Opportunity Information: Apply for RD RBS 21 01 RISE
The Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) Grant Program is a competitive U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funding opportunity designed to help distressed rural and energy communities build stronger, higher-wage local economies. The program focuses on supporting "jobs accelerator partnerships" that can expand a community's capacity to create well-paying jobs, speed up new business formation, and help rural regions identify, develop, and leverage local assets. In practice, RISE is aimed at collaborative, place-based economic development efforts that connect facilities, programming, and partners into a coordinated system for entrepreneurship and workforce growth.
Funding is provided as a grant (discretionary) under CFDA 10.755. Individual awards range from a minimum of $500,000 to a maximum of $2,000,000 per project, and grant dollars can cover up to 80 percent of eligible project costs, meaning recipients generally need to bring at least 20 percent in matching or other non-federal support. While the listing notes an award ceiling of $10,000,000 and an expectation of about 7 awards, the stated per-grant maximum remains $2,000,000, signaling that multiple projects are funded rather than one large award.
RISE funds can be used for a mix of capital, operational, and programmatic costs tied to an innovation center and associated job accelerator activities in a rural area. Allowable uses include expenses directly related to purchasing or constructing an innovation center located in a rural community. The grant can also support the operation of that innovation center, including equipment purchases, office supplies, and certain administrative costs such as salaries, as long as those costs are directly connected to carrying out the funded project. Beyond the facility itself, the program allows costs for support programs that are delivered at a job accelerator or in direct partnership with one, reinforcing that the grant is not just about real estate or a building, but also about the services, training, and ecosystem supports that help businesses start, scale, and hire.
Additional eligible expenses include reasonable and customary travel directly related to job accelerator activities, with travel reimbursements required to comply with federal cost principles (specifically 2 CFR 200.474). Utilities and other operating expenses for the innovation center and job accelerator programs are also allowable, as are associated program costs needed to run those activities. However, there is a cap on general grantee administrative costs: they cannot exceed 10 percent of the total grant amount over the life of the project, which is meant to keep the bulk of funding focused on direct project delivery rather than overhead.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of applicants that commonly lead or participate in regional economic development efforts. Eligible applicants include local governments (counties, cities/townships), special districts, independent school districts, public and state-controlled colleges and universities, private institutions of higher education, federally recognized tribal governments, other tribal organizations, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and small businesses. This wide eligibility fits the program's emphasis on partnerships, since effective job accelerators and innovation hubs often involve a mix of public, nonprofit, education, tribal, and private-sector actors.
Administratively, the opportunity is issued by the USDA under its Utilities Programs (as listed in the source data), with the funding opportunity number RD RBS 21 01 RISE. The original posting date is June 17, 2021, and the original application closing date was August 2, 2021. The funding activity categories associated with the program span agriculture, business and commerce, community development, education, employment and training, energy, environment, food and nutrition, health, natural resources, opportunity zone benefits, regional development, science and technology/R&D, and transportation, reflecting the wide range of sectors that rural innovation and job creation efforts may touch.
Overall, RISE is best understood as a significant, partnership-driven investment tool for rural regions seeking to build or strengthen an innovation center and connect it to job accelerator programming that leads to durable business growth and higher-wage employment, with clear cost-share expectations and defined boundaries on indirect administrative spending.Apply for RD RBS 21 01 RISE
- The Department of Agriculture, Utilities Programs in the agriculture, business and commerce, community development, education, employment, labor and training, energy, environment, food and nutrition, health, natural resources, opportunity zone benefits, regional development, science and technology and other research and development, transportation sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Rural Innovation Stronger Economy Grant Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.755.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 17, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 02, 2021. (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 $10,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 7 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.
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RISE Grant Program (USDA) FAQs
What is the Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) Grant Program?
The Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) Grant Program is a competitive grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) designed to help distressed rural and energy communities strengthen their local economies. It supports collaborative, place-based efforts that are intended to create higher-wage jobs, accelerate new business formation, and help communities identify and leverage local assets.
What is RISE trying to accomplish in rural communities?
RISE focuses on building a coordinated system for entrepreneurship and workforce growth. In practical terms, it backs partnerships that combine facilities (like an innovation center), programming, and aligned partners into a "jobs accelerator" approach that helps businesses start, scale, and hire.
Is RISE a formula program or a competitive grant?
RISE is a competitive funding opportunity and is provided as a discretionary grant.
Who is the federal agency behind this grant?
The program is issued by the USDA, and the source information lists it under USDA Utilities Programs.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is RD RBS 21 01 RISE.
What is the CFDA number for RISE?
The CFDA number listed for this program is 10.755.
How much funding can one project receive?
Individual awards range from a minimum of $500,000 to a maximum of $2,000,000 per project.
How much of the project cost can RISE cover?
RISE grant dollars can cover up to 80 percent of eligible project costs. That generally means recipients are expected to provide at least 20 percent in matching funds or other non-federal support.
Does the program require matching funds?
Yes. Because the grant can cover up to 80 percent of eligible costs, applicants generally need to bring at least 20 percent in matching or other non-federal support.
I saw an award ceiling of $10,000,000. Can a single applicant get that amount?
The information provided notes an award ceiling of $10,000,000 and an expectation of about 7 awards, but it also states that the per-grant maximum remains $2,000,000. This suggests the program funds multiple projects rather than issuing one large award.
