We help non-profits and rural cooperatives provide essential public infrastructure with funding for business development, low-cost housing and needed community resources from law enforcement and emergency responce equipment and facilities, to equipment that increases access to education, training and healthcare in rural areas.

NOTE: Click here for information on Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships

Resources for non-profits & cooperatives:

• Rural Community Development Initiative Grants (RCDI)
  For capacity-building programs in areas with a population less than 50,000.


• Community Facilities Loans, loan guarantees and grants (CF)
  Funding assistance to develop essential community facilities for public use, including healthcare, fire protection, public safety, libraries, schools, day care centers and other community-based initiatives in rural areas with populations under 20,000.


• Rural Economic Development Loans & Grants (REDLeG)
  Zero interest loans to local utilities which they, in turn, pass through to local businesses (ultimate recipients) for projects that will create and retain employment in rural areas.


• Rural Business Enterprise Grants (RBEG)
  Provides small grants to local governments, Indian tribes and rural private non-profits to help fund activities that facilitate development of small and emerging rural-based businesses, to help fund distance learning networks, and other employment related adult education programs. RBEGs may fund a broad array of activities that assist with business development and job creation.


• Intermediary Relending Program Loans (IRP)
  Low interest loans capitalize regional revolving loan funds for business development in areas with a population less than 25,000.


• Solid Waste Management Technical Assistance Grants.
  Helps fund evaluation of current landfill conditions to determine threats to water resources. Provides technical assistance and training to enhance operator skills in the operation and maintenance of active landfills in areas with populations under 10,000.


• Broadband Infrastructure Loans
  Loans for funding, on a technology neutral basis, for the costs of construction, improvement, and acquisition of facilities and equipment to provide broadband service to eligible rural communities.


• Distance Learning & Telemedicine grants (DLT)
  Meets the educational and health care needs of rural America through loans, grants and loan/grant combinations.


• Community Connect grants
  Helps fund broadband infrastructure and establish a community center which offers free public access to broadband for two years.


• Telecom Infrastructure Loans & Guarantees
  Provides long-term direct and guaranteed loans to qualified organizations to finance the improvement, expansion, construction, acquisition, and operation of telephone lines, facilities, or systems that provide service in rural areas.


• Self-help Housing Development Grants
  Families participating in a mutual self-help project perform approximately 65 percent of the construction labor on each other's homes under qualified supervision.


• Home Repair Grants
  Helps fund community programs that assist low-income homeowners with needed repairs and improvements.


• Home Building Site Development Loans
  Provides financing for the purchase and development of housing sites for low- and moderate-income families.


• Farm Labor Housing Development Loans
  Helps finance affordable housing for farm labor.

Additional Resources
Printable chart of USDA RD Rural Utilities and Community Programs

Electric & Telecom Cooperative loan-guarantees
Loan guarantees help private lenders extend affordable terms to electric and telecom Cooperatives by reducing the risk of lending in rural communities. These programs are designed for projects in rural communities where needed capital is not otherwise available through the private market. To participate, a lender must be publicly regulated (state or federal) with demonstrable experience in commercial lending.

System for Award Management (SAM.gov)

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

SAM Phase 1 includes the capabilities previously included in the following legacy systems: Central Contractor Registration (CCR), Federal Agency Registration (FedReg), Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA), and the Excluded Parties List.

Details and FAQs are available online at http://sam.gov. The web addresses for legacy systems will also automatically redirect users to SAM.