Rural Postsecondary and Economic Development Grant Program

The purpose of the RPED Grant Program is to improve rates of postsecondary enrollment, persistence, and completion among rural students through development of career pathways aligned to high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand industry sectors and occupations in the region.

Program Details

Office of Postsecondary Education is a federal agency that offers the Rural Postsecondary and Economic Development Grant Program grant program to support community economic and education programs. This funding opportunity is available nationally and is administered by Office of Postsecondary Education through Grants.gov. Organizations seeking funding for community economic and education programs should review the details below and confirm their eligibility before preparing an application.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include educational institutions, eligible organizations, and nonprofit organizations. Organizations that meet the eligibility criteria are encouraged to apply and to review the full program guidelines before submission. Because eligibility rules and funding priorities can change between cycles, applicants should always confirm the current requirements with Office of Postsecondary Education or on Grants.gov before investing time in an application.

Funding and Timeline

Funding available: $1.5M – $2.5M. Applications are due by June 23, 2026. Applicants should allow sufficient time to gather required documentation, including organizational information, project descriptions, budgets, and supporting materials as specified in the program guidelines. Submitting a complete application well ahead of the deadline reduces the risk of disqualification on technical or administrative grounds.

Program Focus

This grant supports community economic and education programs. This grant is associated with NAICS industry classifications: 611310. Organizations operating in these sectors are encouraged to review eligibility. Funded projects are expected to demonstrate measurable outcomes aligned with the program's stated objectives. Grant recipients may be required to submit progress reports and final evaluations as a condition of the award, and to retain records for audit and compliance purposes.

How to Apply

Eligible organizations can apply through Grants.gov. Create a free organization profile on GrantRegister to see whether this grant matches your organization's NAICS code, entity type, location, and focus area, and to receive a weekly digest of every open grant you qualify for.

GrantRegister maintains a complete, authoritative registry of US federal, state, and foundation grant opportunities — matched automatically to your organization profile and delivered every Monday.

Eligibility

• Funded by ED-OPE

Award details

Award range: $1.5M – $2.5M. Applications close on June 23, 2026.

Categories

Community Economic · Education