Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Funding Opportunities at Rural Development

Powering Affordable Clean Energy Program (PACE) U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA Rural Development program provides loans that may be forgiven by up to 40% of the loan amount. The maximum loan amount is $100 million. Applicants in Puerto Rico, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, and Tribal communities are eligible for up to 60% loan forgiveness. Federal Register Notice. Letters of Interest (Required): 6/30/2023, on a rolling basis until 9/29/2023

Empowering Rural America Program (New ERA)
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development program to help rural Americans transition to clean, affordable, and reliable energy by reducing air and water pollution. Funding improves health outcomes and lower energy costs for people in rural communities. Federal Register Notice. Letter of Interest (Required): Due between 7/31/2023 and 8/31/2023

Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvement Loans & Grants
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development program provides funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. Federal Register Notice. More Flexible Inflation Reduction Act Changes. Contact your State Energy Coordinator. Application Deadline: 6 quarterly Cycles

Funding Opportunities for Infrastructure

Housing Preservation Grant Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development provides funding to sponsoring organizations for the repair or rehabilitation of applicable housing. Funding may also be available to help repair homes damaged during a calendar year 2022 Presidentially declared disaster area. Federal Register. Application Deadline: 6/5/2023

Rural Decentralized Water Systems Grant Program 
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development funding up to $15,000 in loans and sub-grant funds to homeowners. Applicants to the Revolving Funds for Financing Water and Wastewater Projects program may provide up to $200,000 in loans to finance water and wastewater projects. Application Deadline: 6/10/2023

Community Connect Grant Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development provides funding to construct broadband networks in rural areas that do not currently have broadband service. Application Deadline: 6/20/2023

Resilient Supply Chain Infrastructure
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Agriculture Marketing Service provides funding to build resilience in the middle of the food supply chain, to provide more and better markets to small farms and food businesses, to support the development of value-added products for consumers, fair prices, fair wages, and new and safe job opportunities. Application Deadline: 8/23/2023

Single Family Housing Rural Disaster Home Repair Grants
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development grants to very-low and low-income homeowners to repair homes damaged in a Calendar Year 2022 Presidentially Declared Disaster Area. To determine your eligibility, review the list of Presidentially Declared Disasters by State and County. How do I get started? Contact a USDA home loan specialist in your area. Application Deadline: Open

Funding Opportunities for Community and Economic Development

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

Workforce Opportunities for Rural Communities (WORC) Round 5
U.S. Department of Labor
DOL’s Employment and Training Administration offers workforce funding for the Appalachian, Delta, and Northern Border Regions. Application Deadline: 6/13/2023

Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training Grant
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development funding to support eligible applicants to provide technical assistance and training to help grantees identify and plan for community facility needs in their area. Application Deadline: 6/15/2023 via Grants.gov | Paper Applications: 6/30/2023

Broadband Technical Assistance Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development offers this program to support technical assistance projects such as conducting feasibility studies, completing network designs and developing broadband financial assistance applications. Funding is also available to help organizations access federal resources, and to conduct data collection and reporting. Read the full news release. Application Deadline: 6/20/2023

Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development provides funds to start, improve or expand rural cooperatives and other mutually owned businesses that help improve economic conditions in rural areas. Federal Register. Application Deadline: 6/26/2023

Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) Grants
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development provides funds to help non-profit housing and community development organizations, low-income rural communities and federally recognized tribes support housing, community facilities and community and economic development. Application Deadline: 6/28/2023 via Grants.gov | Paper Applications: 7/3/2023

USDA Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development supports zero-interest loans and grants for current and former eligible Rural Utilities Service borrowers who then use the funds to help local businesses finance projects that create/retain jobs or support community facility projects. Stakeholder Announcement. Federal Register. Application Deadline: To your RD State Office by 6/30/2023

Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development loans and grants support Microenterprise Development Organization to establish revolving loan funds. Application Deadline: To your RD State Office by 6/30/23

Intermediary Relending Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development provides funds to local lenders or “intermediaries” that re-lend to businesses to improve economic conditions and create new opportunities in rural communities. Stakeholder Announcement. Application Deadline: To your RD State Office by 6/30/23

Tech Hubs Phase 1 Notice of Funding
U.S. Department of Commerce
Economic Development Administration (EDA) offers funding to drive regional technology and innovation-centric growth by strengthening a region’s capacity to manufacture, commercialize and deploy critical technologies. Application Deadline: 8/15/2023