Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (10.870)
Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (Assistance Listing 10.870) is run by the Rural Business Cooperative Service, part of the Department of Agriculture. It awarded $16.2 million in 325 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $49,915 per award on average. No funding opportunity is open on Grants.gov right now.
The typical award was $34,466. Half of the 325 awards fell between $14,711 and $63,060, and they ranged from $527 to $346,436.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$16.2 million
- Grant awards325
- Typical award$34,466
- Awarded in FY 2025$3.5 million
- Size rank1,376 of 1,823
- Type of assistanceProject grants, direct loans
Key findings
- Annual funding was roughly flat, $3.5 million in fiscal 2021 and $3.5 million in fiscal 2025.
- It is the 1376th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 20 largest recipients received 54% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 36 states and territories.
What the program funds
Provide rural microentrepreneurs with the skills necessary to establish new rural microenterprises and to provide continuing technical and financial assistance related to the successful operation of rural microenterprises. (1) Make direct loans to Microenterprise Development Organizations (MDO), which may be a non-profit entity, Indian Tribe or public institution of higher education for the purpose of capitalizing microloan revolving funds to provide fixed interest rate business loans of the lesser of $50,000 or 20 percent of the amount loaned to an MDO for startup and growing rural microenterprises. The maximum loan amount an MDO may borrower under this program will not exceed $500,000. (2) Make grants to MDOs to support rural microenterprise development. These grants are known as operational enhancement activities or services grants. These grants will be used to seek training and other enhancement services to strengthen their own organizations. These grants will not exceed 10 percent of available funding, whichever is less in any given year. (3) Any MDO that receives a loan under this program is eligible for a grant to assist microentrepreneurs who have received or are seeking a microloan from an MDO. These grants are known as technical assistance (TA) grants and may be used by an MDO to provide marketing, management, and other technical assistance to microentrepreneurs. TA grants will provide assistance specifically tailored to the needs of one or more microentrepreneurs.
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
To be eligible to apply for Microlender status under the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program, an applicant must be a non-profit entity, an Indian tribe, or a public institution of higher education. Applicants must be at least 51 percent controlled by persons who are either (i) citizens of the United States, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or American Samoa; or (ii) legally admitted permanent residents residing in the U.S. The applicant or owner must not have an outstanding judgment, be delinquent on any Federal debt or debarred from receiving Federal assistance.
What the money can and cannot pay for
Loans to MDO's for the purpose of capitalizing microloan revolving funds to provide fixed interest rate business loans of $50,000 or less to microentrepreneurs as defined for startup and growing rural microenterprises. The maximum loan amount an MDO may borrower under this program will not exceed $500,000. Grants will be used to provide training, operational support, business planning, market development assistance, other related services to rural microentrepreneurs, and to fund other such appropriate projects and activities. These grants are known as technical assistance (TA) grants and may be used by an MDO to provide marketing, management, and other technical assistance to microentrepreneurs. TA grants will provide assistance specifically tailored to the needs of one or more microentrepreneurs. TA grants will be not more than the lesser of 25 percent of the total outstanding balance of microloans or $100,000.
Matching requirements
This program has no statutory formula. A 10 percent non-federal cash match will be required against any technical assistance grant awarded. A 15 percent match will also be required which may be in the form of non-federal cash, in-kind goods, services, or indirect costs. These two sets of matching contribution will be combined for a total matching requirement of 25 percent of the grant amount. A five percent (5%) match is required against any loan awarded, which will be used to establish a loan loss reserve fund. MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Deadlines
Deadlines do not apply
Award range and average, in the agency's words
Loans have ranged from $131,250 to $500,000, averaging $300,000.
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (10.870) awarded $16.2 million across 325 grant awards, an average of $49,915 per award.
Who usually wins
State and local governments received 12% of the money.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other | 309 | $14.3 million | 88% |
| State and local governments | 16 | $1.9 million | 12% |
By state
14 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | 11 | $1.6 million |
| Maine | 25 | $1.5 million |
| California | 32 | $1.5 million |
| Nebraska | 18 | $1.1 million |
| Montana | 14 | $667,768 |
| Massachusetts | 18 | $662,839 |
| Minnesota | 14 | $613,039 |
| Maryland | 6 | $584,887 |
| Wisconsin | 15 | $536,896 |
| South Dakota | 16 | $522,548 |
| Vermont | 16 | $481,942 |
| New Jersey | 6 | $454,936 |
| Ohio | 10 | $451,720 |
| North Carolina | 10 | $450,659 |
| Washington | 17 | $448,985 |
| Michigan | 7 | $442,274 |
| West Virginia | 7 | $407,686 |
| South Carolina | 5 | $361,536 |
| North Dakota | 6 | $360,037 |
| Nevada | 2 | $333,273 |
| Idaho | 5 | $319,009 |
| Arizona | 12 | $302,836 |
| Pennsylvania | 9 | $282,496 |
| Missouri | 6 | $242,259 |
| Tennessee | 5 | $219,192 |
| Georgia | 4 | $213,232 |
| Colorado | 3 | $193,702 |
| New York | 3 | $148,129 |
| Oklahoma | 3 | $147,163 |
| Delaware | 5 | $122,275 |
| Arkansas | 1 | $100,000 |
| Oregon | 1 | $100,000 |
| Illinois | 6 | $96,910 |
| Iowa | 1 | $91,320 |
| New Hampshire | 5 | $73,128 |
| New Mexico | 1 | $58,558 |