Funding Opportunities, Resources, Events and Learning: Innovation Matters

USDA Rural Development sent this bulletin at 10/20/2022 10:59 AM EDT

Secretary of Agriculture Proclamation naming October as National Cooperative Month!

How USDA Rural Development Supports Cooperatives

Many communities rely on cooperatives to provide locally grown food, housing, electricity, financial services, internet, retail services and more. USDA Rural Development Cooperative Services offers an array of programs, funding, technical assistance and educational resources supporting cooperatives to “build economic power”. Gullah Farmers' Cooperative and Cape Romain Oyster Cooperative are just two examples demonstrating the impact and economic power of rural cooperatives!

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Funding

Funding Opportunities Supporting Infrastructure

Telecommunications Infrastructure Loans and Loan Guarantees
USDA Rural Development
USDA Rural Development offers financial assistance to eligible service providers that will construct, improve or expand telecommunication and broadband networks in rural areas. Application Deadline: Open

Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Grants and Guaranteed Loans
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development provides funding for agriculture producers and rural small businesses to purchase, install, and construct renewable energy systems or complete energy efficiency improvements. Application Deadline: 10/31/2022 (set aside) and 3/31/2023

Broadband ReConnect Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development offers funding for construction, improvement or acquisition of facilities and equipment needed to provide broadband service in eligible rural areas. Application Deadline: 11/2/2022

The Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
HUD offers funds to facilitate and encourage innovative homeownership opportunities on a national, geographically diverse basis through the provision of self-help homeownership housing programs. Applicants must propose to use a significant amount grant funds in at least two states. Application Deadline: 11/7/2022

Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development offers program funding designed to increase the sales and use of higher blends of ethanol and biodiesel by expanding the infrastructure for renewable fuels derived from U.S. agricultural products. Stakeholder Announcement. Application Deadline: 11/21/2022

Emergency Rural Health Care Grants
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development Track One: Recovery Grants provide immediate relief to address the economic conditions arising from the COVID-19 emergency. Application Deadline: Until funds are exhausted

Funding Opportunities for Community and Economic Development

Water and Environmental Programs Manufactured Homes Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development offers funds to support expenses associated with providing technical assistance and/or training related to manufactured homes. Specific requirements apply. Full announcement. Application Deadline: 11/13/2022

The Fertilizer Product Expansion Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development offers grants to help eligible applicants increase or otherwise expand the manufacturing and processing of fertilizer and nutrient alternatives and their availability in the United States. Application Deadlines: 11/14/2022 and 12/29/2022

EPA Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Grants
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
EPA’s Brownfield Grants may be used to address sites contaminated by hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants and petroleum. Tipos de financiación con subvenciones para terrenos baldíos de la EPA. Application Deadlines: 11/22/2022

Community Mobility Ready-to-Launch Grants
Federal Transit Administration
National Center for Mobility Management offers these grants to support communities implement transportation solutions to help underserved residents become fully engaged in economic opportunities to become more integrated into their community. Application Deadline: 11/23/2022

Thriving Communities Program (TCP)
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)
DOT’s Build America Bureau program facilitates the planning and development of transportation and community revitalization activities and provides tools to ensure that under-resourced communities can access the historic funding provided in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Letter of Interest (Required): 12/6/2022

USDA Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development supports zero-interest loans and grants for current and former eligible Rural Utilities Service borrowers who then use the funds to help local businesses finance projects that create/retain jobs or support community facility projects. Stakeholder Announcement. Federal Register. Application Deadline: To your RD State Office by 12/31/2022, 3/31/23 and 6/30/23

Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development loans and grants support Microenterprise Development Organization to establish revolving loan funds. Application Deadline: To your RD State Office by 12/31/2022, 3/31/23 and 6/30/23

Intermediary Relending Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development provides funds to local lenders or “intermediaries” that re-lend to businesses to improve economic conditions and create new opportunities in rural communities. Stakeholder Announcement. Application Deadline: To your RD State Office by 12/31/2022, 3/31/23 and 6/30/23

