Deadline: 19-Apr-22
The Rural Utilities Service is accepting applications for the Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) Grant Program to support jobs accelerator partnerships to improve the ability of distressed rural and energy communities to create high wage jobs, accelerate the formation of new businesses, and help rural communities identify and maximize local assets. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis.
The Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) Grant Program offers grant assistance to create and augment high-wage jobs, accelerate the formation of new businesses, support industry clusters and maximize the use of local productive assets in eligible low-income rural areas.
Funding Information
- Grant amounts are awarded competitively with a minimum of $500,000 and a maximum grant amount of $2,000,000.
- The grant term is 4 years.
What is an eligible area?
- The RISE project must serve a rural region small enough to allow close collaboration among partners. It also must include important elements of the region’s prioritized industry cluster (concentrations of related industries).
- The RBCS Administrator may award points to applications from distressed communities with high concentrations of employment in coal, oil and gas industries, and coal-fired generation facilities transitioning away from fossil fueled energy production. A list of qualifying communities – which includes both county and zip code – is provided for applicants to determine if they may qualify for the points. The Administrator also may award points to an application to help ensure uniform geographic distribution across a maximum number of states, and to promote diversity among targeted industries.
How may funds be used?
RISE grant funds can be used to:
- Build or support a business incubator facility
- Provide worker training to assist in the creation of new jobs
- Train the existing workforce with skills for higher-paying jobs
- Develop a base of skilled workers and improve their opportunities to obtain high-wage jobs in new or existing local industries
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible applicants are rural jobs accelerator partnerships with expertise in delivering economic and job training programs, consisting of the following:
- Non-profit entities
- State entities
- Tribal entities
- Institutions of higher education
- Public bodies
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=337028