U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Oklahoma State Director, Kenneth Corn today announced that the Oklahoma State Office is now accepting Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) Applications. An RBDG is a competitive grant, which is designed to aid small and emerging private businesses in rural Oklahoma. Applicants must submit their grant package to the Oklahoma State Office no later than Feb. 28, 2025, by 4:30 p.m.
Funds may be used to establish business support centers or to finance job training and leadership development in rural areas. They may also be used to purchase or develop land; repair or modernize buildings; finance feasibility studies or business plans; or purchase equipment to lease to small or emerging businesses.
“The Biden-Harris Administration has made these grants available to be used by towns, nonprofits, Tribal Nations, institutes of higher education and others to improve the economic impact in rural and tribal communities across Oklahoma,” Corn said. “This notice is being provided prior to the passage of a Fiscal Year 2025 budget being secured to provide necessary time for Oklahoma entities to apply for this important program. Due to the uncertainty of this appropriation process funding for this program has yet to be determined; however, I still encourage entities to apply and communicate with our State Office on your economic goals as we work together to improve and strengthen our economic impact in Oklahoma.”
Examples of past successful RBDG projects in Oklahoma include:
- A $108,437 grant agreement with Enid Regional Development Alliance in 2023 that provided a laser cutting machine to EH Metal Works, owned by a young entrepreneur and woman-owned business, to increase production and sales for the business.
- A $65,426 grant agreement with Logan County Economic Development Council in 2023 that purchased a larger coffee roaster for a coffee shop in downtown Guthrie to expand sales and acquire long-term wholesale clients.
- A $163,622 grant agreement with Cherokee Nation in 2022, which provided a revolving loan fund for the Cherokee Nation Small Business Assistance Center to assist multiple small businesses with their financing needs.
To learn more about the RBDG process visit: https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/business-programs/rural-business-development-grants. The Notice of Funding Availability is posted on the Federal Register at: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-10-18/pdf/2024-20344.pdf.
Stakeholders can also email the Oklahoma State Office for more information at: okbusiness@usda.gov.
To subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit the GovDelivery subscriber page.