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October is National Cooperative Month!

USDA Secretary Proclamation Recognizing October 2023 as National Cooperative Month! “Owning Our Identity” is this year’s theme acknowledging the cooperative business model’s distinctive ability to promote economic growth in an equitable, inclusive, local, and democratic manner.

Interagency Working Group for Cooperative Development
Federal Partners team up to support co-op’s development, start-up, thrive and grow!

Funding

USDA Rural Development Funding

Rural Energy for America Program Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvement Guaranteed Loans & Grants
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs, and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety, health care, and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal, and high-poverty areas. Application Deadlines: 12/31/2023; 3/31/2024; and 6/30/2024, to the USDA Rural Development State Office

Business and Industry Guaranteed Loans
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development Loan guarantees to improve, develop, or finance business, industry, and employment and improve the economic and environmental climate in rural communities. Application Deadline: Open

Intermediary Relending Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development provides low-interest loans to local lenders known as intermediaries, who then relend the funds to businesses to improve economic conditions and create new opportunities in rural communities. Application Deadlines: 12/31/2023; 3/31/2024; and 6/30/2024, to the USDA Rural Development State Office

Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant (REDLG) Programs
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development provides funding for rural projects through local utility organizations. USDA provides zero-interest loans to local utilities which they, in turn, pass through to local businesses (ultimate recipients) for projects that will create and retain employment in rural areas. Application Deadlines: 12/31/2023; 3/31/2024; and 6/30/2024, to the USDA Rural Development State Office

Rural Business Investment Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development provides a Rural Business Investment Company (RBIC) license to newly formed developmental capital organizations to fill the need for business and development capital in rural areas. The program works with for-profit developmental capital funds. Application Deadline: Open

U Heard it Here! USDA Rural Development Administrator’s Neal and Burke discuss the critical link of Cooperatives in Rural Communities nationwide.

USDA Rural Development Funding - Prepare Now!

Rural Business Development Grant: Supports small and emerging private businesses to start or expand. Funds can be used to purchase or develop land, buildings, and equipment; to cover costs for feasibility studies and business plans and provide other technical assistance; to improve rural transportation, establish revolving loan funds, and support rural distance learning programs that provide educational or job training.

Rural Cooperative Development Grant Program: Helps establish and operate cooperative development centers. Cooperative development centers provide technical assistance, conduct feasibility studies, develop business plans, provide training, and facilitate strategic planning.

Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grants: Provides financial support to co-ops and their associations or development centers for technical assistance to small, socially disadvantaged groups. Funds can be used for feasibility studies, business plans, strategic planning, and leadership training.

Rural Energy for America Program Energy Audit and Renewable Energy Development Assistance Grants: Assists rural small businesses and agricultural producers by conducting and promoting energy audits and providing Renewable Energy Development Assistance.

Broadband Technical Assistance Grants: Supports project planning, community engagement, financial sustainability, environmental compliance, construction planning and engineering, accessing federal resources, and data collection and reporting for broadband projects.

Community Connect Grants: Provides broadband service in rural, economically challenged communities where internet service does not yet exist. Funds can also cover costs to provide broadband service to critical community facilities for 2 years.

ReConnect Loans and Grants: Expands broadband service to rural areas without sufficient broadband access. Funds can be used to construct, improve, acquire broadband and terrestrial satellite broadband facilities and equipment, and for preapplication expenses.

Rural Broadband Loans, Loan and Grant Combinations, and Loan Guarantees: Provides funds for the construction, improvement, or purchase of facilities and equipment needed to provide service at the broadband lending speed in eligible rural areas

Fertilizer Production Expansion Program: Increases or expands the manufacturing and processing of fertilizer, nutrient alternatives, and other nutrient management products and technologies in the United States and its territories.

Value-Added Producer Grants: Program helps agricultural producers enter value-added activities to generate new products, create and expand marketing opportunities, and increase producer income.

