Rural Business Development Grant Program

The purpose of the program is to promote economic development and job creation projects through the awarding of grant funds to eligible entities. Applications will compete in two separate categories, business opportunity grants and business enterprise grants, for use in funding various business and community projects that serve rural areas.

Program Details

Rural Business-Cooperative Service is a federal agency that offers the Rural Business Development Grant Program grant program to support business development, community economic, and rural development programs. This funding opportunity is available nationally and is administered by Rural Business-Cooperative Service through Grants.gov. Organizations seeking funding for business development, community economic, and rural development programs should review the details below and confirm their eligibility before preparing an application.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include government agencies and municipalities, tribal governments and Native American organizations, nonprofit organizations, and educational institutions. 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 Rural Business-Cooperative Service or on Grants.gov before investing time in an application.

Funding and Timeline

Applications are due by June 30, 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 business development, community economic, and rural development programs. This grant is associated with NAICS industry classifications: 111, 112, 115. 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 USDA-RBS

Award details

Applications close on June 30, 2026.

Categories

Business Development · Community Economic · Rural Development