Funding Opportunities, Resources, Events and Learning: Innovation Matters

USDA Rural Development sent this bulletin at 08/24/2023 11:56 AM EDT

Spotlighted Item: Inflation Reduction Act Pocket Guides

The USDA Rural Development Innovation Center, in partnership with the US Department of Energy, US Department of Treasury, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Economic Development Agency, launched two new pocket guides providing links to programs supporting rural communities as they work toward building a stronger workforce, more resilient economy, and climate-smart investments. For more information, visit the USDA Rural Development website on the IRA funding.

Selected Federal Support for Clean Energy by Potential Uses | English| Espanol
Selected Federal Support for Clean Energy by Applicant Types | English| Espanol

Funding Opportunities

USDA RD Inflation Reduction Act Funding Opportunities

Empowering Rural America Program (New ERA)
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development program to help rural Americans transition to clean, affordable, and reliable energy by reducing air and water pollution. Funding improves health outcomes and lower energy costs for people in rural communities. Federal Register Notice. Letter of Interest (Required): 9/15/2023

Powering Affordable Clean Energy Program (PACE)
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development program to help make clean, affordable, and reliable energy accessible to the people of rural America. Rural Utilities Service program to forgive a percentage of loans for specific renewable energy projects. Letters of Interest (Required): 9/29/2023

Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP)
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development HBIIP seeks to increase the availability of higher blends of ethanol and biodiesel derived from U.S. agricultural products by sharing the costs to build and retrofit biofuel-related infrastructure. Federal Register. Application Deadlines: 9/30/2023, 12/31/2023 3/31/2024, 6/30/2024, and 9/30/2024

Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvement Loans & Grants
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development program provides funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. Federal Register Notice. More Flexible Inflation Reduction Act Changes. Contact your State Energy Coordinator. Application Deadline: 6 quarterly Cycles

For more USDA RD IRA information please visit our website.

Funding Opportunities Supporting Infrastructure

Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Program
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)
DOT investment for projects that reconnect communities by removing, retrofitting, or mitigating highways or other transportation facilities that create barriers to community connectivity. The program seeks to award funding to rural and tribal communities that face unique challenges related to mobility and economic development, including isolation, transportation cost burden, and traffic safety. Application Deadline: 9/28/2023

Solar for All
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund grant to expand the number of low-income and disadvantaged communities primed for distributed solar investments. Grantees will use funds to expand existing low-income solar programs or design and deploy new programs nationwide. Application Deadline: 9/26/2023

Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development provides loan guarantees to assist in the development, construction, and retrofitting of new and emerging technologies such as advanced biofuels, renewable chemicals and biobased products. Application Deadline: 10/3/2023

HOPE VI Main Street Grant Program
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
HUD provides grants for small communities to assist in the renovation of an historic or traditional central business district, or “Main Street” area, by replacing unused, obsolete, commercial space in buildings with affordable housing units. Application Deadline: 10/12/2023

Single Family Housing Rural Disaster Home Repair Grants
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development offers this pilot program that makes funds available to repair and rebuild homes damaged in specific areas of presidentially declared disasters. Application Deadline: Open

Funding Opportunities for Community and Economic Development

Energy Future Grants
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
DOE program to provide support for multijurisdictional teams to further partner with community benefit organizations to turn innovative ideas into solutions addressing barriers to clean energy deployment. Application Deadline: 9/30/2023

Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program (Recompete Pilot Program)
U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC)
DOC’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) program is designed to make focused investments in communities most in need of economic resources to provide options supporting a path to economic prosperity. Application Deadline: 10/5/2023

Farm To School Technical Assistance-Cooperative Agreement
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Food and Nutrition Service offers farm-to-school stakeholder funding to expand qualified activities. Application Deadline: 10/10/2023

Clean Communities Investment Accelerator
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund competition provides grants and technical assistance to specific industry networks to deploy clean technology projects. Application Deadline: 10/12/2023

Energy Improvement in Rural or Remote Areas Fixed Award Grant Program
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
DOE offers this grant program to provide financial investment, technical assistance, and other resources to advance clean energy demonstrations and energy solutions that benefit rural and remote communities. Application Deadline: 10/12/2023

USDA Forest Service Inflation Reduction Act Forest Landowner Support
U.S. Department of Agriculture
U.S. Forest Service offers incentives for forestry practices and support for underserved landowners and small-acreage landowners in emerging private markets for climate mitigation or forest resilience. Application Deadline: 10/21/2023

Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture offers grants to qualified applicants that meet program guidelines to reduce food insecurity while improving access to services. Application Deadline: 10/30/2023

AmeriCorps State and National Competitive Grants
AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps funding will support members to engage in evidence-based or evidence-informed interventions to strengthen communities. Application Deadline: 1/4/2024

Funding Opportunities for Tribal Communities

NATIVE Act Tribal Projects and Initiatives on or Adjacent to U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Managed Land
The U.S. Forest Service & The American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA)
This grant program is a new initiative designed to advance the intent and purpose of the NATIVE Act through supporting efforts to enhance cultural tourism and cultural recreation to empower Native American communities and advancing the National Travel and Tourism Strategy. Application Deadline: 8/31/2023

Renewable Energy Accelerated Deployment Initiative
U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI)
DOI seeks your input on how to streamline and advance renewable energy development. The Bureau of Indian Affairs launched this initiative to engage with Tribes and inform decision makers regarding Tribal renewable energy development plans. Written comments due by: 9/15/2023 or Register for an Event.

