🚨 Funding alert:
USDA Rural Development’s Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) Program – FY 2026 Notice of Funding Opportunity (RDBCP-RBDG-2026) from the USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS).
The FY26 RBDG program will provide approximately $27.7 million in competitive grant funding to support economic development and small business growth in rural communities. The program is designed to help public entities, nonprofits, Tribes, and other eligible organizations strengthen rural economies through business development, entrepreneurship, technical assistance, and community-based economic strategies.
RBDG funding is divided into two categories: Enterprise Grants and Opportunity Grants. Enterprise grants focus on direct support for small and emerging businesses in rural areas, while Opportunity grants support broader economic development planning, feasibility work, and capacity-building activities.
🔧 What it supports:
The program supports a wide range of rural economic and workforce development activities, including business incubators, revolving loan funds, entrepreneur and leadership training, technical assistance, feasibility studies, strategic planning, infrastructure tied to business growth, rural transportation improvements, and technology-based economic development initiatives. Funds may also support workforce-related training and distance learning opportunities tied to job advancement and small business growth.
🎯 Key focus areas include:
- Rural small business development and expansion
- Entrepreneurship and business incubation
- Workforce and leadership training
- Technical assistance and business counseling
- Community economic development strategies
- Technology-based economic development
- Revolving loan funds and access to capital
- Feasibility studies and strategic planning
- Projects benefiting rural communities with populations under 50,000
💡 Why it matters:
RBDG remains one of USDA’s most flexible rural economic development funding programs and is especially valuable for communities seeking to strengthen local business ecosystems, expand workforce opportunities, and support long-term economic resilience. The program creates opportunities for nonprofits, local governments, economic development organizations, and Tribal entities to build locally driven solutions that support entrepreneurship, job creation, and rural prosperity.
For organizations working at the intersection of workforce development, small business support, economic mobility, and community revitalization, this funding can help launch or scale impactful regional initiatives with broad community benefit.
📌 How to apply:
Applications must be submitted to the USDA Rural Development State Office where the project is located. FY26 application deadlines are June 15, 2026 for Strategic Economic and Community Development (SECD) applications and June 30, 2026 for regular applications. Applicants submitting electronically must maintain an active SAM.gov registration and obtain a UEI number before applying. USDA strongly encourages applicants to begin registration and application preparation early.
👥 Who should consider this:
- Nonprofit organizations serving rural communities
- Local and regional economic development organizations
- Federally recognized Tribes
- Public bodies and government entities
- Rural cooperatives
- Institutions of higher education
- Community-based organizations supporting entrepreneurship, workforce development, and rural business growth
Organizations exploring rural economic development, workforce grant writing, entrepreneurship initiatives, or community revitalization strategies should pay close attention to this opportunity. The New Growth Team can help assess eligibility, shape competitive grant strategies, and develop strong USDA workforce and economic development proposals tailored to rural community impact.