1 usda.gov/coronavirus

COVID-19 Federal Rural Resource Guide 

USDA and its Federal partners have programs that can be used to provide immediate and long-term assistance to rural communities affected by the 

COVID-19 outbreak. These programs can support recovery efforts for rural residents, businesses and communities through: 

• technical, training, and management assistance;

• financial assistance; and

• state and local assistance.

This resource matrix organizes funding opportunities identified in stimulus bills and other federal resources that can help support rural America. 

Opportunities are categorized by customer and assistance type. 

For more information on the immediate actions USDA is taking to respond to COVID-19, visit usda.gov/coronavirus.

To learn about USDA’s COVID-19 response for rural communities, visit rd.usda.gov/coronavirus. 

For the latest news from the CDC on COVID-19, visit coronavirus.gov. 

NEW: Resources to address substance use disorder (SUD) and the opioid crisis, visit Rural Community Toolbox ruralcommunitytoolbox.org.
2 usda.gov/coronavirus

COVID-19 Federal Response Resource Matrix

Rural 

Customer

Technical Assistance/

Training/Management

Financial 

Assistance

General State/

Local Resources

For-Profit Businesses: 

Corporations, Limited 

Liability Companies, 

sole proprietorships, 

Lenders, etc.

• USDA Agriculture Marketing Service: 

FAQ’s: Related to COVID-19 impact 

on the Fruit and Vegetable industry

• SBA: COVID-19 Small Bus 

Guidance and Loan Resources

• Small Business Development 

Centers: Small Business Resources

• Service Corps of Retired 

Executives (SCORE): 

Small Business Resource Hub

• SCORE: Remote mentoring

• Benefits.gov Coronavirus resources

• DOL: Families First Coronavirus 

Response Act Notice-FAQS

• FDA-COVID-19-Related Guidance 

Documents for Industry, FDA Staff, 

and Other Stakeholders

• NEW: FEMA Planning Starter Kit 

for Returning to Full Operations

• USDA Rural Development Business 

and Industry Loan Guarantee

• USDA Farm Service Agency: 

Microloan Programs

• SBA Paycheck Protection Program

• SBA COVID-19 Economic Injury 

Disaster Loan

• SBA: COVID-19 Small Bus 

Guidance and Loan Resources

• DOL: National Health Emergency 

Dislocated Worker Grants

• DOL: Wage and Hour 

Division: COVID-19 and the 

American Workplace

• IRS Coronavirus Tax Relief and 

Economic Impact Payments

• USDA RD Rural Energy for 

American Program-Renewable 

Energy & Energy Efficiency 

Fact Sheet

• USDA RD Single Family Home 

Loan Guarantees Fact Sheet

• NEW: USDA RD Business and 

Industry CARES Act Program

• NEW: National Institute of Standards 

and Technology Manufacturing 

Extension Partnership Grants

• Guidance for Businesses and 

Employers to Plan and Respond

• Coronavirus.Gov-Breakdown 

of Assistance

• USDA Multi-Family Housing Direct 

Loan COVID-19 Fact Sheet

• NEW: SBA Federal Contracting 

Guidance for Small Businesses 

impacted by COVID-19

• NEW: SBA-Economic Injury 

Disaster Loan (EIDL) and 

EIDL Advance for qualified 

small businesses and 

U.S. agricultural businesses
3 usda.gov/coronavirus

COVID-19 Federal Response Resource Matrix

Rural 

Customer

Technical Assistance/

Training/Management

Financial 

Assistance

General State/

Local Resources

Agricultural Producers 

and Ranchers:

• USDA Continues Focus on Service 

During COVID-19 Outbreak

• H-2A Visa Program COVID-19 

Related Resources

• Farm Loan Discovery Tool

• Farm Service Agency: Guaranteed 

Loans-Lender Toolkit

• USDA Agriculture Marketing Service: 

