$500K
per applicant
Grant
Cash award, application-based
Rolling
No fixed cutoff
Rolling
Or check for open cycles
Extensive
Detailed federal app
Provides grants to rural public entities and nonprofits to support the development of small and emerging private businesses in rural areas, including technical assistance, training, and project planning.
Do I qualify?
Answer the questions below to get an instant self-assessment of your fit for this program. This is informational — final determinations are made by the administering agency.
1.Applicant must be a rural public entity, tribe, cooperative, or nonprofit organization
2.Grant must benefit small and emerging businesses in rural areas (population ≤50,000)
3.Opportunity grants (up to $500K): benefit individual businesses directly
4.Enterprise grants: broad-based technical assistance to multiple rural businesses
5.Applications accepted through USDA Rural Development state offices
IRS · United States
Allows businesses to deduct up to $5.65/sq ft for commercial buildings achieving significant energy savings through improvements to HVAC, lighting, and building envelope systems. IRA expanded the deduction and allowed non-profits and government to allocate it.
LPO · United States
Offers federal loan guarantees for innovative clean energy projects that struggle to access conventional financing. Supports first-of-kind commercial-scale projects in renewable energy, storage, advanced nuclear, and industrial decarbonization.
NCDOR · North Carolina
Provides state income tax credits for investments in renewable energy equipment and energy efficiency improvements for business properties in North Carolina, stackable with federal ITC.