Solid Waste Management Grants
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development offers funds to organizations to provide technical assistance and/or training to improve the planning and management of solid waste sites in rural areas. Application Deadline: 12/31/2022

Water and Waste Disposal Technical Assistance and Training Grants
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development provides funds for organizations that assist communities with water and/or wastewater operations through technical assistance and training. Application Deadline: 12/31/2022

Funding Opportunities for Tribal Communities

Tribal Tourism Grant Program
Department of the Interior
Bureau of Indian Affairs offers program funding to retain consultants to perform feasibility studies on Tribal tourism opportunities or develop a tourism business plan. Application Deadline: 10/24/2022

Landscape Scale Restoration Grant Program 2023 West
U.S. Department of Agriculture
U.S. Forest Service offers funding to encourage collaborative restoration of priority rural forest landscapes to address large-scale issues such as wildfire risk reduction, watershed protection and restoration and the spread of invasive species/disease. Application Deadline: 10/27/2022

Tribal Transportation Program Safety Funds
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)
DOT’s Office of Federal Lands Highway offers funding for tribal governments for the purposes of transportation projects related to safety, safety planning and safety/infrastructure. Application Deadline: 1/15/2023

FY 2023 AmeriCorps State and National Native Nations Planning Grants
AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps planning grants provide support to a grant recipient to develop an AmeriCorps program that will engage AmeriCorps members in implementing evidence-based interventions to solve community problems. Application Deadline: 4/5/2023

Resources and Publications

#POWEROFRURAL
Mark your Calendars November 17, 2022, is National Rural Health Day (NRHD). The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) sets aside the third Thursday of every November to celebrate NRHD. Other events during NRHD week.

State Cooperative Statute Library
This growing database, curated by USDA’s Rural Business Cooperative Service and hosted by NCBA CLUSA, is a critical step forward to identifying core pieces of good co-op law that can be adopted by other states, resulting in clearer and more consistent statutes nationwide. It gives cooperative professionals access to comprehensive descriptions of general purpose worker and agricultural cooperatives in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories and tribal law.

USDA RADIO: Highlighting the Economic Power of Cooperatives
In honor of Cooperative Month, USDA Radio offers insight on how the Cooperative business model and its significance to rural economies.

WATCH: Investing in Rural Communities through SECD

USDA Rural Development’s Strategic Economic and Community Development (SECD) Program supports projects that promote and implement strategic community investment plans.

Events/Learning

Featured:

RWIN 2022 Regional Workshops
Federal Grants USDA’s Rural Workforce Innovation Network (RWIN) offers regional workshops on the Federal Grant Process and Grants Management. This collaborative event is presented by USDA Rural Development, U.S. Health and Human Services, U.S. Economic Development Agency, Federal Emergency Management Agency and Housing and Urban Development.

You may register for any workshop. Recordings of past workshops will be located on the RWIN website when available.

10/27: Registration for the Northeast or

11/17: Registration for the South

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10/25: Tools for Rural Communities from USDA, Council of Development Finance Agencies.

10/26: Learn About AmeriCorps Public Health Program, FORHP and the Rural Health Information Hub invite organizations to attend this overview of the new Public Health AmeriCorps Program. This new national service program is with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and will recruit and train nearly 3,000 AmeriCorps Members.

10/27: Growing a Green Infrastructure Workforce, EPA insight on planning considerations and practices for developing green workforce programs.

11/2: Food Loss and Waste Successes, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ North America Liaison Office co-host a virtual roundtable session to showcase “Food Loss and Waste Successes from the U.S. and Canada.”

11/19: NOSORH is partnering with RME Collaborative for Rural Health Clinical Congress offering this FREE virtual CME/CE conference for clinicians who serve rural and underserved communities!

12/7-12/9: Rural Seminar on Workforce & Small Business 2022 by Rural LISC.