Browse Ambrook’s collection of funding programs by Rural Development (RD)

A two-phase application process starts with pre-applications accepted on an annual basis through a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) in the Federal Register. Selected pre-applications are invited to submit final applications

Rural Rental Properties

This program provides affordable financing to develop housing for year-round and migrant or seasonal domestic farm laborers.



This program assists qualified applicants that cannot obtain commercial credit on terms that will allow them to charge rents that are affordable to low-income tenants. Borrowers must have sufficient qualifications and experience to develop and operate the project. Qualified applicants include:
- Farmers, associations of farmers and family farm corporations
- Associations of farmworkers and nonprofit organizations*
- Most State and local governmental entities*
- Federally-recognized Tribes*

*Eligible to apply for grants and loans

Housing may be constructed in urban or rural areas, as long as there is a demonstrated need.


A lump sum of money for a specific purpose that does not need to be paid back.

Grant

A payment that must be returned to the provider following specified terms of repayment and interest rate.

Loan

Training

HVAC

Lighting

Greenhouse

Buildings

Fencing

Repairs

Construction

Storage

Facilities

Equipment

How may funds be used?
Construction, improvement, repair and purchase of housing for domestic farm laborers is the primary objective of this program.

Funding may also be available for related activities including:
- Buying and improve land
- Purchasing household furnishings
- Paying construction loan interest
- For a complete list, see 7 CFR 3560.53

Who may live in the rental housing?
- Domestic farm laborers, including those working on fish and oyster farms and on-farm processing (1)
- Retired and/or disabled farm laborers
- Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- Very-low- to moderate-income households (2)

What kinds of funding are available?
- Low interest loans
- Grants based on need and may not exceed 90% of project cost

What are the loan terms?
- Up to 33 year payback period
- 1% fixed rate
- An allocation of loan funds is also available for on-farm labor housing and is funded on a first-come, first-served basis

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. Please contact your local state office for additional information and to apply for the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program.

This program provides loans and grants to Microenterprise Development Organizations (MDOs) to:

- Help microenterprises startup and growth through a Rural Microloan Revolving Fund.

- Provide training and technical assistance to microloan borrowers and micro entrepreneurs.



This program provides loans and grants to Microenterprise Development Organizations (MDOs) to:
- Help microenterprises startup and growth through a Rural Microloan Revolving Fund.
- Provide training and technical assistance to microloan borrowers and micro entrepreneurs.

Who may apply for this program?

The following are eligible to be a Microenterprise Development Organization:
- Nonprofits.
- Federally-recognized tribes.
- Institutions of higher education.

The following are eligible to apply for a loan from the MDO as an ultimate recipient:
- Businesses located in an eligible area with 10 or fewer full-time employees.

What is an eligible area?
- Rural areas outside a city or town with a population of fewer than 50,000 residents. Urbanized areas near a city of 50,000 or more may not be eligible.
- The borrower’s headquarters may be based within a larger city so long as the project service area is located in an eligible rural area.
- The lender may be located anywhere.

Check eligible addresses for Business Programs.

Are there other requirements?

Microenterprise Development Organizations must demonstrate experience in managing a Revolving Loan Fund, or:
- Certify that it or its employees have received education and training from a qualified microenterprise development training entity so that the applicant has the capacity to manage such a revolving loan fund.
- Demonstrate that it is actively and successfully participating as an intermediary lender in good standing under the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Microloan Program or other similar loan programs as determined by the Administrator.

Stewardship

Español

Native Americans

People Of Color

Women

Labor

What kind of funding is available? 
- Grants are available to provide technical assistance to rural micro-entrepreneurs or microenterprises, up to $205,000 annually. Funding at the requested level is not guaranteed, and at least 15 percent matching funds are required.
- Loans of $50,000 to $500,000 may be used for establishing a Rural Microloan Revolving Fund managed by the Microenterprise Development Organization. Total aggregate debt is capped at $2.5 million.

