FUNDING
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is excited to share a new Rural Development funding opportunity authorized by Section 6025 of the 2014 Farm Bill. This new authority entitled Strategic Economic and Community Development (SECD) prioritizes projects that support the implementation of multi-jurisdictional plans under the Community Facilities Program, Water and Waste Disposal Program, Business and Industry Loan Guarantee Program, and Rural Business Development Grant Program. Under this provision, up to 10 percent of each programs annual appropriations can be set aside and made available to eligible SECD applicants—in FY 2016, SECD has set aside over $300 million. Many communities already working together to develop multi-jurisdictional plans with the help of strategic partners including non-profit organizations, institutions of higher education, university extensions, regional authorities, coalitions of counties/towns and federal special initiative coalitions such as: Stronger Economies Together, Promise Zones, Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnerships, Sustainable Communities, and Local Food, Local Places. The goal of SECD is to promote collaboration in rural communities and across Rural Development agencies and programs. Communities are incentivized to align resources, develop long-term community and economic growth strategies and engage federal, state and local partners. By promoting this regional focus USDA resources can be more effectively utilized and have a larger impact on rural capacity building and wealth creation.
POSTED: June 16, 2016
DEADLINE: July 31, 2016 (Letters of Inquiry)
Grants in excess of $250,000 will be awarded in support of solutions that demonstrate new, sustainable approaches to persistent community problems....
POSTED: June 12, 2016
DEADLINE: Open
Grants will be awarded to organizations that provide support services and grief counseling to children and teens who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or loved one....
POSTED: June 11, 2016
DEADLINE: Ongoing
Grants of up to $10,000 will be awarded to progressive nonprofit organizations working to address the root causes of a social or environmental problem....
POSTED: June 13, 2016
DEADLINE: August 11, 2016
Grants of up to $20,000 will be awarded for studies that use data on academic achievement from the Stanford Education Data Archive to deepen understanding of educational opportunity and success in the United States....
POSTED: June 11, 2016
DEADLINE: September 23, 2016
Grants of up to $1,000 will be awarded in support of creative classroom projects related to one or more of the STEM disciplines....
POSTED: June 17, 2016
DEADLINE: November 4, 2016
Grants of up to $6,000 will be awarded for classroom-based research in precollege mathematics education in collaboration with college or university mathematics educators....
POSTED: June 13, 2016
DEADLINE: August 1, 2016 (Letters of Intent)
Grants of up to $500,000 per year for up to three years will be awarded for targeted, innovative, and potentially high-impact studies that seek to inform and transform suicide prevention efforts....
- Susan Harwood Training Grant Program
Provides grants to fund education and training programs or educational material development for workers and employers to help them recognize workplace safety and health hazards, implement injury prevention measures, and inform them of their rights and responsibilities.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Jun 28, 2016
Sponsor: Occupational Safety & Health Administration - Rural Broadband Access Loan and Loan Guarantee Program
This program furnishes loans and loan guarantees to provide funds for the construction, improvement, or acquisition of facilities and equipment needed to provide broadband service in eligible rural areas.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Jul 7, 2016
Sponsor: USDA Rural Utilities Service - Transforming Clinical Practices Initiative (TCPI) Support and Alignment Networks (SAN) 2.0
Awards funding to support networks to provide technical assistance in order to leverage primary and specialist care transformation work and learning in the field. The focus will be on preparation of clinical practices for the accelerated adoption of Alternative Payment Models (APMs) on a large scale and at low cost before 2019.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Letter of Intent (Optional): Jul 1, 2016
Application Deadline: Jul 11, 2016
Sponsor: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services - Programs to Reduce Obesity in High Obesity Areas to Boost Prevention
Awards funds to land grant colleges and universities for projects that will work to improve physical activity and nutrition; reduce obesity; and prevent and control diabetes, heart disease, and stroke in areas where adult obesity rates are high.
Geographic coverage: Available in 17 states.
Application Deadline: Aug 2, 2016
Sponsor: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a new program that will help rural residents conserve energy and save money on their utility bills. The new Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP) will make $52 million in loans available to energy providers to help rural families and small businesses reduce their energy use. RESP will provide loans to rural energy providers who in turn fund projects for consumers to make energy efficiency improvements in their homes or businesses that will lower their energy use. Eligible applicants include current and former http://www.rd.usda.gov/about-rd/agencies/rural-utilities-service" target="extWindow" title="Opens in new window.">Rural Utilities Service (RUS) borrowers, subsidiaries of current or former RUS borrowers, and entities that provide retail electric service in rural areas.
RESP borrowers finance loans at zero percent interest for up to 20 years, making the program an attractive and affordable option to finance energy-saving measures. Energy customers participating in programs financed through RESP then repay the loans at an interest rate of up to 3 percent for up to 10 years through their electric bills. RESP builds upon the work that USDA Rural Development has done to help improve the energy efficiency of single- and multi-family housing, businesses, farms and utilities. It aligns with the Obama Administration's http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?navid=STRIKE_FORCE">StrikeForce for Rural Growth and Opportunity and http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?navid=promisezones">Promise Zone initiatives to help revitalize communities and expand economic opportunity through targeted funding, technical assistance and partnerships. RESP will be used to focus on low-income, high-energy-cost communities.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the USDA is investing $8.8 million to boost the production of advanced biofuels and sustain jobs at renewable energy facilities in 39 states. The funding is being provided through USDA's Advanced Biofuel Payment Program, which was established in the 2008 Farm Bill.