On Tuesday, June 7, USDA’s Rural Business-Cooperative Service released the Request for Applications (RFA) for its Rural Cooperative Development Grant  (RCDG) to help rural cooperatives expand economic opportunities in their area.  Up to $7.4 million in funds is available for competitive proposals of up to $225,000 per grant.

Rural Cooperative Development Grants are made for establishing and operating centers for cooperative development to improve the economic condition of rural areas by developing new cooperatives and improving operations of existing cooperatives.  Grants are awarded on a competitive basis and are based on specific selection criteria contained in the RFA.  Grants may be awarded for up to 75 percent of the total cost of the project.  The applicant must contribute at least 25 percent from non-federal sources.

Past RCDG recipients have included NSAC member organization Farm to Table, Inc., of Santa Fe, NM, which collaborated with member-owned cooperative La Montanita to provide curriculum and a new loan investment initiative for food systems businesses.

The deadline for this grant is July 22, 2011.

To learn more about the RCDG, find your local Rural Development office, or visit the program’s website, where you can read frequently asked questions, get more information on eligibility, or have a look at the 2010 application.