Deadline: Rolling
Amount: An unspecified amount of funding is available to support awards and low-interest direct loans through this program. Funds may be combined with commercial financing to finance projects if all eligibility and feasibility requirements are met.
Eligibility: Local Government, Native American Tribe, Non-Profits, State Government. Applicants must be unable to finance projects from their own resources and/or through commercial credit at reasonable rates and terms. Facilities supported through this program must serve the rural area where they are or will be located. Rural areas must have no more than 20,000 residents according to the latest U.S. Census data, which can be found online at www.census.gov.
The purpose of this program is to provide affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. Projects supported through this program must demonstrate substantial community support, and facilities must serve the rural area where they are or will be located. Rural areas must have no more than 20,000 residents according to the latest U.S. Census data, which can be found online at www.census.gov.
For the purposes of this program, an essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial, or business undertakings. Examples of essential community facilities include:
  • Health care facilities such as hospitals, medical clinics, dental clinics, nursing homes, or assisted living facilities
  • Public facilities such as town halls, courthouses, airport hangers, or street improvements
  • Community support services such as child care centers, community centers, fairgrounds, or transitional housing
  • Public safety services such as fire departments, police stations, prisons, police vehicles, fire trucks, public works vehicles, or equipment
  • Educational services such as museums, libraries, or private schools
  • Utility services such as telemedicine or distance learning equipment
  • Local food systems such as community gardens, food pantries, community kitchens, food banks, food hubs, or greenhouses
Priority is based on population and median household income, as follows:
  • Small communities with a population of 5,500 or fewer
  • Low-income communities having a median household income below 80 percent of the state non-metropolitan median household income
Funds may be used to purchase, construct, and/or improve essential community facilities, purchase equipment, and pay related project expenses.
Information detailed throughout this module may vary for some state offices of the funding agency. Applicants should consult the appropriate state page linked fromwww.rurdev.usda.gov for information specific to their state.