Community and Economic Development Funding

Electric Vehicle Charger Reliability and Accessibility Accelerator Program
U.S. Department of Transportation offers this program to fund the deployment of EV charging infrastructure. Cooperatives may coordinate with their respective local governments. Application Deadline: 11/13/2023

Cooperative Development Foundation (CDF) Grants
CDF offers three important grants to support the co-op community thrive: Cooperative Development Fund, Disaster Recovery Fund, and Cooperative Education Fund. Application Deadline: Varies

National Association of Housing Cooperatives (NAHC) NAHC offers a listing of funding sources. Application Deadline: Varies Capital Impact Partners Funding Capital Impact Partners support disinvested entrepreneurs, co-ops, real estate developers of color, Community Development Financial Institutions, and other changemakers break down traditional barriers by offering resources, support, and networks to foster success. Application Deadline: Varies Thriving Communities Program  U.S. Department of Transportation program to provide technical assistance, planning, and capacity building support to disadvantaged and under-resourced communities. Application Deadline: 11/15/2023 Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grants Work with your local government relating to the HUD program to support the implementation of comprehensive neighborhood revitalization plans that are expected to achieve affordable housing goals. Application Deadline: 11/21/2023 Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation Grants This foundation will invest and help provide support to entrepreneurs for a three-year funding cycle to launch and expand their ventures. Application Deadline: Ongoing

Tribal Funding and Resources

American Indian Foods (AIF)
One of the many programs offered by the Intertribal Agriculture Council, the American Indian Foods Program offers a variety of programs and services to assist Native American and Alaskan Native agribusiness owners and entrepreneurs seeking new markets or export expansion. Whether you are just getting started or already exporting, our programs offer opportunities and resources to support you through every phase. Specific Requirements Apply: Join

Success Story: Native American Agriculture Fund (NAAF) held a vision of locally led food systems in Indian country. The NAAF partnered with the Cooperative Development Foundation to facilitate a return to the cooperative model in ways that honor the values in Native communities. The Native Communities Cooperative Development Training project (NCCD), funded in part by USDA Rural Development’s (RD) Socially-Disadvantaged Groups Grant program, brought individuals together from several Native communities as phase one of the NCCD community-led training and has already demonstrated the importance of building training by and for the communities served. USDA Community Food Projects Competitive Grant USDA NIFA grant for a planning project to improve your community’s food security. If you have a food project, apply for the development grant for a one-time infusion of funding to become self-sustaining. Application Deadline: 10/30/2023                                              Western SARE Professional + Producer Grant Funding to support technical advisors working with producers to address identified needs in sustainable agriculture. Application Deadline: 10/31/2023 Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects Program U.S. DOT Federal Highway Administration program provides funding for the construction, reconstruction, and rehabilitation of nationally significant projects within or near Federal and Tribal lands. Application Deadline: 11/6/2023 Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP) U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA Rural Development program offers loans and grants to Microenterprise Development Organizations to help microenterprises startup/grow through a Rural Microloan Revolving Fund and provide training and technical assistance to microloan borrowers and micro entrepreneurs. Application Deadlines: 12/31/2023; 3/31/2024; and 6/30/2024, to the USDA Rural Development State Office Indigenous-Led Solutions to Advance Health Equity & Wellbeing Evidence for Action, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, offers support to Indigenous-led communities that prioritize solutions to advance health and wellbeing while integrating and elevating Indigenous cultures. This program will run concurrently with the Innovative Research to Advance Racial Equity Program. Application Deadline: TBD

Resources and Publications

USDA Rural Development’s Cooperative Services Library of Cooperative Information and Research Publications includes co-op primers such as: How to Start a Cooperative (Español); Feasibility Study Guide; and Co-ops 101 (Español). To seek technical assistance for forming cooperatives or for new cooperative development issues, please reach out to a Rural Cooperative Development Center, many of which are partially funded through USDA’s Rural Cooperative Development Grant.

How Electric Co-ops Are Helping Shape EV Planning Tools
NRECA and its member cooperatives are working with national labs, researchers and other key groups to help shape the planning tools needed to prepare for rising electricity demand as more electric vehicles hit America’s highways.

NCBA CLUSA THE COOPERATIVE BUSINESS JOURNAL
This publication is offered by The National Cooperative Business Association, CLUSA International as their mission is to develop, advance, and protects cooperative enterprise.

Cooperative Focus Magazine
This publication is offered by Cooperative Network as a platform to focus on successes of the cooperative model while highlighting projects, improvements, and initiatives. Summer 2023 Issue. Winter 2023 Issue.

