Rural Business Grant Finalists

July 5, 2001

USDA says 48 applications totaling $5.7 million have been selected as finalists for rural business grant funding consideration. The funds will be used to facilitate the development of small and emerging private business enterprises and provide technical assistance, training, and planning activities for economic development in 24 states.

The applicants selected represent 47 public bodies, private nonprofit corporations and federally recognized Indian tribes who will use the funds to assist some of the more distressed rural areas. Distressed areas identified include federally designated rural enterprise communities and empowerment zones, rural economic area partnership (REAP) zones, and native American tribes and tribal organizations.

Grant funding has been made available through the Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) and Rural Business Opportunities Grant (RBOG) Programs which are administered by the Rural Business-Cooperative Service, an agency within USDA Rural Development.

A list of individual loan recipients being considered for funding can be found at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rd/newsroom/news.htm.