What are the loan terms?
- Maximum term is 20 years.
- Two-year payment deferral.
- Must establish a loan loss reserve fund.

What terms are required on loans to ultimate recipients?
- Up to $50,000.
- Fixed interest rate.
- Limited to 75 percent of project cost.

How may the funds be used?

Microlenders may make microloans for qualified business activities and expenses including, but not limited to:
- Working capital.
- Debt refinancing.
- Purchasing equipment and supplies.
- Improving real estate.

Before you apply:
- Request a Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number if your organization doesn’t already have one. It should not take more than a few business days to get your number. However, you should plan on requesting it at least a month before the application deadline because you will need that number for the next pre-application step (see below).
- Register your organization with the System for Award Management (SAM) if you aren’t already registered. The registration is free, but you need to complete several steps. It’s a good idea to start the registration process at least a month before any application deadline. Before you start the registration process, we suggest reading through the HELP materials available on the SAM website. Then, you will need to create an account. After you create your account by setting up a user ID and password, you can register your organization. Remember, you will need your DUNS number to complete your registration. Also, make a note of your CAGE (Commercial and Government Entity) code and expiration date because you will need those for your application.

Reach out to your local USDA service center for more application information.

The Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program helps agricultural producers enter into value-added activities related to the processing and marketing of new products. The goals of this program are to generate new products, create and expand marketing opportunities and increase producer income.


You may receive priority if you are a beginning farmer or rancher, a socially-disadvantaged farmer or rancher, a small or medium-sized farm or ranch structured as a family farm, a farmer or rancher cooperative or are proposing a mid-tier value chain.


Grants are awarded through a national competition. Each fiscal year, applications are requested through a notice published in the [Federal Register](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-12-11/pdf/2019-26626.pdf) and through an announcement posted on [Grants.gov](http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/home.html).



The Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program helps agricultural producers enter into value-added activities related to the processing and marketing of new products. The goals of this program are to generate new products, create and expand marketing opportunities and increase producer income.

You may receive priority if you are a beginning farmer or rancher, a socially-disadvantaged farmer or rancher, a small or medium-sized farm or ranch structured as a family farm, a farmer or rancher cooperative or are proposing a mid-tier value chain.

Grants are awarded through a national competition. Each fiscal year, applications are requested through a notice published in the Federal Register and through an announcement posted on Grants.gov.

Independent producers, agricultural producer groups, farmer- or rancher-cooperatives, and majority-controlled producer-based business ventures, as defined in the program regulation, are eligible to apply for this program

- Program Fact Sheet
- Data Universal Number System (DUNS)
- System for Award Management
- Federal Register Notice
- Program Regulation

Local Food

Landscape

High Tunnel

Air Quality

Regenerative

Certification

Carbon Capture

Wildlife Habitats

Soil Health

Farmers Market

Cover Crops

Grazing & Grass-Fed

Organic

Strip-Till

No-Till

Socially Disadvantaged

Grant and matching funds can be used for planning activities or for working capital expenses related to producing and marketing a value-added agricultural product. Examples of planning activities include conducting feasibility studies and developing business plans for processing and marketing the proposed value-added product. Examples of working capital expenses include:
- Processing costs.
- Marketing and advertising expenses.
- Some inventory and salary expenses.


- Application windows for this program are announced through the national office on a periodic basis.
- Program Resources are available online at rd.usda.gov (includes forms, guidance, certifications, etc.)

Who can answer questions about this program?
- Email community.connect@usda.gov
- Contact the Loan Origination and Approval Division at (202) 720-0800
- Contact your General Field Representative

The grant program offers financial assistance to eligible applicants that will construct broadband networks that provide service on a community-oriented connectivity basis in rural areas. 


The Community Connect program helps rural communities receive access where broadband service is least likely to be commercially available, but where it can make a tremendous difference in the quality of life for people and businesses. The projects funded by these grants help rural residents tap into the enormous potential of the Internet for jobs, education, healthcare, public safety and community development. 



