OPPORTUNITY:
This notice is given to invite applications for grants under the Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) Program for fiscal year (FY) 2022, subject to the availability of funding. This notice is being issued in order to allow applicants sufficient time to leverage financing, prepare and submit their applications, and give the Agency time to process applications within FY 2022.
DESCRIPTION:
The purpose of the program is to promote economic development and job creation projects through the awarding of grant funds to eligible entities. Applications will compete in two separate categories, business opportunity grants and business enterprise grants, for use in funding various business and community projects that serve rural areas.
Business opportunity projects are used to identify and analyze business opportunities that will use local rural materials or human resources. Such projects must be consistent with any local and area-wide community and economic development strategic plans and are used to support other economic development activities in the project area. Projects include the establishment of business support centers or to finance job training and leadership development in rural areas. Funding for business enterprise projects must be used to finance or develop small and emerging businesses in rural areas. Enterprise projects include the repair or modernization of buildings, technical assistance to a small business such as feasibility studies or business plans, or an equipment purchase for leasing to a small or emerging business.
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS:
Rural towns, communities, state agencies, authorities, nonprofits, federally recognized tribes, public institutions of higher education and non-profit cooperatives.
AVAILABLE FUNDING AND APPLICATION WINDOW:
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Complete applications may be submitted in paper or electronic format and must be received by 4:30 p.m. local time on February 28, 2022.
FUNDING AMOUNT: Successful applications will be selected by the Agency for funding and subsequently awarded to the extent that funding may ultimately be made available through appropriations. An announcement on the website at https:// www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom/notices- solicitation-applications-nosas will identify the amount available in FY 2022 for RBDG applications.