FAQ’s: Related to COVID-19 impact 

on the Fruit and Vegetable industry

• Farmers.gov: Funding for Farmers, 

Ranchers, and forest landowners

• Farm Loan Discovery Tool

• USDA Farm Service Agency: 

Microloan Programs

• Find your local Natural Resources 

Conservation Service office

• SBA Paycheck Protection Program

• IRS Coronavirus Tax Relief and 

Economic Impact Payments

• USDA Rural Energy for American 

Program-Renewable Energy 

& Energy Efficiency Fact Sheet

• NEW: USDA Coronavirus Food 

Assistance Program

• NEW: USDA RD Business and 

Industry CARES Act Program

• NEW: USDA Agricultural Marketing 

Service (AMS) Overview of Local 

& Regional Food Funding

• Farmers.gov Latest Updates 

and Resources

• AMS-USDA Farmers to Families 

Food Box (part of Coronavirus 

Farm Assistance Program)

• NEW: US Dept. of Veterans 

Affairs-COVID-19 Response

• NEW: USDA FSA Expands 

Set-Aside Loan for 

Customers Impacted

• NEW: SBA-Economic 

Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) 

and EIDL Advance for qualified 

small businesses and 

U.S. agricultural businesses
4 usda.gov/coronavirus

COVID-19 Federal Response Resource Matrix

Rural 

Customer

Technical Assistance/

Training/Management

Financial 

Assistance

General State/

Local Resources

Government Entities: 

State, County or 

local governments

• USDA Foreign Agricultural Service 

(FAS) Data and Analysis

• USDA FAS Overseas 

Office Directory

• USDA FAS Programs

• FNS Coronavirus Website

• National Park Service Public 

Health Update

• FEMA: Coronavirus 

(COVID-19) Response

• FEMA Coronavirus Rumor Control

• Interim Guidance for Emergency 

Medical Services (EMS) Systems 

and 911 Public Safety Answering 

Points: CDC

• FCC: Service Providers Pledge(s)

• Cybersecurity & Infrastructure 

Security Agency: Critical 

Infrastructure Guidance

• NEW: US Dept. of Veterans 

Affairs Support of States

• NEW: FEMA Planning Starter Kit 

for Returning to Full Operations

• USDA Food and Nutrition Service 

(FNS) Response to COVID-19

• Meals to You: Baylor Collaborative 

on Hunger and Poverty (FNS 

Announcement)

• USDA Rural Development: 

COVID-19 Resource Website

• USDA Rural Development 

ReConnect Program

• VA Homeless Housing Assistance

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health 

Services Administration (SAMHSA): 

Coronavirus Resources

• Emergency Medical Services 

EMS.gov: Coronavirus/COVID-19 

Resources

• HUD: COVID-19 Resources 

and Fact Sheets

• EPA: Water Utility Resources

• DOJ: Office of Community 

Oriented Policing Services (COPS)

• DOJ: Office of Justice 

Programs (OJP)

• DOJ: Office on Violence Against 

Women (OVW)

• USDA RD Water and Environmental 

Programs COVID-19 Fact Sheet

• NEW: US Economic Development 

Administration CARES Act Recovery 

Assistance 

• NEW: EDA Public Works and 

Economic Adjustment Assistance 

Programs including CARES 

Act Funding

• U.S. Interagency Council on 

Homelessness (USICH) - COVID-19 

Resources

• FCC: Home Network Tips for the 

Coronavirus Pandemic

• Appalachian Regional Commission: 

Real-Time Data Maps Spread of 

Coronavirus at Regional Level

• USA.Gov State Specific COVID-19 

Resources: Links to each State 

from this site

• Food and Nutrition Service: 

Response to COVID-19 

(WIC/SNAP etc)

• USDA RD Community Facilities 

Direct Loan & Grant Deferral 

Fact Sheet

• CDC Resources for Parks and 

Recreational Facilities

• NEW: CDC Communication 

Toolkit for Migrants, Refugees, 

and Other Limited English 

Proficient Populations

• NEW: NOAA Fisheries Coronavirus 

Funding-those with coastal and 

marine fishery participants
5 usda.gov/coronavirus

COVID-19 Federal Response Resource Matrix

Rural 

Customer

Technical Assistance/

Training/Management

Financial 

Assistance

General State/

Local Resources

Nonprofits: 

Economic Dev. Corps.,

universities, schools,

libraries, faith-based

organizations, etc.

