Opportunity Information: Apply for RDBCP RCDG 2016
Apply for RDBCP RCDG 2016
- The USDA-rbcs in the agriculture, business and commerce sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Rural Cooperative Development Grant" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.771.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 29, 2016 and posted on Mar 29, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 20, 2016. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 39 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) is a competitive USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service (USDA-RBCS) grant program designed to strengthen rural economies by helping rural cooperatives and similar rural business entities get started, grow, or operate more effectively. Instead of providing direct funding to individual cooperatives or businesses, the program funds Rural Cooperative Development Centers. These centers then deliver hands-on technical assistance to people and organizations in rural communities, with the goal of building stronger local businesses, improving coordination among producers or entrepreneurs, and supporting long-term economic stability in rural areas.
The program sits within the Agriculture, Business and Commerce funding category (CFDA 10.771) and uses a standard grant funding instrument. Awards are made annually through a competitive process, meaning applicants are ranked against each other and funding decisions depend on how well proposals align with program priorities and requirements. The emphasis is on practical, capacity-building support that can lead to measurable improvements such as stronger cooperative governance and management, better business planning and financial systems, improved market access, feasibility work for new cooperative ventures, and operational upgrades for existing rural enterprises that function on cooperative or cooperative-like principles.
Eligible applicants are organizations capable of operating as Cooperative Development Centers, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions where applicable). This eligibility structure reflects how the program is intended to work: USDA funds a capable intermediary organization with expertise and reach, and that organization delivers technical services to rural clients who need specialized guidance but may not have the resources to purchase it on their own.
For the referenced opportunity cycle (Funding Opportunity Number: RDBCP RCDG 2016), the application deadline was June 20, 2016, with the opportunity posted and created on March 29, 2016. The maximum award amount (award ceiling) was $200,000, and USDA expected to make about 39 awards. In practical terms, this suggests a program footprint large enough to support multiple development centers across different regions, each working with rural groups to improve cooperative formation, expansion plans, and operational performance.
Overall, the RCDG program is best understood as a rural economic development technical assistance grant. Its core purpose is to build durable rural business capacity, particularly through cooperative models, by funding organizations that can coach, train, and guide rural groups through the real-world steps of launching, improving, and sustaining cooperative and cooperative-style enterprises.
Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) FAQs
What is the Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG)?
The Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) is a competitive grant program run by USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service (USDA-RBCS) to strengthen rural economies. It does this by funding organizations that operate as Rural Cooperative Development Centers, which then provide hands-on technical assistance to rural groups and organizations.
Who is the grant meant to fund directly?
The RCDG funds Rural Cooperative Development Centers (intermediary organizations). It does not provide direct funding to individual cooperatives or individual rural businesses.
If individual cooperatives do not receive money directly, what support do they get?
Rural groups and organizations can receive hands-on technical assistance delivered by the funded Development Centers. The support is focused on practical capacity-building that helps cooperatives and cooperative-like rural enterprises get started, grow, or operate more effectively.
What kinds of outcomes is the program trying to achieve?
The program emphasizes measurable improvements in rural business capacity, such as stronger cooperative governance and management, better business planning and financial systems, improved market access, feasibility work for new cooperative ventures, and operational upgrades for existing cooperative or cooperative-like rural enterprises.
What does "technical assistance" mean in the context of this program?
Based on the program description, technical assistance includes coaching, training, and guidance that helps rural clients navigate real-world steps of launching, improving, expanding, and sustaining cooperatives and cooperative-style enterprises.
What is a Rural Cooperative Development Center?
A Rural Cooperative Development Center is an organization with the expertise and capacity to deliver cooperative development services in rural communities. Under RCDG, USDA funds these centers so they can provide technical assistance to rural clients that may not have the resources to purchase specialized guidance on their own.
What is the main purpose of RCDG?
The core purpose of RCDG is rural economic development through technical assistance. The program aims to build durable local business capacity, particularly through cooperative business models, to support long-term economic stability in rural areas.
Is this program competitive?
Yes. Awards are made annually through a competitive process. Applicants are ranked against each other, and funding decisions depend on how well proposals align with program priorities and requirements.
What funding category and CFDA number is associated with this program?
The opportunity sits within the Agriculture, Business and Commerce funding category and is associated with CFDA 10.771.
What type of funding instrument is used?
The opportunity uses a standard grant funding instrument.
Who is eligible to apply for RCDG funding (as described here)?
Eligible applicants are organizations capable of operating as Cooperative Development Centers, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions where applicable).
Why are the eligible applicants structured around intermediary organizations?
The eligibility structure matches how the program is designed to work: USDA funds a capable intermediary organization with expertise and reach, and that organization provides technical services to rural clients.
What types of rural clients benefit from the funded centers?
The funded centers assist people and organizations in rural communities, especially those working on cooperative formation, cooperative expansion, or improving operations for existing rural enterprises that follow cooperative or cooperative-like principles.
Does RCDG support starting new cooperatives as well as improving existing ones?
Yes. The program is described as supporting efforts to help rural cooperatives and similar rural business entities get started, grow, or operate more effectively, including feasibility work for new cooperative ventures and operational upgrades for existing enterprises.
What agency within USDA administers this program?
The program is administered by USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service (USDA-RBCS).
What was the funding opportunity number for the referenced cycle?
The referenced opportunity cycle is identified as Funding Opportunity Number: RDBCP RCDG 2016.
When was the referenced opportunity posted and when was it created?
For the referenced cycle, the opportunity was posted and created on March 29, 2016.
What was the application deadline for the referenced opportunity cycle?
The application deadline for the referenced cycle was June 20, 2016.
What was the maximum award amount for the referenced cycle?
The maximum award amount (award ceiling) for the referenced opportunity cycle was $200,000.
How many awards were expected for the referenced cycle?
USDA expected to make about 39 awards for the referenced cycle.
What does the expected number of awards suggest about the program's reach?
With an expected 39 awards in the referenced cycle, the program footprint was described as large enough to support multiple development centers across different regions, each helping rural groups improve cooperative formation, expansion plans, and operational performance.
What kinds of businesses does the program focus on?
The program focuses on rural cooperatives and similar rural business entities, including enterprises that operate on cooperative or cooperative-like principles.
Is the program mainly about providing capital to businesses?
No. The program is best understood as a technical assistance grant focused on strengthening capacity (governance, management, planning, systems, market access, feasibility analysis, and operations) rather than providing direct capital to individual businesses.
What does "cooperative-like principles" mean here?
Based on the description provided, it refers to rural enterprises that function in a way that is similar to cooperatives, particularly around coordinated producer or entrepreneur activity and shared business development goals. (No further definition is provided in the opportunity summary.)
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (RDBCP RCDG 2016) also looked into and applied for these:
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