USDA Rural Development is incorporating key Biden-Harris Administration priorities into program scoring and associated funding announcements beginning with the fiscal year (FY) 2023 funding announcements. Many USDA Rural Development grant and technical assistance programs have the potential to support rural communities’ economic development effort and maintain and improve a healthy rural population by leveraging funding assistance to key Administration priorities.
These priorities build upon RD’s continuing commitment to serving traditionally underserved and economically challenged rural areas, such as Persistent Poverty Counties. Many RD programs will have a funding set-aside for areas of persistent poverty. These programs will be identified on the Priority Points Program Chart.
USDA Rural Development has identified three key priorities that will provide a pathway to facilitate economic growth for all rural Americans and is encouraging Applicants to consider projects that will advance the following three key priorities.
Reducing climate pollution and increasing resilience to the impacts of climate change through economic support to rural communities.
Ensuring all rural residents have equitable access to RD programs and benefits from RD funded projects.
Assisting rural communities recover economically through more and better market opportunities and through improved infrastructure.
We will be incorporating these priorities into the work we do across the Agency and with our partners to incentivize strategic engagement and investment.
Priority Points, also referred to as discretionary points, are additional points added to an established scoring criterion that USDA Rural Development uses to help determine which projects qualify for funding. Awarding extra points (i.e., priority points) raises a project’s score, which in turn improves the chances of a project being scored high enough to warrant a funding award. The flexibility related to these kinds of points varies, depending on regulations language.
Priority points will be awarded in key RD programs to projects that support these priorities. These priority points will be incorporated into funding announcements and published in the Federal Register. For the list of programs that include priority points download the Priority Points Program Chart.
Note: Creating More and Better Market Opportunities was previously named COVID-19. Funding opportunities carrying over from FY2022 to FY2023 may now receive points under the Market Opportunities priority.
To help with your understanding of the Priorities and who will qualify, we offer the following information:
Assisting rural communities to recover economically through more and better market opportunities through improved infrastructure.
Priority Points: Applicants receive priority points if the project is located in or serving one of the top 10% of counties or county equivalents based upon county risk score in the United States. Please use the Economic Risk Assessment Dashboard to determine if the county your project serves qualifies for priority points. The top 10% of counties or county equivalents are highlighted in red on the dashboard.
For additional information on data sources used for this priority determination, please download the Data Sources for Rural Development Priorities document.
Note: US Territories would obtain points by using local data regarding how economic risk factors in the dashboard have impacted proposed project area.
Ensuring all rural residents have equitable access to RD programs and benefits from RD funded projects.
This priority aligns with the Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government
Priority Points: Applicant receives priority points if the project is located in or serving a community with score 0.75 or above on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index. Please use Social Vulnerability Index Map to look up map or list to determine if your project qualifies for priority points.
For additional information on data sources used for this priority determination, please download the Data Sources for Rural Development Priorities document.
Note: US Territories would obtain points by using local data to demonstrate the social vulnerability of the proposed project area.
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Reducing climate pollution and increasing resilience to the impacts of climate change through economic support to rural communities.
Priority will be given to proposals that address climate crisis through projects that:
Priority Points: Applicant can receive priority points through one of two options listed below:
For additional information on data sources used for this priority determination, please download the Data Sources for Rural Development Priorities document.
Note: US Territories would obtain points through option 1 by using local data to demonstrate that the proposed project area has a high concentration of fossil fuel-employment. Under the Distressed Communities Index, all US Territories are considered Distressed Communities.
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If you have questions about determining qualification for priority points, please email RD.Innovation.Data@usda.gov