Priority will be given to application requests of less than $100,000. Additionally, eligible initial applications will receive discretionary points for projects that support the agency and department goals in the following categories:
* Local food systems and value-added agriculture
* Renewable energy
* Great regions: multi-county or multi-state projects that will establish best practices in the
area of regional economic and community development
* Support of cooperatives
* Underserved populations: minority and women-owned businesses
* Ecosystem market projects
* Access to capital markets
In Fiscal Year 2013, Rural Development awarded 2 grants totaling $137,000 with the South Dakota state allocated funds. Additionally, 2 grants totaling $542,155 were funded from National Office Native American earmarked funds. While the Fiscal Year 2014 funding level is not yet known, USDA Rural Development South Dakota expects its allocation to be around $140,000, with additional funds available for Native American projects.
USDA Rural Development is issuing this announcement prior to the dissemination of an appropriations bill for Federal Fiscal Year 2014 to allow potential applicants more time to leverage additional financing for their projects and to prepare their grant applications.
For more information on the RBEG program visit: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/BCP_rbeg.html.
For more information on this program, to discuss a proposed project or to obtain an application template, please contact one of the following Business Program Specialists:
* Clark Guthmiller, clark.guthmiller@sd.usda.gov or 605-224-8870 extension 4 or Pamela Smith, pamela.smith@sd.usda.gov or 605-342-0301 extension 4 – serving Bennett, Butte, Campbell, Corson, Custer, Dewey, Fall River, Haakon, Harding, Hughes, Jackson, Jones, Lawrence, Meade, Mellette, Pennington, Perkins, Potter, Shannon, Stanley, Sully, Todd, Walworth, and Ziebach Counties.
* Darlene Bresson, darlene.bresson@sd.usda.gov or 605-886-8202 extension 4; Dave Franssens, dave.franssens@sd.usda.gov or 605-330-4515 extension 4; or Gary Wedel, gary.wedel@sd.usda.gov or 605-996-1564 extension 4 - serving Autora, Beadle, Brookings, Brown, Brule, Charles Mix, Clark, Clay, Codington, Davison, Day, Deuel, Douglas, Edmunds, Faulk, Grant, Gregory, Hamlin, Hand, Hanson, Hutchinson, Hyde, Jerauld, Kingsbury, Lake, Lincoln, Lyman, Marshall, McCook, McPherson, Miner, Minnehaha, Moody, Roberts, Sanborn, Spink, Tripp, Turner, Union, and Yankton Counties.
President Obama’s plan for rural America has brought about historic investment and resulted in stronger rural communities. Under the President's leadership, these investments in housing, community facilities, businesses and infrastructure have empowered rural America to continue leading the way – strengthening America's economy, small towns and rural communities. USDA's investments in rural communities support the rural way of life that stands as the backbone of our American values.