Federal grant programs / Department of Agriculture

Community Facilities Loans and Grants (10.766)

• Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$1.5 billion
• Grant awards5,066
• Typical award$50,000
• Awarded in FY 2025$312 million
• Size rank207 of 1824
• Type of assistanceProject grants, direct loans, guaranteed/insured loans

Key findings

• Annual funding rose from $114 million in fiscal 2021 to $312 million in fiscal 2025.
• It is the 207th largest of 1,824 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
• The 20 largest recipients received 13% of the money.
• Awards went to recipients in 56 states and territories.

What the program funds

To provide affordable funding either through loans or grants to develop essential community facility projects in rural communities to nonprofits, public bodies, and federally recognized tribes. Ensure program is delivered efficiently, effectively and with integrity. Ensure all rural residents have equitable access to program funding with specific set asides for persistent poverty counties, to help rural communities build robust and sustainable economies.

From the federal Assistance Listing. Read the full listing on SAM.gov.

Open opportunities

No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.

Rules from the program listing

Who can apply

City, county, and other public bodies; community-based non-profit corporations; and Federally-recognized Tribes. Eligible applicants must: (1) operate on a not-for-profit basis; (2) have or will have the legal authority necessary for constructing, operating, and maintaining the proposed facility or service and for obtaining, giving security for, and repaying the loan; and (3) are unable to finance the proposed project from its own resources or through commercial credit at reasonable rates and terms. Assistance is authorized for eligible applicants in rural areas of the States, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palaw, and the Federated States of Micronesia.

What the money can and cannot pay for

Community facilities include, but are not limited to, those providing or supporting overall community development such as hospitals, fire stations, child care facilities, food recovery and distribution centers; assisted-living facilities; group homes, mental health clinics, and shelters; and education facilities. Projects comprise community, social, health care, education, cultural, transportation, industrial park sites, fire and rescue services, access ways, and utility extensions. All facilities financed in whole or in part with RHS funds shall be for public use. Applicant Eligibility: City, county, and other public bodies; community-based non-profit corporations; and Federally-recognized Tribes. Eligible applicants must: (1) operate on a not-for-profit basis; (2) have or will have the legal authority necessary for constructing, operating, and maintaining the proposed facility or service and for obtaining, giving security for, and repaying the loan; and (3) are unable to finance the proposed project from its own resources or through commercial credit at reasonable rates and terms. Assistance is authorized for eligible applicants in rural areas of the States, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palaw, and the Federated States of Micronesia.;

Matching requirements

This program has no statutory formula. Matching funds are required and may be used in connection with the funds provided from the applicant or other sources. The percentage of matching funds for grants ranges from 25% of the total project cost to 85% of the total project cost. The required applicant contribution for loans will vary on a case-by-case basis. Funds are allocated to States based upon rural population, number of households below the poverty level, and rural unemployment. The statistical factor for eligibility is cities, towns or incorporated areas under 20,000 population for direct and guaranteed loans and 20,000 population for grants. The source is "Latest Decennial Census." Grants are limited to a maximum of 75 percent of project cost.MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Deadlines

Deadlines do not apply

Award range and average, in the agency's words

2024 Direct Loans ranged from $8,100 to $62,699,000. Average: $3,532,375. Guaranteed Loans ranged from $1,000,000 to $21,650,000. Average: $6,422,000. Grants ranged from $3,000 to $9,997,000. Average: $646,688.

Quoted from the program's federal Assistance Listing. The notice of funding opportunity is the official source for each competition's rules.

Who usually wins

State and local governments received 3.4% of the money, nonprofits 2.6% and colleges and universities 1.9%.

By state

54 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.

Award amounts are federal obligations reported to USAspending.gov for fiscal 2021 to 2025; see how our data works.