Rural Business 

Development Grants

These are competitive grants to encourage 

development or expansion of rural businesses. 

The grants may be used for targeted technical 

assistance, training, and other activities.

For More Information

Information on all USDA Rural Development 

programs is available online or from the office 

serving your area. 

PA-2188

January 2016

www.rd.usda.gov

1 (800) 670-6553 (toll free)

USDA is an equal opportunity 

provider, employer, and lender.

Rural Economic 

Development Loan 

& Grant Program

This program provides financing to eligible Rural 

Utilities Service electric or telecommunications 

borrowers to promote rural economic 

development and job creation projects. 

USDA Rural Development provides zero-interest 

rural economic development loans to local 

utilities, which are passed through to local 

businesses for projects that create and retain 

employment in rural areas. Local utility 

organizations use grants to establish revolving 

loan funds for projects that improve employment.

From USDA Rural Development

Help for Communities 

and Municipalities
Water and Waste Disposal 

Loans & Grants

Through this program we provide funding to 

extend and improve water, waste water, and solid 

waste disposal systems in rural areas. We also 

make preplanning and other technical assistance 

available to financially distressed rural 

communities looking to improve their water and 

waste disposal systems.

Water and waste disposal assistance is available 

to public bodies, nonprofit organizations, and 

Federally Recognized Tribes to build, expand, or 

improve facilities and services for safe, clean, and 

reliable water and sewer systems.

Water and Waste Disposal Loans and Grants 

are available to assist areas with populations 

up to 10,000.

Community Facilities 

Loans & Grants

We offer flexible, inexpensive funding available to 

improve your rural community. We can help you 

build large projects, like libraries, child-care 

facilities, and schools, and small ones like curbs and 

gutters, to make your community a better place to 

live. We provide direct loans and grants and work 

with private lenders to offer loan guarantees. Our 

guarantee makes it possible for the lender to 

provide a more affordable financing option.

Community Facilities assistance is available to 

public bodies, nonprofit organizations, and 

Federally Recognized Tribes to build, expand, or 

improve facilities and services for health care, 

education, public safety, and public services. 

We encourage you to contact your local USDA 

Rural Development office to discuss a potential 

project, and to apply.

Community Facilities Programs are available to 

assist areas with populations up to 20,000.

Does your community need to buy, 

build, or improve a public-service 

project? We may be able to help. USDA 

Rural Development offers a number of 

programs providing long-term fixed 

rate financing for projects that:

• Improve infrastructure;

• Support public health and safety; or

• Promote economic development.

Assistance under these programs is 

available to applicants in areas 

designated as “rural.” Under law, the 

definition of “rural area” is different for 

each program.