Search Results for agency_names:"Rural Business-Cooperative Service"

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is implementing changes to the Biobased Markets Program, also known as the BioPreferred Program, following updates from the 2018 Farm Bill. The updated rule merges two previous sets of guidelines into one, streamlining the regulatory process for designating and labeling biobased products that qualify for federal procurement preferences. This final rule aims to make it easier for these products to qualify for federal use and merges federal guidelines for procurement and labeling into a single, simplified regulation effective January 8, 2025.

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service of the USDA is planning to revise an information collection for the Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) program. This program aims to create and enhance jobs in low-income rural areas by supporting industry clusters. They are inviting the public to provide feedback on the necessity and impact of this information collection. Comments need to be submitted by February 18, 2025, and further information can be obtained from Katherine Anne Mathis at the USDA.

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS), part of the USDA, has announced a funding opportunity under the Timber Production Expansion Guaranteed Loan Program for 2024. This program will help lenders provide loans to entities looking to build or improve sawmills and wood processing facilities near priority U.S. Forest Service lands. Over $200 million will be available starting in 2025, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The goal is to support ecological restoration efforts by using byproducts from these projects and to advance rural economic opportunities, while prioritizing climate change mitigation and racial equity.

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service of the USDA released a correction to a previous notice about the Rural Energy for America Program. The original notice contained mistakes regarding the points given for the size of the funding request and for applicants who hadn’t received grants or loan commitments in the past two years. The corrections specify that applicants who haven’t recently received funding can earn 5 extra points. Additionally, smaller grant requests can qualify for 10 extra points, with a total maximum score possible of 100 points for those applications.

The United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Development (RD) division is changing its funding opportunities to remove references to the previous Administration's key priorities and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) criteria. This update follows an Executive Order titled "Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing," issued in January 2025. Programs affected by this change will no longer consider these previous criteria for application scoring. Additionally, the Rural Energy for America Program's funding notice is corrected to include $50 million from the 2018 Farm Bill that was previously omitted.

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Rural Housing Service, and Rural Utilities Service in the Department of Agriculture announced a correction to a previous document about loan guarantee rates and fees for fiscal year 2021. The correction added missing details specific to Alaska and clarified when certain fee payments begin. The original notice was issued on September 1, 2020, and the correction updates it to include all necessary information.

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS) of the USDA plans to revise an existing information collection for the Rural Development Cooperative Agreements (RDCA) Program. They are inviting public comments on this proposal in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The proposed changes aim to improve the effectiveness and coordination of programs supporting rural areas. Comments can be submitted via the Federal eRulemaking Portal until February 18, 2025.

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS) of the USDA has announced a notice of funding opportunity for grants aimed at providing technical assistance to improve rural transportation systems. These grants, available for fiscal year 2025, especially target transportation systems on Tribal lands of Federally Recognized Native American Tribes. Approximately $750,000 is expected to be available, with applications due by April 7, 2025. The program seeks proposals that align with key priorities like economic recovery, climate change, and ensuring equitable access to resources.

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service under the USDA has issued a notice inviting applications for grants under the Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) Program for the fiscal year 2021. These grants aim to promote economic development and job creation in rural areas by funding business opportunity and enterprise projects. Applications must be submitted by March 31, 2021, to the appropriate USDA Rural Development State Office. Eligibility is limited to public bodies, government entities, Indian Tribes, or nonprofit entities primarily serving rural areas, with strict requirements and a competitive selection process based on specific criteria.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has re-authorized the Strategic Economic and Community Development (SECD) priority through the 2018 Farm Bill. For FY 2021, the agency is reserving funds from certain development programs to prioritize projects that support multi-jurisdictional and multi-sectoral strategic community investment plans. Applicants for these funds need to submit specific forms and meet eligibility requirements, with an emphasis on projects in rural areas. The notice also encourages projects that improve life in rural America, including areas designated as Opportunity Zones and efforts to combat substance use disorders.