What funding is available for Vermont and New Hampshire?
There is no maximum grant amount for the program, but due to limited allocations, we ask that applications within the Northeast Kingdom (NEK) of Vermont (Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans) a designated Rural Economic Area Partnership zone, be limited to no more than $200,000. All other applications outside the NEK, in Vermont and New Hampshire, will be limited to no more than $50,000. Smaller requests are given higher priority. There is no cost-sharing requirement. Opportunity grants are limited to up to 10 percent of the total Rural Business Development Grant annual funding.
Notice:
The Notice of Funding Opportunity inviting applications for grants to provide Technical Assistance for passenger Rural Transportation (RT) Systems under the Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) program for Fiscal year 2025 and the terms for such funding.
Application Dates – Open Date: January 6, 2025
Close Date: April 7, 2025, 4:30 p.m. local time
Notice:
This program is only open to a Public Body/Government Entity, Federally Recognized Indian Tribe or a Nonprofit entity serving rural areas. For profit entities, individuals and individual businesses are not eligible to receive grants under this program.
What does this program do?
community projects that serve rural areas.
Grants may be made to a Public Body/Government Entity, an Indian Tribe, or a Nonprofit entity primarily serving rural areas.
- Training and technical assistance, such as project planning, business counseling and training, market research, feasibility studies, professional or/technical reports, or producer service improvements.
- Acquisition or development of land, easements, or rights of way; construction, conversion, renovation of buildings; plants, machinery, equipment, access for streets and roads; parking areas and utilities.
- Pollution control and abatement.
- The capitalization of revolving loan funds, including funds that will make loans for start-ups and working capital.
- Rural distance learning for job training and advancement for adult students.
- Rural transportation improvement.
- Community economic development.
- Technology-based economic development.
- Feasibility studies and business plans.
- Leadership and entrepreneur training.
- Rural business incubators.
- Long-term business strategic planning.
- Community economic development.
- Technology-based economic development.
- Feasibility studies and business plans.
- Leadership and entrepreneur training.
- Rural business incubators.
- Long-term business strategic planning.
- Evidence showing job creation at local businesses.
- Percent of non-federal funding committed to the project.
- Economic need in the area to be served.
- Consistency with local economic development priorities.
- Experience of the grantee with similar efforts.
- Applications are accepted through USDA Rural Development’s local or state offices. Applicants are advised to view program information specific to your local or state office to learn about local application timelines, concept paper requirements, etc.
- Grant awardees will need to complete required paperwork and comply with the terms and conditions of the award. Contact your local or state office for details.
- Contact your local office.
Citations and other information may be subject to change, please always consult the program instructions listed in this section.
Program now accepting applications for FY2025
Grant applications must be received by Friday, February 28, 2025
Notice of Solicitation of Funds for Rural Business Developments Grants
RBDG Application Toolkit and Forms
- Vermont/New Hampshire RBDG Application Toolkit
- Form SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance”
- Form SF-424A, “Budget Information-Non-Construction Programs”
- Form SF-424B, “Assurances - Non-Construction Programs”
- Form RD 400-1, “Equal Opportunity Agreement”
- Form 400-8, “Civil Rights Compliance Review”
- Form RD 400-4, “Assurance Agreement”
- Form AD 1047, “Certification Regarding Debarment”
- RD Inst. 1940-Q, Exh A-1, “Certification for Contracts, Grants, & Loans”
- Environmental Questionnaire
- Form 1980-88, “Strategic Economic and Community Development Priority"
- Verification of Matching Funds
NOTE: If state specific forms are not shown above, please refer to the application materials listed below to start the process of applying. Please ensure that your state is selected in the dropdown menu above to find the State Office contact information for this program and speak to a Business Programs Specialist before attempting to fill out any forms or applications. This will save you valuable time in the process.
Preliminary Actions Required
To complete an application for this program, you must be pre-registered with the System for Award Management (SAM). Neither of these applications cost money, but they can take time so be sure to get this taken care of right away. If you are already registered with these systems, you do not need to do it again.
Special Alert for SAM Registrants
Last year, we alerted our vendor community to third party companies offering to help you update information contained within the System for Award Management (www.SAM.gov) website, for a fee. Your SAM registration contains sensitive business information, including your banking information and other sensitive information, so your login and password should not be shared with anyone outside your company. As a reminder, the use of the System for Award Management website is free to use and update, and the Commodity Procurement Staff does not see a reason to pay anyone to provide that service.
Secondly, we have just become aware of a couple of scam emails that offer to “help companies start the renewal process online” or suggest that “Your Federal Profile is Almost Complete. Immediate Action Required!” In both cases, your free access to SAM.gov will resolve any questions you may have regarding your registration in SAM.gov. As you know SAM.gov requires an annual recertification and sends out email reminders prior to the expiration, and again, updates should be handled by company employees. Furthermore, if your registration is not complete, you may login to SAM.gov to make that determination for yourself.
Please remember that SAM.gov is not affiliated with the USDA and is a government-wide website not maintained by our Agency. If you have any questions regarding access or how to use SAM, please contact their help desk at 866-606-8220, option #1.
There are no additional requirements at the national level. If there are additional state-specific requirements, they will be listed above.
Ken Yearman, Business Programs Director
(802) 828-6083
BP.VTNH.Inquiry@usda.gov
Serving Vermont and New Hampshire