Last year USDA investments helped hundreds of Michigan businesses, employing thousands of workers to expand production, lower costs or acquire tools they need to compete in the global marketplace.

Loan Programs for Businesses & Cooperatives

Business Programs works in partnership with the private sector and community-based organizations to provide financial assistance and business planning.  Click on the links below to learn more about our loan programs.

• Business & Industry Loan Guarantees (B&I)
  - Electronic Filing Guide for Lenders
  - Business Loan Guarantee Application
• Intermediary Relending Program (IRP)
  - Application Guide
• Rural Economic Development Loans (REDL)

Grant Programs for Business Development

USDA Rural Development has a variety of grant programs designed to foster rural economic growth.  Click on the links below to learn more about each program.

• Rural Business Enterprise Grants (RBEG)
• Rural Economic Development Grants (REDG)
• Value Added Producer Grants (VAPG)
• Rural Cooperative Development Grants (RCDG)
• Rural Business Opportunity Grants (RBOG)
• Small Socially Disadvantaged Producer Grants (SSDPG)

Renewable Energy Programs

Renewable energy programs help agricultural producers and rural businesses reduce energy costs by improving energy efficiency and developing renewable sources of energy.  To learn more about the programs, click on the links below.

• Rural Energy for America Program (REAP)
  - Energy Efficiency Grants/Loan Guarantees
  - Renewable Energy Grants/Loan Guarantees
• Energy Audit & Renewable Energy Development Assistance
• Feasibility Study Grants
• Biorefinery Assistance program

Additional Resources

• DUNS # Registration Process, or email govt@dnb
• Federal Small Business Administration (SBA)

NOTE: The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2013 signed into law on March 26 extends the eligibility of communities that were eligible for housing programs administered by the Rural Housing Service (Single Family and Multi Family Housing Programs) on September 30, 2012 to September 30, 2013. For all other Rural Development programs, USDA will use the 2010 Census data to determine eligibility for rural areas beginning on March 27, 2013.

System for Award Management (sam.gov)

SAM is the new streamlined reporting system for USDA staff and other federal agencies. The consolidated system simplifies the process for loan and grant recipients and makes project tracking more transparent.

SAM replaces the following systems: Central Contractor Registration (CCR), Federal Agency Registration (FedReg), Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA), and the Excluded Parties List.

More information is at http://sam.gov and frequently Asked Questions/Quick Start

The web addresses for legacy systems will also automatically redirect users to sam.gov.