WASHINGTON, July 2, 2020 – USDA Rural Development Deputy Under Secretary Bette Brand today announced that the department is accepting applications for grants to help start, expand or improve rural cooperatives and other mutually-owned businesses in rural America.

USDA is making $5.8 million in grants available under the Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) program to help improve economic conditions in rural areas. Nonprofit corporations and institutions of higher education are eligible to apply to provide technical assistance to individuals and rural businesses.

Fiscal year 2019 award recipients who received a grant period extension due to a loss of operations as a result of the coronavirus pandemic are eligible to apply for fiscal year 2020 funding.

Electronic applications must be submitted to grants.gov by midnight Eastern Time on August 3, 2020. Additional information is available on page 39870 of the July 2 Federal Register.

USDA encourages applications that will support recommendations made in the Report to the President of the United States from the Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity to help improve life in rural America. Applicants are encouraged to consider projects that provide measurable results in helping rural communities build robust and sustainable economies through strategic investments in infrastructure, partnerships and innovation. Key strategies include:

• Achieving e-Connectivity for Rural America
• Developing the Rural Economy
• Harnessing Technological Innovation
• Supporting a Rural Workforce
• Improving Quality of Life

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