-  About RD                  -  Key Priorities 
              -  History 
              -  Farm Bill 
              -  Grant Awards 
              -  Careers at Rural Development 
              -  Rural Data Gateway 
              -  Leadership 
              -  Agencies                    -   Rural Business-Cooperative Service 
                -   Rural Housing Service 
                -   Rural Utilities Service 
              -  Offices                    -  Business Center 
                -  Civil Rights                       -  Civil Rights Contacts 
                  -  Equal Employment Opportunity Branch 
                  -  Program Compliant Processing and Resolution Branch 
                  -  Program Compliance and Training Branch 
                  -  Posters 
                  -  Civil Rights Training 
                  -  Limited English Proficiency 
                  -  Civil Rights Library 
                  -  Accessibility Statement 
                -  External Affairs 
                -  Innovation Center                      -  Innovation Center Divisions 
                -  Risk Office 
                -  State Offices 
                -  Servicing Office 
              -  Initiatives 
              -  Tribal Relations 
            -  State Offices 
            -  Programs & Services                  -  Programs                    -  BioPreferred Program 
                -  Business Programs 
                -  Community Facilities Programs 
                -  Electric Programs 
                -  Energy Programs 
                -  Inflation Reduction Act Programs 
                -  Multifamily Housing Programs 
                -  Single Family Housing Programs                      -  Homeowner Assistance Fund FAQs 
                -  Telecommunications Programs                      -  Telecom Maps 
                -  Water & Environmental Programs 
              -  Services                    -  For Engineers 
                -  For Water & Environmental Engineers 
                -  RUS Interest Rates 
                -  RD Apply 
                -  Rural Development Disaster Assistance 
                -  RUS Program Borrowers 
                -  Cooperative Services 
            -  Newsroom                  -  News Releases 
              -  Stakeholder Announcements 
              -  Tribal Outreach 
              -  Success Stories 
              -  Federal Funding Opportunities 
              -  Blog 
              -  Radio 
              -  Archived News Releases 
            -  Resources                  -  Acronyms 
              -  Directives                    -  Administrative Notices 
                -  Electric Sample Documents 
                -  Form Letters 
                -  Guide Letters 
                -  Handbooks 
                -  Informational Publications 
                -  Instructions 
                -  Procedures Notices 
                -  Unnumbered Letters 
              -  Disaster Assistance                    -  We Care Letters 
              -  Environmental Studies                    -  Assessments 
                -  FPEP Environmental Review Comment Submissions 
                -  Impact Statements 
                -  Environmental Guidance 
              -  Forms                    -  E-Forms 
                -  Departmental Forms 
                -  RUS Forms 
              -  Publications                    -  Brochures 
                -  Fact Sheets 
                -  Reports 
                -  Resource Guides 
                -  Publications for Cooperatives 
              -  Regulations and Guidance                    -  Federal Register Publications 
                -  Program Regulations 
                -  Guidance Documents 
                -  Bulletins 
              -  Rural Data Gateway 
              -  LINC Training Library 
              -  Lender List 
              -  RBCS How-To Apply Video Series for Applicants 
            -  Contact Us                  -  National Office 
              -  State Offices 
              -  Area Offices 
              -  Loan Servicing 
              -  Press Office 
              -  Field Accountants 
              -  Electric GFR 
              -  ReConnect GFRs 
              -  Telecom GFR 
              -  State Energy Coordinators 
              -  Civil Rights Contacts 
              -  Freedom of Information Act                    -  FOIA Reading Room 

                  - English
                  - Spanish

# Rural Business Development Grants

**Fact Sheet

Federal Register Notice

##             Overview          

### Grants to Provide Technical Assistance for Rural Transportation (RT) Systems

USDA is inviting applications for grants to provide Technical Assistance for passenger Rural

Transportation (RT) Systems under the Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) program and the

terms for such funding. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-01-02/pdf/2023-28840.pdf

**Application Open Date:**January 2, 2024

**Close Date:** April 1, 2024

### Notice:

The Federal Register for the Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) Regulation:  Tribes and Tribal Business References to Provide Equitable Access published on December 14, 2023. 

