STILLWATER – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Oklahoma State Director Kenneth Corn announced today that the Biden-Harris Administration is investing more than $2 million to support small or emerging businesses in Oklahoma via the USDA Rural Development Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG). This program promotes economic development and job creation projects through the awarding of grant funds to eligible entities. Applications will compete in two separate categories, business opportunity grants and business enterprise grants, for use in funding various business and community projects that serve rural areas.
This past year Oklahoma has funded 12 projects in the following counties: Caddo, Cherokee, Cleveland, Custer, Garfield, Harper, Logan, Jackson, Osage, Payne, and Pittsburg.
“Assisting small businesses grow is a priority for President Joe Biden, because he understands that rural communities need small business owners to thrive in order to grow our economy,” Corn said. “This is why under the Biden Administration, he is focusing his efforts on Main Streets across America by utilizing USDA’s programs to leverage that assistance for small business owners and their employees to not just survive but thrive by trusting their expertise to grow America’s economy.”
Eligible applicants for USDA’s RBDG are a Public Body/ Government Entity, an Indian Tribe, or a Nonprofit entity primarily serving rural areas. These funds can be utilized to grow a business, creating incubators, long-term planning, revolving loan funds for start-ups and working capital, training and technical assistance, technology-based economic development and much more. Potential applicants for this program can visit https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs- services/business-programs/ rural- business- development- grants to learn more about what programs qualify for the grant.
This year the Oklahoma State Office awarded grants to: Rural Enterprises, Inc. $100,000 Friends of Fairfax, Inc. $687,523 Main Street Altus, Inc. $25,000 Good Samaritan Outreach, $56,524 Cherokee Nation, $500,000 Rural Enterprises, Inc., $128,351 Enid Regional Development Alliance, Inc., $42,923 Enid Regional Development Alliance, Inc., $108,437 Logan County Economic Development Council, $55,000 Logan County Economic Development Council, $65,426 Southwest Intermediary Finance Team, $29,940 Harper County Development Authority, $199,850 The Oklahoma State Office for Rural Development is currently accepting applications through Feb. 28, 2024. Additionally, potentail applicants can email okbuisness@usda. gov for more information.
“Oklahoma is home to many unique and inspiring entrepreneurs, who are challenging the status quo that rural Oklahoma is in decline,” Corn said. “With these grant opportunities provided through the Biden-Harris Administration not only are these businesses and nonprofits proving that narrative is false, but they are also leading in innovation and economic development to help grow Oklahoma’s economy from the bottom up and middle out.”
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the leadership of the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit https://www. rd.usda.gov/ok.
