Funding Opportunities for Rural Infrastructure

Infrastructure & Capacity Building Challenge Grants
National Endowment for the Humanities
This funding is available to strengthen the institutional base of the humanities by enabling infrastructure development and capacity building Capital Projects support the design, purchase, construction, or renovation of facilities which includes telecommunications, and energy management. Digital Infrastructure projects support the maintenance, modernization, and sustainability of existing digital scholarly projects and platforms. Application Deadlines: May 18, 2021 and Sept. 28, 2021

Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development is making grants available to increase access to education, training and health care resources that are otherwise limited or unavailable. Application Deadline: June 4, 2021

2021 Port Infrastructure Development Grants
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)
DOT Maritime Administration grants support the improvements to facilities within, or outside of and directly related to operations of or an intermodal connection to, coastal seaports, inland river ports and Great Lakes ports. Application Deadline: June 30, 2021

Telecommunications Infrastructure Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development is accepting applications for loans and loan guarantees to build or update broadband and telephone infrastructure in rural areas where financing can be used for the construction, improvement, or expansion of telecommunications infrastructure serving rural areas with a population of 5,000 or less. Application Deadline: Ongoing

Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development grants for eligible communities to prepare for or recover from an emergency that threatens the availability of safe, reliable drinking water. Application Deadline: Ongoing

Water & Waste Disposal Loan & Grant Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development offers funding for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal and storm water drainage to households and businesses in eligible rural areas. Application Deadline: Ongoing

Electric Infrastructure Loans & Loan Guarantee Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development offers loans and loan guarantees to finance the construction of electric distribution, transmission, and generation facilities, including system improvements and replacement required to furnish and improve electric service in rural areas, as well as demand side management, energy conservation programs, and on-grid and off-grid renewable energy systems. Application Deadline: Ongoing

Funding Opportunities for Community and Economic Development

Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA announced that it is making an additional $35 million available this year in the VAPG program to support agricultural producers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Extended Online Application Deadline: April 29, 2021 on Grants.gov | Extended Paper Application Deadline: May 4, 2021

FY21 Bioenergy Technologies Office Scale-up and Conversion Funding Opportunity
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
DOE offers funding to support technologies and processes that produce low-cost, low-carbon biofuels that are made up of renewable resources and can power heavy-duty vehicles that are difficult to electrify with current technologies, including airplanes and ships, to help accelerate America’s path to a net-zero emissions economy. Concept Paper Deadline: April 30, 2021

The Cooperative Education Fund
Cooperative Development Foundation (CDF) 
CDF funding supports research, events and scholarships to develop education materials and programs. Application Deadline: May 1, 2021

Environmental Justice Small Grants Program
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
This program offers funding to improve the environment and public health conditions of low-income communities and communities of color through the advancement of racial equity and environmental justice. Application Deadline: May 7, 2021

CMS Community Health Access and Rural Transformation Model
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
HHS’s Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services offers support for this model to test whether aligned financial incentives, increased operational flexibility, and robust technical support promote rural health care providers’ capacity to implement effective health care delivery system redesign on a broad scale. Application Deadline: May 11, 2021

Training and Technical Assistance for Wastewater Treatment Works for the Prevention, Reduction, and Elimination of Pollution
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
This program offers funding for training and technical assistance to rural, small and Tribal publicly owned wastewater treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems for the prevention, reduction and elimination of pollution. Application Deadline: May 17, 2021

ARC Investments Supporting Partnerships in Recovery Ecosystems (INSPIRE)
Appalachian Regional Commission
The INSPIRE initiative provides funding support to address the substance abuse crisis by creating or expanding a recovery ecosystem that will lead to workforce entry or re-entry. Letter of Intent Deadline: May 17, 2021

Regional Conservation Partnership Programs: Alternative Funding Arrangements
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service is seeking proposals to fund up to $75 million in new, unique projects and will prioritize projects related to climate smart agriculture (ex. agritourism) and forestry. Application Deadline: May 28, 2021

Mine Health and Safety Grants
U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)
DOL’s Mine Safety and Health Administration offers funding to prevent fatalities, disease, and injury from mining and secure safe working conditions for miners. Application Deadline: May 28, 2021

Rural Business Development Grants – Transportation Systems
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development is making grants available to improve rural transportation systems. Application Deadline: June 30, 2021

SEARCH - Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities and Households
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development funding for financially distressed rural communities of less than 2,500 people to assist with feasibility studies, design assistance and technical assistance on proposed water and waste disposal projects. Application Deadline: Open

Water and Waste Disposal Pre-development Planning Grants
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development grants help low-income, rural communities with the initial planning and development of applications for Water and Waste Disposal direct loan/grant and loan guarantee programs. Application Deadline: Ongoing

Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development offers opportunities for agricultural producers and rural small businesses to purchase, install and construct renewable energy systems or complete energy efficiency improvements. REAP loan guarantees are streamlined under the OneRD Guarantee Loan Initiative. Application Deadline for Loan Guarantees: Ongoing

Rural Energy Savings Program 
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development provides loans to entities that agree to make affordable loans to help consumers implement cost-effective, energy efficiency measures to lower energy bills for rural families and businesses and reduce barriers to investment in energy efficiency projects or activities. Application Deadline: Open

Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant (REDLG) Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development offers competitive funding to utilities that will relend the funds for local economic development efforts: The funding may be used to assist with business start-up and expansion costs; business incubators; feasibility studies; advanced telecommunications and computer networks for medical, educational, and job training services; and community facilities that spur economic development. Application Deadline: Open