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Rural Business Development Grants (RBDG) is sponsored by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development. This program helps non-profit entities, public bodies, and Indian Tribes primarily serving rural areas with community projects that serve rural areas and for business development. Funds can be used for things like training and technical assistance, business counseling, market research, and feasibility studies.
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gov Maintenance Calendar Rural Business Development Grant Program Department of Agriculture Rural Business-Cooperative Service Document Type:Grants Notice Funding Opportunity Number:RDBCP-RBDG-2025 Funding Opportunity Title:Rural Business Development Grant Program Opportunity Category:Discretionary Opportunity Category Explanation: Funding Instrument Type:Grant Category of Funding Activity:Business and Commerce Expected Number of Awards:450 Assistance Listings:10.
351 -- Rural Business Development Grant Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement:No Last Updated Date:Oct 18, 2024 Original Closing Date for Applications:Feb 28, 2025 Complete applications may be submitted in paper or electronic format and must be received by 4:30 p. m. local time on February 28, 2025, in the USDA Rural Development State Office for the State where the Project will be located.
Late submissions will not be considered. Current Closing Date for Applications:Feb 28, 2025 Complete applications may be submitted in paper or electronic format and must be received by 4:30 p. m.
local time on February 28, 2025, in the USDA Rural Development State Office for the State where the Project will be located. Late submissions will not be considered.
Archive Date:Mar 30, 2025 Estimated Total Program Funding: Eligible Applicants:State governments Private institutions of higher education City or township governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Additional Information on Eligibility:Rural public entities including, but not limited to: Towns, Communities, State agencies, Authorities, Nonprofit corporations, Institutions of higher education, Federally-recognized tribes, Rural cooperative (if organized as a private nonprofit corporation).
This program is only open to a Public Body/Government Entity, Federally Recognized Indian Tribe or a Nonprofit entity serving rural areas. For profit entities, individuals and individual businesses are not eligible to receive grants under this program.
## Additional Information Agency Name:Rural Business-Cooperative Service Description:The purpose of the program is to promote economic development and job creation projects through the awarding of grant funds to eligible entities. Applications will compete in two separate categories, business opportunity grants and business enterprise grants, for use in funding various business and community projects that serve rural areas.
Link to Additional Information:Link to Program Web Site Grantor Contact Information:If you have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, please contact: #### Health & Human Services * Frequently Asked Questions ## Your session will expire in 3 minutes. To continue working, click on the "OK" button below. This is being done to protect your privacy.
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Scoring criteria used to review proposals for this grant.
According to the current listing, eligibility includes: Public body/government entity, Indian Tribe, or a nonprofit entity primarily serving rural areas. Projects must benefit rural areas or towns outside the urbanized periphery of any city with a population of 50,000 or more. Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
Rural Business Development Grants (RBDG) is funded by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development. Verify program details on the funder's official page before applying.
Yes — this listing is flagged as national in scope, so applicants across the U.S. may apply, subject to the sponsor's other eligibility criteria.
Applications go through the funder's official portal — the Apply Now link on this page goes there directly.
The solicitation lists 3 required documents: SF-424, project proposal, and budget narrative. Check the official notice for formatting and page-limit rules.
Past winners and funding trends for this program
Community Facilities Grant Program in Missouri is sponsored by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (administered at state level). Eligible projects include health care centers, public safety services, and educational institutions, targeting communities with populations under 20,000. This program aims to foster community development and support local needs.
Community Facilities Programs is sponsored by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development. The USDA Rural Development's Community Facilities Program provides financing through direct and guaranteed loans and grants to units of local government, nonprofit organizations, and Federally-recognized Indian tribes for the development of essential community facilities in rural areas. Community Facilities loan and grant funds may be used to construct, enlarge, improve or make equipment purchases for educational, health care, public safety and other types of facilities that serve the public, including fire and rescue stations. By funding equipment and upgrades, the Community Facilities Program can support public safety licensees in meeting narrowbanding deadlines.
USDA opened a $27.7M Rural Business Development Grant NOFO on May 18 with two deadlines two weeks apart. The June 15 Strategic Economic and Community Development carve-out and the June 30 main pool fund different applicants under different scoring — and most rural cooperatives apply to the wrong one.
Read articleUSDA's FY2026 Distance Learning and Telemedicine NOFO funds end-point equipment for rural schools, clinics, and libraries — but the 15% non-federal match, the hub-and-end-site project architecture, and the scoring weight on rurality and economic need are what determine winners by the June 30, 2026 deadline.
Read articleUSDA's FY2026 Rural Business Development Grant NOFO funds technical assistance and small-business support in rural communities under 50,000 residents — but the two-deadline structure (June 15 for Strategic Economic and Community Development applications, June 30 for everyone else), the enterprise vs. opportunity split, and the pass-through grantee model are what shape competitive proposals.
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