Funding Opportunities

Rural Infrastructure

Small Shipyard Grants
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)
DOT’s Maritime Administration grants funding to support improvements to qualified shipyard facilities that will be effective in fostering efficiency, and quality construction, repair, and reconfiguration. Application Deadline: Feb. 25, 2021

Small Community Air Service Development Program
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)
DOT program designed to provide financial assistance to small communities to help them enhance their air service. The Department provides this assistance in the form of grants that are disbursed on a reimbursable basis. Application Deadline: March 1, 2021

Farm Labor Housing Direct Loans and Grants
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development offers low interest loans and need-based grants to construct off-farm housing for domestic year-round, migrant, seasonal, retired, and/or disabled domestic farm laborers. Federal Register. Pre-applications are required and must be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by April 1 2021; Nov. 1 2021; or Nov. 1, 2022

Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical and Biobased Products Manufacturing Assistance Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development provides loan guarantees to assist in the development, construction and retrofitting of new and emerging technologies. These technologies are advanced biofuelsrenewable chemicals and biobased products. Application Deadline: April 1, 2021

Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture

USDA Rural Development provides funding to construct, enlarge, or improve essential community facilities which includes qualified equipment. Application Guidebook. Transportation Guide. Loan Guarantees. Application Deadline: Ongoing

Community and Economic Development

Booker T. Washington Fellowship Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA is making the fellowship opportunity available for faculty and staff at an accredited 1890 Land-Grant University and secondary education superintendents; principals; agricultural and/or district level teachers working for 1890 Land-Grant University feeder high schools in two fellowship categories: Education and High School Education and Science. Application Deadline: March 1, 2021

Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development offers funding to help agricultural producers and small rural businesses develop new products from raw agricultural products or to promote new markets for established products. Electronic Application Deadline: March 16, 2021 | Paper Application Deadline: March 22, 2021

Rural Community Development Initiative
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development offers grants to qualified intermediary organizations to provide technical assistance and training to help nonprofit organizations and communities develop their capacity to undertake housing, community facility or economic development projects in rural areas. Application Deadline: March 22, 2021 on Grants.gov | Paper Application Deadline: March 29, 2021

Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training Grant
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development offers grants to rural communities with limited staff and resources to build the capacity needed to access USDA funding to support essential community facilities. Funds may be used to help rural communities identify financial resources, improve the management of community facilities, and prepare reports, surveys and applications. Application Deadline: March 22, 2021 on Grants.gov | Paper Application Deadline: March 29, 2021

Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture provides grants to support education, mentoring and technical assistance initiatives for beginning farmers and ranchers. Application Deadline: March 25, 2021

Innovative Water Infrastructure Workforce Development Grant Program
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
EPA is soliciting applications from eligible nonprofits and other eligible applicants to (1) assist in the development and use of innovative activities relating to water workforce development and career opportunities in the drinking water and wastewater utility sector, and (2) expand public awareness about drinking water and wastewater utilities and to connect individuals to careers in the drinking water and wastewater utility sector. Application Deadline: March 26, 2021

Rural Business Development Grant Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development offers this competitive grant designed to support targeted technical assistance, training, and other activities leading to the development or expansion of small and emerging private businesses in rural areas. Application Deadline: As determined by the State Office or through March 31, 2021

Strategic Economic and Community Development (SECD) Funding
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development is accepting applications for projects that support strategic regional economic and community development planning. Covered programs reserving SECD funds in Fiscal Year 2021 are: Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program; Community Facilities Loan Guaranteed Program; Water and Waste Disposal Program Loan and Grant Program; Water and Waste Disposal Loan Guarantees; Business & Industry Loan Guarantees; Rural Business Development Grants; and Community Connect Grants. Obligation Deadlines: June 30, 2021, for all programs except the Rural Business Development Grant Program which has a July 31, 2021 obligation deadline.

Food Safety Outreach Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture offers this program to build upon the national infrastructure to develop and implement food safety training, education, extension, outreach and technical assistance projects that address the needs of owners and operators of small to mid-sized farms, beginning farmers, socially-disadvantaged farmers, small processors, or small fresh fruit and vegetable merchant wholesalers. Application Deadline: April 1, 2021

Rural Health Care Telecommunications Program
Universal Service Administrative Company

The Telecom Program provides reduced rates to rural health care providers for telecommunications and voice services for the use of telemedicine and telehealth. Eligible services are discounted at the difference in cost between urban and rural areas in your state. Application Deadline: April 1, 2021

1890 Institution Teaching, Research & Extension Capacity Building Grants
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture program strengthens teaching, research and extension projects in the food and agricultural sciences by building the institutional capacities of the 1890 Land-Grant Institutions. Application Deadline: Sept. 10, 2021