USDA Announces Opening of Rural Business Opportunity Grant Program

USDA’s Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) today has announced the
availability of
grants of up to $50,000 per application from the Rural Business
Opportunity Grant (RBOG) program for
FY 2009 under a competitive process. Assistance provided to rural areas
under this program
may include technical assistance for business development and economic
development planning.

For multi-state projects, grant funds of up to $150,000 will be
available on a competitive basis.

USDA notes that today’s announcement "is being issued prior to passage
of a final appropriations bill, which may or may not provide funding for
this
program, to allow applicants sufficient time to apply for and obtain
leverage financing, submit applications, and give the Agency time to
process applications within the current fiscal year."

USDA will publish a subsequent notice identifying the amount received in
the
appropriations, if any. Expenses incurred in developing applications
will be at the applicant’s risk.

The deadline for the receipt of applications in the Rural
Development State Office is March 31, 2009. The appropriation for
FY 2009 may provide specific funding for rural areas designated:

* Federally Recognized Native American Tribes’ (FRNAT

* Empowerment Zones, Enterprise Communities

* Rural Economic Area Partnerships

Grants may be made to public bodies, nonprofit corporations, Indian
tribes on Federal or State reservations and other federally recognized
tribal groups, and cooperatives with members that are primarily rural
residents and that conduct activities for the mutual benefit of the
members.

Click here <http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-5407.pdf> for
full background and application requirements.