Rural Business Enterprise Grant Program:

PURPOSE

The Rural Business Enterprise Grant Program provides grants to public bodies and non-profit organizations to finance development of small, emerging private business enterprises. This program finances small, emerging, private business enterprises in rural areas or cities up to 50,000 in population with priority to applications for projects in open country, rural communities and towns of 25,000 and smaller in economically distressed communities. Rural Business Enterprise Grants include grants made to third-party lenders to establish revolving loan programs.

ELIGIBITLITY

Public Bodies

Non-profit Corporations

Federal Recognized Indian Tribes

INELIGIBLE

Comprehensive area-wide planning

Development of a proposal which may result in an increase of goods, materials, commodities, services, or facilities in an area when there is not sufficient demand

Loans by grantees when the rates, terms, or charges for those loans are not reasonable

Production of agricultural products through growing, cultivating, and harvesting, either directly or through horizontally-integrated livestock operations, except for commercial nurseries or timber operations

Development of a proposal that may result in the transfer of jobs or business activity from one area to another. This provision does not prohibit establishment of a new branch or subsidiary

FUND USE 

Equipment

Building construction

Land acquisition and development

Technical assistance for small and emerging businesses

Financing and development of small, emerging business enterprises with a revolving loan fund

Business Start-up costs (plans, equipment, access streets, roads, parking areas, utility and service extensions, technical assistance, startup operating cash or working capital

APPLY TODAY

Contact your Local Area Office today and ask for a Rural Business Enterprise Grant Application package.