Funding Opportunities*

https://about.bankofamerica.com/en-us/what-guides-us/find-grants-sponsorships.html#fbid=FJatOqLb9xE/hashlink=fbid%3Dt5xemMjhnTF">Bank of America Charitable Foundation
Bank of America Charitable Foundation is offering grants to nonprofit organizations as they work to preserve and increase access to a mix of affordable housing options and connect individuals and families with the tools and resources to achieve their financial goals. Deadline: applications accepted between 6/4/2018 and 6/29/2018.

http://dra.gov/funding-programs/states-economic-development-assistance-program/sedap-application-guidelines/">Delta Regional Authority Economic Development Assistance Program
The Delta Regional Authority (DRA) is  offering grants to help Delta communities create jobs and improve infrastructure through its Delta Regional Authority Economic Development Assistance Program (SEDAP). SEDAP may be used to fund projects for basic public infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, broadband, and business development including entrepreneurship and workforce training. Priority areas include innovation and small business, regional approaches and emergency funding needs. Applicants must be located in the 252 counties and parishes served by DRA in order to be eligible. Deadline: 6/29/2018.

https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/rural-economic-development-loan-grant-program">USDA Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant (REDLG) Program
Funding is being provided under USDA’s Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant (REDLG) Program. The goal of this program is to support rural projects through local utility organizations. USDA provides zero-interest loans to local utilities which they, in turn, pass through to local businesses (ultimate recipients) for projects that will create and retain employment in rural areas. The maximum loan is $2 million. The maximum grant is $300,000. Applications are due June 30, 2018, and should be sent to the USDA Rural Development State Office where the project is located. Additional information on how to apply is available on page 23625 of the May 22 Federal Register.

https://www.wellsfargo.com/about/corporate-responsibility/community-giving/housing-foundation/">Wells Fargo Housing Foundation Homeownership Counseling Grant Program
The Wells Fargo Housing Foundation Homeownership Counseling Grant Program supports local nonprofit housing organizations nationwide that help create affordable and sustainable homeownership opportunities for low- to moderate-income families. The program focuses on homebuyer counseling, homebuyer education, and foreclosure prevention activities. Deadline: requests may be submitted from 6/1/2018 through 6/30/2018.

https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/funding/3601?utm_source=racupdate&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=update020718">Smart Rural Community Showcase Award
Honors rural communities that have achieved high levels of broadband activity and have used it to support innovative practices in industry sectors, such as healthcare, safety and security, and economic development. Application Deadline: Jul 1, 2018

https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/community-facilities-technical-assistance-and-training-grant">USDA Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training Grant Program
USDA Rural Development will make grants to public bodies and private nonprofit corporations, (such as States, counties, cities, townships, and incorporated towns and villages, boroughs, authorities, districts, and Indian tribes on Federal and State reservations) to provide associations Technical Assistance and/or training with respect to essential community facilities programs. The Technical Assistance and/or training will assist communities, Indian Tribes, and Nonprofit Corporations to identify and plan for community facility needs that exist in their area. Once those needs have been identified, the Grantee can assist in identifying public and private resources to finance those identified community facility needs. Deadline: July 2nd.

https://ami.grantsolutions.gov/HHS-2018-ACF-ACYF-CY-1354">Department of Health and Human Services Basic Center Program
The Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families' Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) announces the availability of funds under the Basic Center Program (BCP). THE BCP works to establish or strengthen community- based programs that meet the immediate needs of runaway and homeless youth up to age 18 years of age and their families. BCPs provide youth with emergency shelter, food, clothing, counseling and referrals for health care. Basic centers can provide temporary shelter for up to 21 days for youth and seeks to reunite young people with their families, whenever possible, or to locate appropriate alternative placements. Additional services may include: street- based services; home-based services for families with youth at risk of separation from the family; drug abuse education and prevention services. THE PRIMARY purpose of the BCP is to provide counseling services to youth who have left home without permission of their parents or guardians have been forced to leave home, or other homeless youth who might end up in contact with law enforcement or in the child welfare, mental health, or juvenile justice systems. Deadline: 7/4/2018.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=305135">Vulnerable Rural Hospitals Assistance Program
Funding for a single entity to provide targeted in-depth assistance to vulnerable rural hospitals within communities that are struggling to maintain healthcare services. Application Deadline: Jul 16, 2018

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=305905">Mine Health and Safety Grants
Grants to prevent fatalities, disease, and injury from mining and secure safe and healthy working conditions for miners through laws, regulations, safety improvements, education, and training. Application Deadline: Jul 16, 2018