What types of projects does RISE fund?
RISE supports "jobs accelerator partnerships" and related efforts that expand a community's capacity to create well-paying jobs and increase the pace of new business formation. It is aimed at collaborative economic development efforts that connect an innovation center with job accelerator programming and partner organizations.
Does RISE only pay for constructing a building?
No. While RISE can fund expenses directly related to purchasing or constructing an innovation center in a rural community, it also supports operations and programming tied to job accelerator activities. The program is described as supporting both the facility and the services/ecosystem supports that help businesses grow and hire.
Can RISE funds be used to purchase or construct an innovation center?
Yes. Allowable uses include expenses directly related to purchasing or constructing an innovation center located in a rural community.
Can RISE funds be used to operate an innovation center?
Yes. RISE can support the operation of an innovation center, including equipment purchases, office supplies, utilities, and certain administrative costs (such as salaries) when those costs are directly connected to carrying out the funded project.
Are equipment purchases allowed under RISE?
Yes. Equipment purchases are listed as an allowable cost when tied to operating the innovation center and delivering the funded job accelerator activities.
Are office supplies and utilities allowable costs?
Yes. Office supplies and utilities (and other operating expenses) for the innovation center and job accelerator programs are described as allowable.
Can the grant pay for salaries or administrative staffing?
Certain administrative costs, including salaries, can be supported as long as they are directly connected to carrying out the funded project.
Is there a cap on administrative or overhead costs?
Yes. General grantee administrative costs cannot exceed 10 percent of the total grant amount over the life of the project.
What does the 10 percent administrative cap apply to?
The information specifies a cap on general grantee administrative costs, limiting them to no more than 10 percent of the total grant amount across the project period. This is intended to keep most funding focused on direct project delivery rather than overhead.
Can RISE funds support training, services, or other entrepreneurship programs?
Yes. RISE allows costs for support programs delivered at a job accelerator or in direct partnership with one, reinforcing that funded work can include services and programming in addition to facility-related costs.
Are travel costs eligible?
Yes. Reasonable and customary travel that is directly related to job accelerator activities is listed as an eligible expense.
Are there special rules for travel reimbursement?
Yes. Travel reimbursements must comply with federal cost principles, specifically 2 CFR 200.474.
Who can apply for the RISE grant?
Eligibility is broad. Eligible applicants include local governments (counties, cities/townships), special districts, independent school districts, public and state-controlled colleges and universities, private institutions of higher education, federally recognized tribal governments, other tribal organizations, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), for-profit organizations other than small businesses, small businesses, and other entities listed in the opportunity description.
Are nonprofits eligible to apply?
Yes. Both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations are included as eligible applicants.
Are small businesses eligible to apply?
Yes. Small businesses are listed among eligible applicants.
Are for-profit businesses eligible to apply?
Yes. The eligibility list includes for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and it separately includes small businesses as eligible applicants.
Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. Federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations are included in the eligibility list.
Are colleges and universities eligible?
Yes. Public and state-controlled colleges and universities, as well as private institutions of higher education, are included as eligible applicants.
Are local governments eligible?
Yes. Local governments, including counties and cities/townships, are listed as eligible applicants. Special districts and independent school districts are also included.
Is the program limited to rural areas?
The information describes RISE as supporting rural regions and specifies that the innovation center is to be located in a rural community.
What kinds of communities does RISE prioritize?
The program is described as designed to help distressed rural and energy communities build stronger, higher-wage local economies.
What is a "jobs accelerator partnership" in the context of RISE?
Based on the description provided, a jobs accelerator partnership is a collaborative, place-based group of organizations working together to increase local capacity for job creation and business formation, typically by connecting an innovation center (facility) with coordinated programming, services, and partner support.
What is an "innovation center" under RISE?
The opportunity describes an innovation center as a facility located in a rural community that can be purchased or constructed with grant support and then operated as part of the broader jobs accelerator effort to support entrepreneurship and workforce/economic growth.
What funding activity categories are associated with RISE?
The program is associated with a wide range of categories, including agriculture, business and commerce, community development, education, employment and training, energy, environment, food and nutrition, health, natural resources, opportunity zone benefits, regional development, science and technology/R&D, and transportation.
When was this opportunity originally posted and when did it close?
The original posting date is June 17, 2021, and the original application closing date was August 2, 2021.
How many awards were expected under this listing?
The listing notes an expectation of about 7 awards.
What should applicants keep in mind when building a budget?
Key budget points described include: (1) awards are $500,000 to $2,000,000 per project, (2) grant funds can cover up to 80 percent of eligible costs (generally requiring at least 20 percent match/non-federal support), (3) general grantee administrative costs are capped at 10 percent of the total grant amount over the life of the project, and (4) travel must follow federal cost principles (2 CFR 200.474) when directly tied to job accelerator activities.
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| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Rural Innovation Stronger Economy Grant Program Apply for RD RBS 22 01 RISE Funding Number: RD RBS 22 01 RISE Agency: Department of Agriculture, Rural Utilities Service Category: Agriculture, Business and Commerce, Community Development, Education, Employment, Labor and Training, Energy, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Natural Resources, Opportunity Zone Benefits, Reg Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
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