Rural Cooperative Development Grants
- Posted
- September 4, 2025
- Closed
- September 15, 2025
- Award ceiling
- $1,000,000
- Program funding
- $5,800,000
- Expected awards
- 10
- Cost sharing
- Yes
- Instrument
- Grant
- Assistance listing
- 10.771
- Category
- Agriculture
- Archives
- October 15, 2025
Program funding history
Awards made under Assistance Listing 10.771 across FY2024–FY2026, from public federal spending records.
- FY2024 obligated
- $8.9M
- FY2025 obligated
- $8.2M
- FY2026 (to date) obligated
- $1.4M
- Awards in window
- 71
Top recipients: Iowa State University of Science and Technology, Cooperative Development Foundation, Lake County Community Development Corporation, Virginia Foundation for Agriculture, Innovation & Rural Sustainability, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union Educational & Charitable Foundation
Source: USAspending.gov · refreshed September 2026 · Program page: awards, recipients and the opportunities under this listing →
Synopsis
The purpose of the RCDG program is to enable nonprofit institutions to establish and operate centers for rural cooperative development (Center). The primary objective of the program is to improve the economic condition of rural areas by helping nonprofit organizations who in turn provide technical assistance to start, expand, or improve cooperatives and mutually owned businesses in rural areas.
Who can apply
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
Eligibility RequirementsApplicants for the RCDG program must meet all the requirements discussed in this RFA. Failure to meet the eligibility criteria by the application deadline may result in exclusion from consideration or preclude NIFA from making an award. For those new to Federal financial assistance, NIFA’s About Grants provides highly recommended information about grants and other resources to help understand the Federal awards process. Applications will only be accepted from nonprofit institutions. A “nonprofit institution” is defined as any organization or institution, including an accredited institution of higher education, no part of the net earnings of which inures, or may lawfully inure, to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual. Applicants must meet the eligibility requirements in 7 CFR 4284.520(a). Applicants are ineligible for assistance through this program if one or more of the items defined in 7 CFR 4284.520(b) occurs. As defined in 7 CFR 4284.522(a), eligible projects must meet all of the following requirements. Failure to meet one or more of these requirements means that the application will not be considered for funding.1. Rurality – All Project activities must serve individuals, Cooperatives and Mutually Owned Businesses, small businesses, or other similar entities in Rural Areas.2. Project Focus – The Project must focus on establishing or operating a Center with the goals of creating jobs in Rural Areas through the development of new Rural Cooperatives, Value-Added processing, and Rural businesses.3. Amount Requested – The amount requested must not exceed the maximum amounts specified in Table 2 of this notice.4. Matching Funds – Matching Funds must be provided as detailed in Part III, B.USDA will not accept competitive applications that include activities related to diversity, equity, and inclusion advocacy; racial justice; or support for mobile home cooperatives.USDA will not accept competitive applications for grants and…
The official record
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