USDA Rural Development--Iowa Busines and Cooperative Programs

Rural Development makes Business and Cooperative loans and grants and provides technical assistance for cooperative development.

Promoting a dynamic business environment in rural America is the goal of the Business and Cooperative program. BC works in partnership with the private sector and community-based organizations to provide financial assistance and business planning. It also provides technical assistance to rural businesses and cooperatives, conducts research into rural economic issues, and provides cooperative education material to the public.

Business and Cooperative programs help fund projects that create or preserve quality jobs and/or promote a clean rural environment. The financial resources of Business and Cooperative programs are often leveraged with those of other public and private credit source lenders to meet business and credit needs in under-served areas. Recipients of these programs may include individuals, corporations, partnerships, cooperatives, public bodies, nonprofit corporations and private companies.

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Rural Cooperative Development Grant Program provides grants for cooperative development in rural areas. Grants are to be made for the purpose of establishing and operating Centers for rural cooperative development. The grant program is to be used to facilitate the creation or retention of jobs in rural areas through the development of new rural cooperatives, value-added processing, and other rural businesses.

Cooperative Development Technical Assistance is available to help rural residents form new cooperative businesses and improve the operation of existing cooperatives.

Revolving Loan Funds consist of public and private sector funds that provide financing for business development purposes and recycle the money as loans are repaid. The typical objective of a revolving loan fund is to fill a credit gap for business start-ups, expansions and retentions in conjunction with a conventional bank loan. Information about organizations operating revolving loan funds in Iowa can be found by clicking RLF Map . Rest your cursor on the county to get a list of organizations operating revolving loan funds in that area. Click on the organization name to get the contact information. You will need to contact the organization directly for specific information on eligibility, availability of funds and application information. Please note that the map may not include all revolving loan funds that are available in Iowa.

Please send any comments or suggestions to:
keith.bastow@ia.usda.gov
Iowa Rural Development
Revised on: June 4, 2009

Overall Business-Cooperative Program Information
Composite Chart - All Business-Cooperative Programs		Application Due Dates	Business-Cooperative Specialist to Contact Nearest You	Application Forms, Certifications and Regulations
Other Information
Revolving Loan Fund Map Funds available		DUNS Registration Process	Reporting Requirements	Cooperative Development Technical Assistance	2008 Farm Bill Title IX Energy Information
Loan Program Information
B&I Guar. Loan	Business & Industrial Guaranteed Loans	B&I Fact Sheet	B&I Basic Information	B&I and Energy Guaranteed Loan Comparison RD Guaranteed Loan Comparison	Lender User Manual for E-Authentication Process
IRP Loan	Intermediary Relending Program	IRP Fact Sheet	IRP checklist of documents for application	Energy Programs
				Section 9003 Biorefinery Assistance
REDL	Rural Economic Development Loan	REDL Fact Sheet	REDL checklist of documents for application	Section 9004 Repowering Assistance
Grant Program Information				Section 9005 Bioenergy for Advanced Biofuels
RBEG	Rural Business Enterprise Grants	RBEG Fact Sheet	RBEG checklist of documents for application	Section 9007 Rural Energy for America (REAP) Grants and Guaranteed loans (formerly Section 9006 Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program)
RBOG	Rural Business Opportunity Grants	RBOG Fact Sheet	RBOG checklist of documents for application	Section 9008 Rural Energy Biomass Research and Development
RCDG	Rural Cooperative Development Grants	RCDG Facts (see below) 2009 NOSA	RCDG checklist of documents for application	Section 9009 Rural Energy Self Sufficiency Initiative
REDG	Rural Economic Development Grant	REDG Fact Sheet	REDG checklist of documents for application	Link to Iowa Office of Energy Independence Stimulus Funding Information for Energy Projects
VAPG	Value Added Producer Grant	VAPG Fact Sheet	2009 VAPG Information (NOSA, application templates, grant writers, etc)
Section 6022	Rural Micro Entrepreneur Assistance Program	Section 6023	Grants for Expansion of Employment Opportunities for Individuals with Disabilities in Rural Areas