Innovation Matters Funding Opportunities May 24, 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

Innovation Matters, Funding Opportunities March 21, 2023

Funding Opportunities for Infrastructure 

Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Grants and Guaranteed Loans
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development provides funding for agriculture producers and rural small businesses to purchase, install and construct renewable energy systems or complete energy efficiency improvements. Contact your local State Energy Coordinator for assistance. Federal Register. Funding includes $250 million provided by the Inflation Reduction Act. Grants 3/31/2023 and Loan Guarantees are accepted year-round

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

Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas (ERA) Program
U.S. Department of Energy
DOE Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations Program supports projects that improve the resilience, reliability, safety, availability and environmental performance of energy systems in rural or remote areas with populations of no more than 10,000. Funding Opportunity Announcement. Concept papers: 4/14/2023. Full application: 6/28/2023. Additional ERA option: Energizing Rural Communities Prize Application Deadline: 5/24/2023

Electric Infrastructure Loan & Loan Guarantee Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development funds 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, energy conservation programs and on-grid and off-grid renewable energy systems. Check with a General Field Representative to determine whether the proposed service area qualifies. Application Deadline: Open

Buses and Bus Facilities Program
U.S. Department of Transportation
DOT’ Federal Transit Administration grants to assist in the financing of buses and bus facilities capital projects, including replacing, rehabilitating, purchasing or leasing buses or related equipment, and rehabilitating, purchasing, constructing or leasing bus-related facilities. Application Deadline: 4/13/2023

Funding Opportunities for Community and Economic Development

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 3/31/23 and 6/30/23

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 3/31/23 and 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 3/31/23 and 6/30/23

Environmental Justice Government-to-Government Program
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
EPA program to transform overburdened and underserved communities into healthy, thriving communities capable of addressing the environmental and public health challenges they have historically faced, as well as current and future challenges. Application Deadline: 4/14/2023

The National Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Workforce Strategy
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture aims to strengthen the diversity and cultural competency of the WIC workforce through a five-year National WIC Workforce Strategy administered as a Cooperative Agreement. Application Deadline: 4/17/2023

RBDG - Technical Assistance for Rural Transportation Systems
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development program to provide rural communities with training and technical assistance to improve passenger transportation services and facilities. Contact your nearest USDA office for more information. Application Deadline: 4/19/2023

Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE)
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development offers grant assistance to create and augment high-wage jobs, accelerate the formation of new businesses, support industry clusters and maximize the use of local productive assets in eligible low-income rural areas. Application Deadline: 4/20/2023

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
NEA, in partnership with the Housing Assistance Council and To Be Done Studio, funds for technical assistance to support Rural communities with placemaking. Request for Applications. Press release. Application Deadline: 4/21/2023

Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture provides grants to help beginning farmers and ranchers enter into or improve successes in farming, ranching and forest land management. Application Deadline: 4/27/2023

FY 2023 Equity in Conservation Outreach Cooperative Agreements
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service opportunity to expand conservation assistance to historically underserved producers and underserved communities. Application Deadline: 4/27/2023

Regional Food System Partnerships Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Agricultural Marketing Service program designed to support public-private partnerships that plan and develop relationships between local and regional producers, processors, intermediaries and institutional markets or institutional food service operations through local and regional producers and local and regional food systems. Application Deadline: 5/2/2023

Local Food Promotion Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Agricultural Marketing Service program supporting intermediary organizations with the development, coordination and expansion of local and regional food business enterprises to help increase access to agricultural products. Priority to communities located in low income/low food access census tracts. Application Deadline: 5/2/2023

Farmers Market Promotion Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Agricultural Marketing Service grants for projects that assist in the development, coordination, and expansion of domestic farmers markets, roadside stands, community‐supported agriculture programs, agritourism activities, and other direct producer‐to‐consumer market opportunities. Application Deadline: 5/2/2023

Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
EPA program supporting the design of a new pass-through program to provide grant funds via subawards to community-based nonprofit organizations and other eligible subrecipient groups representing underserved and disadvantaged communities. Application Deadline: 5/31/2023

Innovation Matters, Funding Opportunities February 16, 2023

Funding Opportunities for Infrastructure 

Electric Infrastructure Loan & Loan Guarantee Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development funds 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, energy conservation programs and on-grid and off-grid renewable energy systems. Check with a General Field Representative to determine whether the proposed service area qualifies. Application Deadline: Open

Advanced Energy Manufacturing and Recycling Grants
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
DOE Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains provide grants to small- and medium-sized manufacturers to enable them to build new or retrofit existing manufacturing and industrial facilities to produce or recycle advanced energy products in communities where coal mines or coal power plants have closed. Application Deadline: Open

Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Grants and Guaranteed Loans
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development provides funding for agriculture producers and rural small businesses to purchase, install and construct renewable energy systems or complete energy efficiency improvements. Contact your local State Energy Coordinator for assistance. Federal Register. Funding includes $250 million provided by the Inflation Reduction Act. Grants 3/31/2023 and Loan Guarantees are accepted year-round

