Rural Energy for America Program
Active
- Assistance listing
- 10.868
- Agency
-
Rural Business Cooperative Services
Washington Office, Department of Agriculture
- Grant awards
- 28,189 $1,998,258,521 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- REAP
- Assistance type
-
- Project Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 12-1908-0-1-451
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of Agriculture Rural Business Cooperative Service (RBCS) awarded $2 billion in grants under the Rural Energy for America Program (CFDA 10.868) through September 30, 2025, supporting renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements for agricultural producers and rural small businesses.
Recent activity is strong. The program obligated 1,344 awards in the first nine months of 2025 alone, following 4,864 awards in 2024 and 3,715 in 2023. Awards disburse continuously on a quarterly cycle with processing timelines of 60 to 180 days after filing. Most recent awards cluster in September 2025 and range from under $20,000 to $1 million per project. Representative funded projects from September 2025 include renewable energy system grants of $1 million (CLSS00000117590, CLSS00000117024, CLSS00000116992, CLSS00000116960), energy efficiency improvement grants of $500,000 (CLSS00000117053), and smaller awards spanning $8,073 to $389,839 across both categories.
The program funds exclusively through Project Grants, which comprise essentially 100 percent of the 28,189 total awards. A single funding agency—RBCS—operates the program with no competing funders.
Eligible applicants are agricultural producers (those deriving 50 percent or more of gross income from agricultural operations) and rural small businesses located in rural areas. Grant ceilings are $500,000 for renewable energy systems and $250,000 for energy efficiency improvements. Combined federal and non-federal dollars obligated total $2.01 billion, indicating minimal cost-share requirements. Grants cover up to 25 percent of eligible project costs; combined grant and guaranteed-loan assistance may not exceed 75 percent of project costs. Energy audits require recipients to pay 25 percent of costs.
Scoring criteria emphasize quantity of energy replaced or produced, environmental benefits, technical merit, readiness, small-producer preference, simple payback, and state director priorities. Applications flow first through state-level review, then undergo nationwide ranking by the RD National Office, with final awards made by the RBCS Administrator.
The most recent open opportunity is RDBCP-REAP-RES-EEI-2025, posted October 24, 2024, with a due date of March 31, 2025 (now closed). The program operates on a continuous application cycle with deadlines through September 30, 2027 under the current NOFO. Subsequent funding opportunity postings are scheduled for July 1, 2025 (FY 2026) and July 1, 2026 (FY 2027). A companion Technical Assistance Grant program (RDBCP-REAP-2024-TAG) closed March 21, 2024, but typically reopens annually to fund intermediaries providing technical assistance to REAP applicants.
Objective and description
- Objective
(1) Provision of grants and loan guarantees to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to promote energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy systems development. The program provides grants of up to 25% of project costs and/or loa
- Description
For renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements, the amount of a grant shall not exceed the lesser of 25 percent of eligible project costs or $500,000 for renewable energy systems and $250,000 for energy efficiency improvements. The maximum amount of combined grant or guaranteed loan made shall not exceed 75 percent of eligible project costs. For Energy Audit, the recipient of the audit must pay 25 percent of the cost of the energy audit.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
To be eligible for renewable energy systems or energy efficiency improvement assistance, an applicant must be an agricultural producer or rural small business. Rural small businesses must be located in a rural area. The applicant or owner must not have an outstanding judgment, delinquent on any Federal debt or debarred from receiving Federal assistance. Under the Energy Audit and Renewable Energy Development Assistance programs eligible applicants include governmental entities and their instrumentalities, educational institutions, rural electric cooperatives, Resource Conservation and Development Councils, and public power entities.
- Beneficiary eligibility
For energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy systems the program is for agricultural producers and rural small businesses. For energy audits and renewable energy development assistance grants, units of State, tribal, and local governments; land-grant colleges, universities, and other institutions of higher education; rural electric cooperatives and public power entities; instrumentalities of a state, tribal, and local governments; and Resource Conservation and Development Councils are eligible for the assistance.
