USDA RURAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT GRANTS

The Rural Business Development Grants (which include Enterprise Grants and Opportunity Grants) are provided for rural projects that (a) finance and facilitate the development of small and emerging rural businesses; (b) help fund distance learning networks; (c) help fund employment-related adult education programs; (d) assist with business development; and (e) finance many different types of activities.

An applicant must be a town, community, state agency, authority, nonprofit corporation, institution of higher education, rural cooperative (if a private nonprofit corporation), or federally-recognized Tribe (the “Grant Applicant”).

A successful Grant Applicant may use the proceeds of its:

• Enterprise Grant for (a) training and technical assistance (such as project planning, business counseling/training, market research, feasibility studies, professional/technical reports, or product/service improvements); (b) acquisition or development of land, easements, or rights of way; construction, conversion, renovation of buildings; plants, machinery, equipment, access for streets and roads; parking areas and utilities; (c) pollution control and abatement; (d) capitalization of revolving loan funds (including funds that will make loans for start-ups and working capital); (e) distance adult learning for job training and advancement; (f) rural transportation improvement; (g) community economic development; (h) technology-based economic development; (i) feasibility studies and business plans; (j) leadership and entrepreneur training; (k) rural business incubators; and (l) long-term business strategic planning.
• Opportunity Grant for: (a) community economic development; (b) technology-based economic development; (c) feasibility studies and business plans; (d) leadership and entrepreneur training; (e) rural business incubators; and (f) long-term business strategic planning.