Buses and Bus Facilities Program
U.S. Department of Transportation
DOT Federal Transit Administration grants to assist in the financing of buses and bus facilities capital projects, including replacing, rehabilitating, purchasing or leasing buses or related equipment, and rehabilitating, purchasing, constructing or leasing bus-related facilities. Application Deadline: 4/13/2023

Funding Opportunities for Community and Economic Development

Invest in Progress Grant Program
Boss Network
This business development program is designed to support 25 Black women entrepreneurs with grants and access to monthly mentoring by Sage. The goal of this online program is to help start and grow businesses. Application Deadline: 2/24/2023

2023 MBDA Capital Readiness Program
U.S. Department of Commerce
DOC Minority Business Development Agency program to help close the entrepreneurship gap between socially and economically disadvantaged individuals (SEDI) and non-SEDI by providing technical assistance for entrepreneurs starting or scaling their businesses who are seeking various forms of capital. Application Deadline: 2/28/2023

Rural Business Development Grants
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development program designed to provide technical assistance and training for small rural businesses that have fewer than 50 new workers and less than $1 million in gross revenue. Uses include project planning/feasibility study, business incubators, land acquisition, leadership and entrepreneur training. Federal Register. Contact your state to learn about local application timelines, concept paper requirements, etc. Application Deadline: 2/28/2023

Housing Affordability Breakthrough Challenge
Enterprise Community Partners
Powered by the Wells Fargo Foundation, this program aims to meet the nation’s affordable housing challenges across Native, rural, suburban, and urban communities in the areas of construction, financing and access. Round 1 Application Deadline: 3/3/2023

Hispanic-Serving Institutions Education Grants Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture grant to promote and strengthen the ability of Hispanic-Serving Institutions to carry out higher education programs in the food and agricultural sciences. Application Deadline: 3/31/2023

Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
EPA grant to assist recipients build collaborative partnerships with other stakeholders to develop solutions that will significantly address environmental and/or public health issues at the local level. Application Deadline: 4/10/2023

RBDG - Technical Assistance for Rural Transportation Systems
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development program to provide rural communities with training and technical assistance to improve passenger transportation services and facilities. Contact your nearest USDA office for more information. Application Deadline: 4/19/2023

Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE)
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development offers grant assistance to create and augment high-wage jobs, accelerate the formation of new businesses, support industry clusters and maximize the use of local productive assets in eligible low-income rural areas. Application Deadline: 4/20/2023

The Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program Competitive Grants
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture funding to support projects that will increase the purchase of fruit and vegetables among low-income consumers who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Application Deadline: 5/4/2023

Innovation Matters, Funding Opportunities January 19, 2023

Funding Opportunities for Infrastructure 

USDA Food Supply Chain Guaranteed Loan Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development program to support new investments in infrastructure for food aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storage, transportation, wholesaling, and distribution to increase capacity and create a more resilient, diverse, and secure U.S. food supply chain. Fact Sheet | Federal Register | FAQs. Application Deadline: Ongoing

Electric Infrastructure Loan & 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. Check with a General Field Representative to determine whether the proposed service area qualifies. Application Deadline: Open

Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. Application Deadline: Open

The Meat and Poultry Expansion Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development provides grants to help eligible processors expand their capacity and to encourage competition and sustainable growth to help improve supply chain resiliency. Application Deadline: Stay tuned, Prepare Now!

Funding Opportunities Supporting Domestic Agricultural Markets, including Local and Regional Food Systems

USDA FNS Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) designed this program to improve the quality of school meals by strengthening access to nutritious food products. Application Deadline: 2/1/2023 

Rural Business Development Grants
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development program designed to provide technical assistance and training for small rural businesses that have fewer than 50 new workers and less than $1 million in gross revenue. Uses include project planning/feasibility study, business incubators, land acquisition, leadership and entrepreneur training. Federal Register. Contact your state to learn about local application timelines, concept paper requirements, etc. Application Deadline: 2/28/2023

Agriculture Innovation Center (AIC) Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development offer this program to establish and operate Agriculture Innovation Centers that provide technical and business development assistance to Agricultural Producers seeking to engage in developing and marketing of Value-Added Agricultural Products. Federal Register. Application Deadline: 3/6/2023

TEFAP Reach and Resiliency 2023 Round 2
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service offers this program to reach into remote, rural, Tribal, and/or low-income areas that are underserved by current program operations by providing TEFAP state agencies with another opportunity to work with currently participating organizations and/or new partner organizations, to reach underserved populations. Applications Due: 3/6/2023

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 3/31/23 and 6/30/23

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 3/31/23 and 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 3/31/23 and 6/30/23

RBDG - Technical Assistance for Rural Transportation Systems
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development program to provide rural communities with training and technical assistance to improve passenger transportation services and facilities. Contact your nearest USDA office for more information. Application Deadline: 4/19/2023