- Uses of assistance
For renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements, the amount of a grant shall not exceed the lesser of 25 percent of eligible project costs or $500,000 for renewable energy systems and $250,000 for energy efficiency improvements. The maximum amount of combined grant or guaranteed loan made shall not exceed 75 percent of eligible project costs. For Energy Audit, the recipient of the audit must pay 25 percent of the cost of the energy audit.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Grant funds will be provided on a reimbursement basis. Guarantees on loan will be provided once the project is complete and operational. Project should typically be completed within two years from the award. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: monthly or as needed.
How to apply
- Criteria for selecting proposals
(1) Quantity of Energy Replaced, Produced, or Saved (2) Environmental benefits (3) Commercial availability (4) Technical Merit - (5) Readiness (Grants only) (6) Small Agricultural Producer/Very Small Rural Business (7) Simplified application (8) Previous grantees and borrowers (9) Simple payback (10) State Director and Administrator priorities and points. (11) Loan Rate (Guaranteed Loans only:
- Award procedure
Rural Development (RD) personnel will review all applications. Ineligible and incomplete applications may be returned to the applicant and not evaluated further. RD personnel score applications based on published evaluation criteria. Applications will be funded at the State level first. A second review and nationwide ranking will be conducted by the RD National Office. Funding recommendations for National funds will be forwarded to the Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service for final awards.
- Deadlines
February 1, 2027
- Time to approval or disapproval
From 60 to 180 days after the application is filed with RBS dependent on the number of funding cycles offered per year.
- Appeals
Adverse actions made on applications are appealable, pursuant to 7 CFR part 11.
Grant opportunities
Show all 19
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 28,189 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Laser Investment Group, LLC | $2,263,144 | <1% |
| 2 | Fifth Generation Inc. | $2,107,150 | <1% |
| 3 | Pawnee Nation Of Oklahoma | $2,000,000 | <1% |
| 4 | Tejon Indian Tribe | $2,000,000 | <1% |
| 5 | Mitchell Delta Distributing, LLC | $2,000,000 | <1% |
| 6 | Kaspar Wire Works, Inc. | $2,000,000 | <1% |
| 7 | North West Arctic Borough | $1,998,820 | <1% |
| 8 | Cooperatives For A Better World | $1,960,592 | <1% |
| 9 | HSH Dutton LLC | $1,929,651 | <1% |
| 10 | Solar Gain Inc. | $1,925,148 | <1% |
10 of 22,018 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2025 | $363,840,801 |
| FY2024 | $684,228,613 |
| FY2023 | $417,529,672 |
| FY2022 | $48,797,642 |
| FY2021 | $33,123,355 |
| FY2020 | $40,755,450 |
| FY2019 | $35,402,178 |
| FY2018 | $32,531,886 |
| FY2017 | $30,965,413 |
| FY2016 | $28,842,761 |
| FY2015 | $71,108,386 |
| FY2014 | $8,808,493 |
| FY2013 | $22,069,179 |
| FY2012 | $10,842,520 |
| FY2011 | $53,105,307 |
| FY2010 | $55,503,815 |
| FY2009 | $49,259,560 |
| FY2008 | -$800,000 |
Show all 18
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 10.868?
Assistance Listing 10.868 is Rural Energy for America Program, a federal grant program run by Rural Business Cooperative Services (Washington Office).
What is the CFDA number for Rural Energy for America Program?
Its CFDA number is 10.868: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 10.868 awarded?
28,189 grant awards under 10.868 have obligated $1,998,258,521 in federal funds to 22,018 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 10.868?
The recipients obligated the most under Rural Energy for America Program are The Laser Investment Group, LLC ($2,263,144), Fifth Generation Inc. ($2,107,150) and Pawnee Nation Of Oklahoma ($2,000,000).
How much did 10.868 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 10.868 obligated $363,840,801 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 10.868?
No opportunity listed under 10.868 is open now. The latest, Rural Energy for America Program, was posted on October 24, 2024.
On GovTribe
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