U.S. Department of Agriculture – Rural Development

This program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. It offers low-interest direct loans, grants, and a combination of both, as well as their loan guarantee program.

To Get Started:

Contact your local office to discuss your specific project. Request a Unique Entity ID number, if your organization doesn’t already have one. Register with the System Award for Management (SAM) if you are not already registered. Please note: SAM.gov’s registration process can take multiple weeks to complete. 

Eligible Entities: Public bodies, community-based nonprofit corporations, and federally recognized Tribes in rural areas (defined as no more than 20,000 residents according to the latest U.S. Census Data)
Award Amount: Varies
Required Match: Varies
Applications Due: December 31, 2024, is suggested, although applications are accepted year-round