Business Programs provide financial backing and technical assistance to stimulate business creation and growth. The programs work through partnerships with public and private community based organizations and financial institutions to provide financial assistance, business development, and technical assistance to rural businesses. These programs help to provide capital, equipment, space, job training, and entrepreneurial skills that can help to start and/or grow a business. Business Programs also support the creation and preservation of quality jobs in rural areas.
Loans, loan guarantees, and grants are available to individuals, businesses, cooperatives, farmers and ranchers, public bodies, non-profit corporations, Native American Tribes, and private companies in rural communities. The financial resources of the Business Programs are often leveraged with those of other public and private credit source lenders to meet business and credit needs in under-served areas. The funding is intended to help improve the quality of life in rural communities by enhancing economic opportunities and ensuring self-sustainability for generations to come.
Rural Development Business Programs
Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program
The RBCS flagship Business & Industry (B&I) Guaranteed Loan Program improves the economic health of rural communities by increasing access to business capital through loan guarantees. This loan guarantee program enables commercial lenders to provide affordable financing for rural businesses.
Timber Production Expansion Guaranteed Loan Program
The Timber Production Expansion Guaranteed Loan Program (TPEP) operated in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service provides financial support to qualified lenders whose loan applicants want to establish, reopen, expand, or improve a sawmill or other wood processing facility that processes ecosystem restoration byproducts from USDA Forest Service National Forest System lands.
Biobased Product Manufacturing Guaranteed Loan Program
The Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Program (9003) provides loan guarantees of up to $250 million to assist in the development, construction and retrofitting of new and emerging technologies. Eligible technologies include advanced biofuels, renewable chemicals and biobased products. The BDAP Grant Program is designed to assist with meeting the requirements of this program.
Biobased Markets and Development Access Grant Program
The Biobased Markets and Development Access Grants Program (BDAP) provides grants to eligible applicants to establish and validate the commercial viability of certain biobased technologies by building or operating integrated demonstration units (IDUs)– facilities that demonstrate continuous, successful production for a set period of time. These grants assist with meeting the requirements of a 9003 loan guarantee.
BioPreferred Certification Program
The USDA BioPreferred Certification Program is designed to encourage economic development, create new jobs and provide new markets for farm commodities. Biopreferred increases the purchase and use of biobased products through voluntary labeling and certification of the products. The program includes access for participants to mandatory federal purchasing of biobased products.
Agriculture Innovation Center Program
The Agriculture Innovation Center program makes grants to existing Agriculture Innovation Centers that may be used by the Centers to provide technical assistance to agricultural producers to help them develop and market value-added agricultural products using a variety of options, except joint marketing efforts.
Fertilizer Production Expansion Program
The Fertilizer Product Expansion Program (FPEP) provides grants to help eligible applicants increase or otherwise expand the domestic manufacturing and processing of fertilizer, nutrient alternatives, and other nutrient management products and technologies while increasing their availability in the U.S.
Intermediary Relending Program
The Intermediary Relending Program (IRP) program provides one percent low-interest loans to local lenders or “intermediaries” that re-lend to businesses to improve economic conditions and create jobs in rural communities.
Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program
The Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP) provides grants to help eligible meat and poultry processors expand their capacity. The program encourages competition and sustainable growth in the U.S. meat processing sector, and improves supply chain resiliency.
Rural Business Development Grants
Rural Business Development Grants (RBDG) program is designed to provide technical assistance and training for small rural businesses. The grants may be made to a public entity, an Indian Tribe, or a nonprofit entity primarily serving rural areas.
Rural Business Investment Program
The Rural Business Investment Program (RBIP) provides a Rural Business Investment Company (RBIC) license to newly formed developmental capital organizations to help meet the equity capital investment needs in rural communities.
Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program
The Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP) provides loans and grants to Microenterprise Development Organizations to help microenterprises startup and growth through a Rural Microloan Revolving Fund. The program also provides training and technical assistance to microloan borrowers and micro entrepreneurs.
Strategic Economic and Community Development Program
The Strategic Economic and Community Development Program (SECD) bolsters participating USDA Rural Development program funds by supporting projects that promote and implement strategic community investment plans.
Value Added Producer Grants
The Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program helps agricultural producers enter into value-added activities related to the processing and marketing of new products. The goals of this program are to generate new products, create and expand marketing opportunities and increase producer income.