We are committed to helping improve the economy and quality of life in rural America.
This grant program aims to assist small rural businesses through technical assistance and training. It is geared towards businesses with fewer than 50 employees and less than $1 million in gross revenue. The grants support projects that benefit rural areas or towns not within the urban periphery of cities with populations exceeding 50,000. Funding does not have a maximum limit, with a preference for smaller requests, and does not require cost sharing. It offers two types of projects: Opportunity and Enterprise. Opportunity grants are capped at 10% of total annual funding and focus on community economic development, technology-based economic development, feasibility studies, business plans, leadership training, rural incubators, and strategic planning. Enterprise grants must benefit small and emerging rural businesses, with allowable uses including training, land acquisition, infrastructure, pollution control, loan capitalization, distance learning, transportation improvements, economic development, and planning activities.