• USDA National Institute of Food and 

Agriculture Coronavirus (COVID-19) 

Resources

• FNS: How to become a Summer Site 

Sponsor

• U.S. Interagency Council on 

Homelessness (USICH) - 

COVID-19 Resources

• CDC: Information for Healthcare 

Professionals

• US Dept. of Health & Human 

Services: Child Care and 

Development Fund

• FNS: COVID-19 Congregate Meal 

Waivers & Q&As on Summer Meal 

Delivery Using Existing Authority

• NEW: FEMA Planning Starter Kit 

for Returning to Full Operations

• USDA Rural Development. Distance 

Learning and Telemedicine (DLT)

• SBA COVID-19 Economic Injury 

Disaster Loan

• U.S. Economic Development 

Administration

• US Dept of Labor: The National 

Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP) 

Career Services and Training Grants 

and Housing Grants

• NIFA Grant: Rapid Response to 

Novel Coronavirus Impacts across 

Food and Agricultural Systems

• USDA RD Community Facilities 

Direct Loan & Grant Deferral 

Fact Sheet

• NEW: National Endowment for 

the Arts-CARES Act Grants 

for Organizations

• NEW: US Economic Development 

Administration CARES Act 

Recovery Assistance

• NEW: EDA Public Works and 

Economic Adjustment Assistance 

Programs including CARES 

Act Funding

• FNS: How to become a Summer 

Site Sponsor

• DOE COVID-19 Information and 

Resources for Schools and School 

Personnel

• FEMA: COVID-19 Response-How 

can I help?

• Food and Nutrition Service: 

Response to COVID-19 

(WIC/SNAP etc)

• FCC-COVID-19 

Telehealth Program

• AMS-USDA Farmers to Families 

Food Box (part of Coronavirus 

Farm Assistance Program)

• USDA Multi-Family Housing Direct 

Loan COVID-19 Fact Sheet

• NEW: SBA and Treasury 

Department Announce $10 Billion 

for CDFIs to Participate in the 

Paycheck Protection Program

Cooperatives • USDA Cooperative Programs Site: 

Publications and Research

• SBA Paycheck Protection Program

• SBA COVID-19 Economic Injury 

Disaster Loan

• Farm Service Agency: Loans to 

For-Profit Farm Cooperatives

• USDA RD Funded Rural 

Cooperative Development 

Center listing

• USDA Multi-Family Housing Direct 

Loan COVID-19 Fact Sheet
6 usda.gov/coronavirus

COVID-19 Federal Response Resource Matrix

Rural 

Customer

Technical Assistance/

Training/Management

Financial 

Assistance

General State/

Local Resources

Individuals/Households: • USDA Coronavirus Disease 

(COVID-19)

• ChooseMyPlate: Food Planning 

during the Coronavirus Pandemic

• VA: Novel Coronavirus Disease 

(COVID-19)

• COVID-19: Social Insurance and 

Other Income-Support Options for 

Those Unable to Work

• Workplace Leave and 

Unemployment Insurance for 

Individuals Affected by COVID-19

• Food Safety and Inspection Service: 

Common questions about Food 

Safety and COVID-19

• US. Dept of Health and Human 

Services: American Sign Language 

COVID-19 Resource links

• NEW: Coronavirus and 

Other Disability Focused 

Federal Resources

• Food Finder: Connects families to 

feeding sites

• USDA RD Single Family Guaranteed 

Housing Loan Program Website

• USDA Meals for Kids Site Finder

• DOL: Wage and Hour Division: 

COVID-19 and the American 

Workplace

• VA: Housing Assistance

• VA: Homeless Housing Assistance

• IRS Coronavirus Tax Relief and 

Economic Impact Payments

• USDA RD Rural Home Loans (Direct 

Program) Fact Sheet

• USDA Multi-Family Housing Direct 

Loan COVID-19 Fact Sheet

• HUD Single Family Home 

Mortgage Resource

• FEMA: COVID-19 Response-How 

can I help?

