Grants to develop the capacity and ability of nonprofit organizations, low-income rural communities, or federally recognized tribes to undertake projects related to housing, community facilities, or community and economic development in rural areas.
Eligible Applicants
- City or township governments
- State governments
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- County governments
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- For profit organizations other than small businesses
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
Estimated Total Program Funding:
- $6,256,000
- Award Ceiling: $300,000
- Award Floor: $50,000
The Intermediary will be required to provide matching funds in an amount at least equal to the RCDI grant. The respective minumum and maximum grant amount per Intermediary is $50,000.00 and $300,000.00. The Recipient, but not the Intermediary, must be located in a city or town that has a population of less than 50,000 inhabitants.
Fund uses must be consistent with the RCDI purpose. A nonexclusive list of eligible grant uses includes the following:
- Provide technical assistance to develop recipients’ capacity and ability to undertake projects related to housing, community facilities, or community and economic development, i.e., the intermediary hires a staff person to provide technical assistance to the recipient or the recipient hires a staff person, under the supervision of the intermediary, to carry out the technical assistance provided by the intermediary.
- Develop the capacity of recipients to conduct community development programs, e.g., homeownership education or training for business entrepreneurs.
- Develop the capacity of recipients to conduct development initiatives, e.g., programs that support micro-enterprise and sustainable development.
- Develop the capacity of recipients to increase their leveraging ability and access to alternative funding sources by providing training and staffing.
- Develop the capacity of recipients to provide the technical assistance component for essential community facilities projects.
- Assist recipients in completing predevelopment requirements for housing, community facilities, or community and economic development projects by providing resources for professional services, e.g., architectural, engineering, or legal.
- Improve recipient’s organizational capacity by providing training and resource material on developing strategic plans, board operations, management, financial systems, and information technology.
- Purchase of computers, software, and printers, limited to $10,000 per award, at the recipient level when directly related to the technical assistance program being undertaken by the intermediary.
- Provide funds to recipients for training-related travel costs and training expenses related to RCDI.
Ineligible Fund Uses
- Pass-through grants, capacity grants, and any funds provided to the recipient in a lump sum that are not reimbursements.
- Funding a revolving loan fund (RLF).
- Construction (in any form).
- Salaries for positions involved in construction, renovations, rehabilitation, and any oversight of these types of activities.
- Intermediary preparation of strategic plans for recipients.
- Funding prostitution, gambling, or any illegal activities.
- Grants to individuals.
- Funding a grant where there may be a conflict of interest, or an appearance of a conflict of interest, involving any action by the Agency.
- Paying obligations incurred before the beginning date without prior Agency approval or after the ending date of the grant agreement.
- Purchasing real estate.
- Improvement or renovation of the grantee’s, or recipient’s office space or for the repair or maintenance of privately owned vehicles.
- Any other purpose prohibited in 7 CFR parts 3015, 3016, and 3019, as applicable.
- Using funds for recipient’s general operating costs.
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