#### What does this program do?

**Who may apply for this program?**

Grants may be made to a Public Body/Government Entity, an Indian Tribe, or a Nonprofit entity primarily serving rural areas.

**What is an eligible area?**

eligible areas

**What kind of funding is available?**

**How may Enterprise type funds be used?**
                                  - Training and technical assistance, such as project planning, business counseling and training, market research, feasibility studies, professional or/technical reports, or producer service improvements.
                                  - Acquisition or development of land, easements, or rights of way; construction, conversion, renovation of buildings; plants, machinery, equipment, access for streets and roads; parking areas and utilities.
                                  - Pollution control and abatement.
                                  - The capitalization of revolving loan funds, including funds that will make loans for start-ups and working capital.
                                  - Rural distance learning for job training and advancement for adult students.
                                  - Rural transportation improvement.
                                  - Community economic development.
                                  - Technology-based economic development.
                                  - Feasibility studies and business plans.
                                  - Leadership and entrepreneur training.
                                  - Rural business incubators.
                                  - Long-term business strategic planning.

**How may Opportunity type funds be used?**
                                  - Community economic development.
                                  - Technology-based economic development.
                                  - Feasibility studies and business plans.
                                  - Leadership and entrepreneur training.
                                  - Rural business incubators.
                                  - Long-term business strategic planning.

**How are applications evaluated?**
                                  - Evidence showing job creation at local businesses.
                                  - Percent of non-federal funding committed to the project.
                                  - Economic need in the area to be served.
                                  - Consistency with local economic development priorities.
                                  - Experience of the grantee with similar efforts.

**How do we get started?**
                                  - Applications are accepted through USDA Rural Development’s local or  state offices . Applicants are advised to view program information specific to your local or  state office  to learn about local application timelines, concept paper requirements, etc.
                                  - Grant awardees will need to complete required paperwork and comply with the terms and conditions of the award. Contact your local or  state office  for details.

**Who can answer questions?**
                                  - Contact your  local office .

**What law governs this program?**

7 CFR Part 4280, Subpart E

**Why does USDA Rural Development do this?**

##             To Apply          

**NOTE**: If state specific forms are not shown above, please refer to the application materials listed below to start the process of applying. Please ensure that your state is selected in the dropdown menu above to find the State Office contact information for this program and speak to a Business Programs Specialist before attempting to fill out any forms or applications. This will save you valuable time in the process.

**Preliminary Actions Required**

To complete an application for this program, you must be pre-registered with the System for Award Management (SAM). Neither of these applications cost money, but they can take time so be sure to get this taken care of right away. If you are already registered with these systems, you do not need to do it again.
                                  - RBCS How-To Apply Video Series for Applicants

**Special Alert for SAM Registrants**

Last year, we alerted our vendor community to third party companies offering to help you update information contained within the System for Award Management (www.SAM.gov) website, for a fee. Your SAM registration contains sensitive business information, including your banking information and other sensitive information, so your login and password should not be shared with anyone outside your company. As a reminder, the use of the System for Award Management website is free to use and update, and the Commodity Procurement Staff does not see a reason to pay anyone to provide that service. 

Secondly, we have just become aware of a couple of scam emails that offer to “help companies start the renewal process online” or suggest that “Your Federal Profile is Almost Complete. Immediate Action Required!” In both cases, your free access to SAM.gov will resolve any questions you may have regarding your registration in SAM.gov.  As you know SAM.gov requires an annual recertification and sends out email reminders prior to the expiration, and again, updates should be handled by company employees. Furthermore, if your registration is not complete, you may login to SAM.gov to make that determination for yourself. 

Please remember that SAM.gov is not affiliated with the USDA and is a government-wide website not maintained by our Agency. If you have any questions regarding access or how to use SAM, please contact their help desk at 866-606-8220, option #1.

##             Other Requirements          

There are no additional requirements at the national level. If there are additional state-specific requirements, they will be listed above.

##             Contact          

Please select your state above for a list of contacts.

##             Events