The grant program offers financial assistance to eligible applicants that will construct broadband networks that provide service on a community-oriented connectivity basis in rural areas. 

The Community Connect program helps rural communities receive access where broadband service is least likely to be commercially available, but where it can make a tremendous difference in the quality of life for people and businesses. The projects funded by these grants help rural residents tap into the enormous potential of the Internet for jobs, education, healthcare, public safety and community development. 

Eligible applicants include:
- State and local governments 
- Federally recognized Tribes
- Nonprofits
- For-profit corporations
- Limited liability companies

What is an eligible area? Rural areas that lack broadband service as defined in the most recent funding announcement are eligible. 

How may the funds be used?
- The construction, acquisition, or leasing of facilities, spectrum, land or buildings used to deploy broadband service for:
    - all residential and business customers located within the Proposed Funded Service Area
    - all participating essential community facilities (such as public schools, fire stations, public libraries, and public safety stations)
- The cost of providing broadband service free of charge to the essential community facilities for 2 years
- Up to 10 percent of the grant may be used for the improvement, expansion, construction, or acquisition of a community center that provides online access to the public

A payment that requires some percentage of matching contributions by the recipient.

Cost Share

Other program requirements include:
- Documentation supporting the scoring criteria
- An executive summary of the proposed project
- Grantees must have legal authority to provide, construct, operate and maintain the proposed facilities or services
- Partnerships with other federal, state, local, private, and nonprofit entities are encouraged
- For additional details, see 7 CFR, 1739 Matching funds of at least 15 percent from non-federal sources are required and can be used for operating costs. 

Before you apply:
- Request a Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number if your organization does not already have one. It should not take more than a few business days to get your number. However, you should plan on requesting it at least a month before the application deadline because you’ll need that number for the next pre-application step (see below).
- Register your organization with the System for Award Management (SAM) if you are not already registered. The registration is free, but you need to complete several steps. It’s a good idea to start the registration process at least a month before any application deadline. Before you start the registration process, we suggest reading through the HELP materials available on the SAM website. Then, you’ll need to create an account. After you create your account by setting up a user ID and password, you can register your organization. Remember, you’ll need your DUNS number to complete your registration. Also, make a note of your CAGE (Commercial And Government Entity) code and expiration date because you’ll need those for your application.

Additional requirements: You need to read the Federal Register notice for the details on what is needed for an application. Make sure you start putting together the required information at least a month before the application deadline because you will need to provide letters of commitment or support from other organizations, a work plan and budget, and other information that will take you some time to look up or write. You will also need to fill out forms. You can get copies of the forms from your nearest Rural Development office as well as the SDGG Application Template and suggested formats for required information.

The primary objective of the Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grant program is to provide technical assistance to socially-disadvantaged groups through cooperatives and Cooperative Development Centers. Each fiscal year, applications are requested through a Notice published in the [Federal Register](https://www.rd.usda.gov/files/FY19_SDGGFederalRegister_NOTICE040819.pdf) and an announcement posted on [Grants.gov](http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/home.html).



The primary objective of the Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grant program is to provide technical assistance to socially-disadvantaged groups through cooperatives and Cooperative Development Centers. Each fiscal year, applications are requested through a Notice published in the Federal Register and an announcement posted on Grants.gov.

Cooperatives and Cooperative Development Centers are eligible.

- Program Fact Sheet
- Federal Register
- Application Checklist 
- Application Template

Grants must be used to provide technical assistance to socially disadvantaged groups in rural areas. Examples of technical assistance are:
- Feasibility studies
- Business plans
- Strategic planning
- Leadership training

Note that the cooperative or center can be located in any area, but the groups assisted must be located in an eligible rural area.

List of Rural Development (RD) Funding Opportunities

Farm Labor Housing Direct Loans and Grants

Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP)

Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG)

Community Connect Grants

Socially-Disadvantaged Group Grant (SDGG)