• USDA National Hunger Hotline

• Foods and Nutrition Service: 

Find Meals for Kids

• US Dept of Health and Human 

Services: Administration for 

Community Living (Older Adults 

and People with Disabilities)

• Medicare.gov’s COVID-19 

information for beneficiaries

• Consumer Financial Protection 

Bureau Protecting Finances 

Information/Resources

• USAJobs hiring to help respond 

to COVID-19 national emergency

• NEW: National Park Service Find 

your Park-Operating Status
7 usda.gov/coronavirus

COVID-19 Federal Response Resource Matrix

Rural 

Customer

Technical Assistance/

Training/Management

Financial 

Assistance

General State/

Local Resources

Health: Hospitals • Substance Abuse and Mental Health 

Services Administration SAMHSA: 

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

• Centers for Medicaid and 

Medicare Services

• CDC-COVID-19 Fact Sheet

• Medicare Telehealth Frequently 

Asked Questions

• HHS Partnership Office-Preventive 

Practices and FAQs for Faith-based 

and Community Leaders

• HHS-What do Older Adults 

and People with Disabilities 

Need to Know?

• Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration 

Program (CTAP)

• Centers for Medicaid and 

Medicare Services

• HHS Awards $100 Million to Health 

Centers for COVID-19 Response

• VA Public Health Response 

to COVID-19

• HHS COVID-19 Tribal funding

• IRS Coronavirus Tax Relief and 

Economic Impact Payments

• USDA RD Community Facilities 

Direct Loan & Grant Deferral 

Fact Sheet

• USDA Rural Development. Distance 

Learning and Telemedicine (DLT)

Deadline July 13th

• FCC-COVID-19 Telehealth Program

• HHS-CMS Long-Term Care Nursing 

Homes Telehealth and Telemedicine 

Tool Kit

• Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) 

Frequently Asked Questions – 

Federal Office of Rural Health Policy

• NEW: National Institute of 

Environmental Health 

Sciences Worker Training Program/

Protecting Yourself Resources

(also En Español)
8 usda.gov/coronavirus

COVID-19 Federal Response Resource Matrix

Rural 

Customer

Technical Assistance/

Training/Management

Financial 

Assistance

General State/

Local Resources

Federally recognized 

Tribes, or 

Tribal organizations

• USDA Food and Nutrition Service 

(FNS) Response to COVID-19

• Intertribal Agriculture Council: 

COVID-19 Resources

• Indian Health Service: Coronavirus 

(COVID-19)

• FEMA: Coronavirus (COVID-19) 

Response

• COVID-19 Resources for Indian 

Country: National Congress of 

American Indians

• HUD COVID-19 Resources and Fact 

Sheets

• Federal Reserve Bank of 

Minneapolis COVID-19 

Resources for Indian Country

• US Dept. of Health & Human 

Resources: Office of Child CareChild Care and Development Fund

• Native American Finance Officers 

Association (NAFOA)

• NEW: FEMA Planning Starter Kit 

for Returning to Full Operations

• Food Distribution Program on 

Indian Reservations (FDPIR)

• USDA Rural Development. 

ReConnect Program

• USDA Rural Development. Distance 

Learning and Telemedicine (DLT)

• Institute of Museum and Library 

Services: Grants to expand digital 

network access etc.

