreement with the authority responsible for collecting the tax liability, is not eligible for funding.
- Beneficiary eligibility
Ultimate beneficiaries must be located in rural areas.
- Uses of assistance
Funds must be used to provide technical assistance to individuals and businesses in rural areas for the purpose of cooperative development.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Awards are typically made during September each year. The Period of Performance is one year.
How to apply
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Applications are evaluated based on 10 criteria: (1) Administrative Capabilities, (2) Technical Assistance and Other Services, (3) Economic Development, (4) Past Performance in Establishing Legal Entities, (5) Networking and Regional Focus, (6) Commitment, (7) Matching Funds, (8) Work Plan/Budget, (9) Qualifications of Key Personnel, and (10) Local and Future Support. Applicants should review 7 CFR § 4284.513 and the annual Federal Register notice for details on how these criteria will be scored.
- Award procedure
Applications are evaluated for eligibility for the program. Eligible applications are reviewed by a panel of experts and ranked according to published evaluation criteria. Applications are funded in rank order until available funds have been expended.
- Time to approval or disapproval
Applications are typically approved/disapproved within 60-90 days of receipt.
- Appeals
Applicants may appeal adverse decisions in accordance with 7 CFR Part 11. The Agency provides instructions on how to appeal with each adverse decision.
Grant opportunities
| Opportunity | Status | Posted | Applications due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rural Cooperative Development Grants | Closed | ||
| Rural Cooperative Development Grants | Closed | ||
| Rural Cooperative Development Grant | Closed | ||
| Rural Cooperative Development Grant | Closed | ||
| Rural Cooperative Development Grant | Closed | ||
| Rural Cooperative Development Grant | Closed | ||
| Rural Cooperative Development Grant | Closed | ||
| Rural Cooperative Development Grant | Closed | ||
| Rural Cooperative Development Grant | Closed | ||
| Rural Cooperative Development Grant | Closed | ||
| Rural Cooperative Development Grant | Closed |
Show all 11
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 2,214 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa State University Of Science And Technology | $14,128,113 | 3% |
| 2 | The National Center For Appropriate Technology Inc. | $13,720,527 | 3% |
| 3 | California Center For Cooperation Development | $4,284,272 | 1% |
| 4 | Virginia Foundation For Agriculture, Innovation & Rural Sustainability | $4,178,685 | 1% |
| 5 | The University Of Texas RIO Grande Valley | $4,032,876 | 1% |
| 6 | Cooperative Development Foundation | $3,936,603 | 1% |
| 7 | The Kentucky Center For Agriculture And Rural Development, Inc. | $3,842,884 | 1% |
| 8 | Montana Cooperative Development Center Inc. | $3,756,503 | 1% |
| 9 | Rocky Mountain Farmers Union Educational & Charitable Foundation | $3,750,515 | 1% |
| 10 | The North Dakota Association Of Rural Electric Cooperatives | $3,724,973 | 1% |
10 of 833 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $1,055,082 |
| FY2025 | $8,224,340 |
| FY2024 | $8,903,463 |
| FY2023 | $7,765,917 |
| FY2022 | $8,672,946 |
| FY2021 | $7,703,387 |
| FY2020 | $9,042,157 |
| FY2019 | $6,291,845 |
| FY2018 | $11,347,639 |
| FY2017 | $8,691,680 |
| FY2016 | $5,765,232 |
| FY2015 | $8,017,399 |
| FY2014 | $6,715,538 |
| FY2013 | $27,918,204 |
| FY2012 | $48,633,774 |
| FY2011 | $10,422,151 |
| FY2010 | $35,063,104 |
| FY2009 | $7,525,455 |
| FY2008 | $29,074,715 |
| FY2007 | $29,564,921 |
| FY2006 | $47,058,231 |
| FY2005 | $9,912,869 |
| FY2004 | $43,930,930 |
| FY2003 | $49,802,503 |
| FY2002 | $8,250,000 |
| FY2001 | $36,449,149 |
Show all 26
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 10.771?
Assistance Listing 10.771 is Rural Cooperative Development Grants, a federal grant program run by Rural Business Cooperative Services (Washington Office).
What is the CFDA number for Rural Cooperative Development Grants?
Its CFDA number is 10.771: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 10.771 awarded?
2,214 grant awards under 10.771 have obligated $465,895,649 in federal funds to 833 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 10.771?
The recipients obligated the most under Rural Cooperative Development Grants are Iowa State University Of Science And Technology ($14,128,113), The National Center For Appropriate Technology Inc. ($13,720,527) and California Center For Cooperation Development ($4,284,272).
How much did 10.771 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 10.771 obligated $8,224,340 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 10.771?
No opportunity listed under 10.771 is open now. The latest, Rural Cooperative Development Grants, was posted on July 7, 2026.
On GovTribe
See this program's full record
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