Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) | USDA RD HCFP RCDI 2017

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA RD HCFP RCDI 2017

The Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) is a discretionary grant program from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), administered through USDA Rural Development (Utilities Programs), designed to strengthen rural communities by funding intermediary organizations that can deliver hands-on financial and technical assistance to local recipients. Rather than paying directly for construction or a single local project, RCDI focuses on building the capacity of rural organizations and local governments so they are better able to plan, finance, manage, and successfully carry out projects that improve housing, community facilities, and community or economic development outcomes.

Funding is awarded to qualified intermediary organizations, which may be private, nonprofit, public, or tribal entities, as long as they are proposing to operate a structured financial and technical assistance program. These intermediaries then support “recipients” (often smaller community-based organizations, local governments, or other eligible local partners) by helping them develop the skills, systems, and readiness needed to undertake community development projects. In practice, this can include training, planning support, organizational development, project development guidance, financial management assistance, or other forms of technical support that directly increase a recipient organization’s ability to execute community-serving initiatives.

A key requirement of this opportunity is the match: the intermediary must provide matching funds in an amount at least equal to the RCDI grant award. This means the program is effectively a 1:1 match at minimum, and applicants must be prepared to document and commit eligible matching resources as part of the application and award administration. The grant size is relatively modest but meaningful for capacity-building work, with a minimum award of $50,000 and a maximum (award ceiling) of $250,000 per intermediary.

Eligible applicants are broad and include many types of government, education, nonprofit, and private-sector entities. Examples listed for eligibility include state, county, and city/township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; 501(c)(3) nonprofits (excluding institutions of higher education); private institutions of higher education; for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The underlying intent is to enable capable intermediaries to serve as multipliers: by improving local capacity and organizational strength, the assistance can translate into better-prepared projects and stronger long-term community outcomes across multiple rural places.

Administrative details from the notice identify the program as CFDA 10.446, with a funding opportunity number of USDA RD HCFP RCDI 2017. The posting indicates an expected 25 awards, with the opportunity originally created on May 26, 2017 and an original closing date of July 25, 2017. Overall, RCDI is best understood as an investment in rural “community development infrastructure,” funding intermediaries to deliver targeted support that helps rural organizations successfully move from ideas to viable, community-benefiting projects in housing, facilities, and local economic development.

• The Department of Agriculture, Utilities Programs in the agriculture, community development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.446.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 26, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 25, 2017. (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 $250,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 25 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, 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, Nonprofits having 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.

Apply for USDA RD HCFP RCDI 2017

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