• HUD Native American Programs: 

IHBG and ICDBG funds

• Indian Health Services: Increased 

funding in multiple programs

• Bureau of Indian Affairs: Indian 

Affairs Operation of Indian Programs

• $8 billion set-aside for tribal nations 

from the Coronavirus Relief Fund 

to use for expenditures incurred 

due to the COVID-19 public health 

emergency

• SBA: COVID-19 Small Bus 

Guidance and Loan Resources

• USDA RD Community Facilities Direct 

Loan & Grant Deferral Fact Sheet

• USDA RD Water and Environmental 

Programs COVID-19 Fact Sheet

• NEW: US Economic Development 

Administration CARES Act 

Recovery Assistance

• NEW: NOAA Fisheries Coronavirus 

Funding-those with coastal and 

marine fishery participants

• NEW: EDA Public Works and 

Economic Adjustment Assistance 

Programs including CARES 

Act Funding

• Housing and Urban Development 

(HUD) COVID-19 Resources and 

Fact Sheets

• EPA: Water Utility Resources

• DOJ: Office of Community Oriented 

Policing Services (COPS)

• DOJ: Office of Justice Programs 

(OJP)

• DOJ: Office on Violence Against 

Women (OVW)

• FCC-COVID-19 Telehealth Program

• USDA Multi-Family Housing Direct 

Loan COVID-19 Fact Sheet

• NEW: HUD Office of Native 

American Programs Recovery 

Programs-FAQS updated

• NEW: SBA and Treasury 

Department Announce $10 Billion 

for CDFIs to Participate in the 

Paycheck Protection Program

• NEW: Coronavirus and 

Other Disability Focused 

Federal Resources

• NEW: USDA Agricultural Marketing 

Service (AMS) Overview of Local 

& Regional Food Funding
9 usda.gov/coronavirus

Glossary of Terms

CARES Act: Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act

FAQS: Frequently Asked Questions

Data 

• NEW: Census Bureau Launches COVID-19 Data Hub 

• ESRI Impact Planning for COVID-19: Community Indicators related to decision making around COVID-19 Impact

• Tableau Data Visualization Hub (looking at data from multiple perspectives)

• COVID-19 Data Repository

• COVID-19 Model by Johns Hopkins University

• John Hopkins Corona Virus Resource Center - COVID Tracking

• COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic – world aggregate of cases and by country breakdown

• COVID-19 Data Center from Data World

NEW: Denotes a new resource link added since last version 07/07/2020.
10 usda.gov/coronavirus

Additional Federal Agency COVID-19 Resources

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Last Updated 07/07/20

Acronym Definition

CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

CMS Centers for Medicare and Medicaid

CHCO Chief Human Capital Officers Council

CFPB Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)

CNCS Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS)

CISA Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency

DAU Defense Acquisition University

DeCA Defense Commissary Agency

USDA Department of Agriculture (USDA)

DoD Department of Defense (DoD)

DOE Department of Energy (DOE)

HHS Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

DHS Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

HUD Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

DEA Drug Enforcement Administration Diversion 

Control Division

DOL Department of Labor (DOL)

DOS Department of State (DOS)

USDOT Department of the Treasury

ODNI Director of National Intelligence

EPA Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

EXIM Export-Import Bank of the United States

FAA Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

BOP Federal Bureau of Prisons

FCC Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

FDIC Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)

ED Federal Student Aid

FTC Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

Acronym Definition

FTA Federal Transit Administration (FTA)

FDA Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

GSA General Services Administration (GSA)

IA Indian Affairs

IMLS Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS)

IRS Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

MSPG Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB)

MCFP Military Community and Family Policy

NA National Archives

NCPC National Capital Planning Commission

NPS National Park Service

NREL National Renewable Energy Laboratory

NSF National Science Foundation (NSF)

NMCPHC Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center

USNRC Nuclear Regulatory Commission

ASPR Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness 

and Response

OPM Office of Personnel Management

SBA Small Business Administration (SBA)

USDA RD USDA Rural Development

TSA Transportation Security Administration

USAID U.S. Agency for International Development

USCIS U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS)

USFA U.S. Fire Administration

USNORHCOM U.S. Northern Command

USPTO U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

USSOCOM U.S. Special Operations Command

WHS Washington Headquarters Services