Underserved and Indigenous Community Microgrids
U.S. Department of Energy
DOE released a funding opportunity announcement for multiyear research, development, and demonstration of microgrid-related technologies. The goal is to bring microgrid solutions to underserved and Indigenous communities in remote, rural, and islanded regions in the United States. Application Deadline: 9/15/2023

Tribal Electrification Program
U.S. Department of the Interior
DOI funding to support the electrification of homes in Tribal communities and meet the unique needs of individual Tribal communities by supporting collaborative and community-led planning and implementation. View the full press release and visit the program site to learn more and apply. Pre-Application Deadline: 9/18/2023

NTIA Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)
NTIA offers funds for broadband infrastructure as well as projects promoting adoption and use of broadband services. Application Deadline: 1/23/2023

Resources

USDA Rural Development Partners with Community College Alliance for Agriculture Advancement to Strengthen America’s Rural Workforce
As part of a memorandum of understanding, USDA Rural Development will coordinate with the Alliance to help students develop leadership and job skills through agency internships and networking opportunities. Through this partnership students gain skill sets to help them advance in careers. The partnership will also help to ensure rural communities have skilled leaders and workforce to thrive in the future.

USDA Proposed Rule-Manufactured Housing Provisions
Published in the Federal Register, USDA Rural Development is seeking comments on proposed changes to Handbook 1-3550 and Handbook 1-3555 that would make existing manufactured homes, which meet specific criteria, eligible for financing. In addition, the proposal reduces regulatory burdens related to manufactured housing requirements and provides flexibilities for energy efficient manufactured and modular homes located in land lease communities operating on a non-profit basis. Comments due by October 16, 2023.

Maui-Strong: Hawaii Governor Green and the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation launched the Hawaii Fire Relief Housing program aimed at immediately connecting Maui residents affected by the recent wildfires with property owners with vacant housing. Find program application forms on here.

FEMA encourages everyone to visit www.Ready.gov or www.Listo.gov to learn more about how to be prepared and how to protect yourself and your loved ones during emergencies. For additional disaster support information, please visit the USDA Rural Development Disaster Assistance Website.

Build America, Buy America Act (BABAA)
On August 23, 2023, “Buy America Preferences for Infrastructure Projects” final rule was published in the Federal Register. USDA Rural Development continues to support the implementation of BABAA as it energizes domestic manufacturing, strengthens supply chains, and creates good jobs for people of all backgrounds and experiences across the United States. BABAA Customer Guide.

Success Story of the Month

Transforming Lives & Livelihoods One Connection at a Time!

Like its namesake, Firefly is brightening the lives of a growing list of customers in nine Virginia counties with help from USDA Rural Development. Funding provided through the ReConnect Program enabled the company to build out its fiber network overhead and underground with 850 miles of cable and communications huts to transmit the signal that connects communities….[Read More]

Events / Learning

Recorded: USDA RD Rural Business and Cooperative Service - “How – To” Video Series. This series is designed to help applicants apply for funding and provides consistency and equity in the application process. The series offers “bite-sized” tips for completing application forms plus support for submitting a successful application!

8/30: Virtual | USDA and University of Kentucky to Host Webinar to Expand Placemaking Resources in Rural Communities

USDA Rural Development and the University of Kentucky offer a webinar for rural leaders to learn about creative placemaking approaches. Creative placemaking integrates arts, culture, and design activities into efforts that strengthen communities. Community leaders and public and private grant funding organizations interested in rural placemaking are encouraged to attend. Register.

8/29: Virtual | CDFA Food Systems Finance Webinar Series: Investment Tools & Food Systems. Explore how programs at the state and federal levels can offer unique financing solutions and catalyze investment in local and regional food systems.

8/31/23: Virtual | Farm to School Local Foods: Institute of Child Nutrition Webinar on Procuring Local Foods. Learn how to procure and incorporate locally sourced foods into the school meal programs. Featuring strategies for sourcing local foods, establishing community partnerships, and addressing procurement challenges.

9/6-8: Atlanta, Georgia | SSTI 2023 Annual Conference. Made possible in part by the EDA supported TBED Community of Practice, will convene practitioners and policymakers working to create a better future through science, technology innovation and entrepreneurship.

10/25-27: Bentonville, Arkansas | Rural Renaissance Roadshow, presented by Groundswell. Program topics will include energy resilience, solar and land use, energy efficiency and housing preservation, regenerative agriculture, and main street economic development.

10/24-27: Washington, DC | The 2023 National Rural Housing Conference: Build Rural.

11/7: Cleveland, Ohio | The National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) Annual Training Conference.