Rise Community Market - A Place Where Community Thrives! Rise Community Market emerged as a result of collaborative efforts of many dedicated community members who recognized the need for change. They took action to organize a grocery cooperative. With a lot of hard work and the technical assistance from the Cooperative Development Center at the Illinois Institute of Rural Affairs at Western Illinois University, partially funded by the Rural Cooperative Development Grant, the opening of Rise ends a seven year “food desert” in Cairo. New Report Shows Electric Co-ops Are ‘Powerful Engines” of Economic Development New report from NRECA and CFC shows electric cooperatives have a wide-ranging economic impact in the United States. Rural America Placemaking Toolkit  A resource guide to showcase a variety of placemaking activities, projects, and success stories across rural America. Developed and updated by USDA Rural Development and the University of Kentucky's Community & Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky. Capital Impact Partners’ 2023 Co-op Innovation Awards This year’s awards, issued by National Cooperative Bank and Capital Impact Partners, include funding to many innovative co-op enterprises including supporting multi-family housing project to convert into resident-owned housing co-ops. Meet the 8 Cooperatives Selected for Start.coop’s Fall Accelerator These unique co-ops meet critical and niche needs including housing, food, and recreation. Start.coop provides entrepreneurs with the supports they need to build thriving cooperatively-owned businesses, from their very first idea and beyond. USDA Rural Development’s Cooperative Services tracks, analyzes, and publishes descriptions of Federal and State cooperative laws to facilitate cooperative development and reduce business transaction costs. Publications include: Federal Statutes of Special Importance To Farmer Cooperatives and Tax Law for Cooperatives.

USDA RD Success Stories

Rural Co-op Shines a Light on the Benefits of Solar Energy Home Care Cooperatives Create a More Resilient Workforce:     Improved Working Conditions, Quality Care, and Higher Wages Video: Hope & Main Nourishes Neighbors with Help from USDA

Video: Plymouth Meats and Berkshire Agriculture Ventures are a Smoking Success Worker-Owned Cooperative Preserves Rural Jobs in Wisconsin Small Farmers Think Big to Grow Markets for Southside Virginia Produce

For more Co-op Success Stories at USDA RD click here.

Recorded: USDA Interagency Working Group Webinars on Cooperative Development- The Interagency Working Group on Cooperative Development, spearheaded by USDA Rural Development's Rural Business-Cooperative Service, held several virtual committee meetings designed to share information on cooperative conversions, the environment, the care economy, and the food supply chain.

Recorded: Cooperatives are Everywhere! Take Ownership- Cooperative Network provides an overview of how coops get started, who uses them and the benefits of being a member of a cooperative.

Recorded: USDA Presents: Steps in Starting a Cooperative- New cooperative businesses can be started by eventual member-owners or be incubated by a development group. Existing businesses can be converted to member-ownership. Regardless of who organizes a co-op, this webinar identifies the key steps in the development process.

11/2 | Virtual: Rural Placemaking: What Works Fast, Now, and on a Shoestring - Aspen Institute Community Strategies Group

11/8-11 | US Virgin Islands: National Association of Housing Cooperatives (NAHC) Annual Conference

11/16 | Virtual: 2024 National 4-H Conference Information Session-Plan now for this conference to make an impact on attendees later!

11/28-29 | Washington, DC: SBIR/STTR Fall Innovation Conference- Seeding America's Future Innovations - Connect directly with over $4 billion in early-stage funding. Learn how to compete for funding, while networking with global industry scouts, investors, and key federal leadership representing the nation's largest seed fund.

​Contact/Subscription

USDA Rural Development’s Cooperative Services Branch offers information, data, contacts, and resources to develop, support, and grow co-ops!

USDA Rural Development Quick Links:

• USDA Rural Development’s full Catalog of Programs
• USDA Rural Development's NOSA/NOFAs
• USDA Rural Development’s Search All Programs
• USDA Rural Development Resource Guides
• USDA Rural Development’s Rural Data Gateway
• USDA Rural Development Blogs
• View the Prior Edition of Innovation Matters

Websites and hyperlinks provided are for reference only. USDA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies, or applications.

USDA Rural Development Innovation Center

Email: rd.innovation@usda.gov | Webpage: usda.gov/rdinnovation

www.rd.usda.gov

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NOTE: Websites and hyperlinks provided are for reference only. USDA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies, or applications.

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