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=306024">STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program
Grants to train school personnel and educate students to prevent student violence, develop and operate anonymous reporting systems concerning threats of school violence, and develop and operate school threat assessment and crisis intervention teams. Application Deadline: Jul 23, 2018

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=306023">STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program
Grants for the development and operation of school threat assessment and crisis intervention teams and the development of technology for local or regional anonymous reporting systems. Technology may be in the form of an app, hotline, or website, and the proposed technology solutions may be those that could be used during an incident to assist in securing the safety of those involved, including sharing information with first responders. Application Deadline: Jul 23, 2018

https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/rural-cooperative-development-grant-program">USDA Rural Cooperative Development Grant Program (RCDG)
This program helps improve the economic condition of rural areas by helping individuals and businesses start, expand or improve rural cooperatives and other mutually-owned businesses. Nonprofit corporations and institutions of higher education are eligible to apply. Public bodies, for-profit business and individuals are not eligible. USDA expects to award up to $5.8 million for FY 2018. The maximum grant award is $200,000. Grant and matching funds can be used for developing and operating a Rural Cooperative Development Center. Paper applications are due July 30, 2018. Electronic applications are due July 24, 2018.

https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/socially-disadvantaged-groups-grant">USDA Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grant Program
The purpose of this program is to provide technical assistance to socially- disadvantaged groups in rural areas. Eligible applicants include cooperatives, groups of cooperatives and cooperative development centers. This program supports Rural Development’s mission of improving the quality of life for rural Americans and commitment to direct agency resources to those who most need them. A socially-disadvantaged group is one whose members have been subjected to racial, ethnic or gender prejudice because of their identity as members of a group without regard to their individual qualities. A majority of the applicant’s board of directors or governing board must be comprised of individuals who are members of socially-disadvantaged groups. For FY 2018, USDA plans to award up to $3 million in grants. The maximum grant award is $175,000. Grants must be used to provide technical assistance to socially-disadvantaged groups in rural areas. Paper applications are due July 30, 2018. Electronic applications are due July 24, 2018.

https://www.amerisourcebergen.com/abcnew/foundation">The Amerisource Bergen Foundation
The Amerisource Bergen Foundation is offering funding for innovative and constructive projects that address education, prevention, and/or the safe disposal of opioids. Deadline: 7/31/2018.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=306037">Service Area Competition Funding for the Health Center Program (Areas Served with a Project Period Start Date of January 1, 2019) 
Grants to health centers to provide comprehensive primary healthcare services to an underserved area or population. Application Deadline: Aug 6, 2018

https://www.arts.gov/grants-organizations/our-town/introduction">National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Our Town
NEA is supporting creative placemaking projects that integrate arts, culture, and design activities into efforts that strengthen communities by advancing local economic, physical, and/or social outcomes through its Our Town grants program. This funding supports local efforts to enhance quality of life for existing residents through arts engagement, cultural planning, design, and/or artist/creative industry support, or to build and disseminate knowledge about how to leverage arts, culture, and design as mechanisms for strengthening communities. All applications require partnerships that involve at least two primary partners: a nonprofit organization and a local governmental entity. One of the two primary partners must be a cultural (arts or design) organization. Our Town offers matching grants starting at $25,000 for Place-Based and Knowledge Building projects. Deadlines: submit SF-424 by 8/9/2018; submit materials to Applicant Portal 8/14-21/2018.

https://www.aha.org/about/awards/rural-hospital-leadership-award">Rural Hospital Leadership Award
Provides an educational stipend to a small or rural hospital administrator or chief executive officer to attend an AHA Annual Meeting or Health Forum Leadership Conference. Application Deadline: Aug 31, 2018

https://www.arc.gov/images/grantsandfunding/POWER2018/RFP/POWER-RFP-2018.pdf">ARC commits $20M for new round of POWER grants
The Appalachian Regional Commission has released a request for proposals for the 2018 POWER (Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization) Program. In this round of funding, ARC will commit up to $20 million to support efforts that create a more vibrant economic future for coal- impacted communities in the ARC region by cultivating economic diversity, enhancing job training and re- employment opportunities, creating jobs in existing or new industries, and attracting new sources of investment.

https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/opportunities/instructions/oppFOA-ETA-18-04-cfda17.274-cidFOA-ETA-18-04-instructions.pdf">Department of Labor YouthBuild Program
DOL is offering grants to nonprofit and public agencies through YouthBuild to provide construction skills training for at- risk youth, ages 16-24. This year, all applicants can include a Construction Plus component. Deadline: 9/18/2018.

http://www.lisc.org/media/filer_public/46/ec/46ec164b-0f76-4b4c-9704-11410601d760/growing_rural_communities_fund_final_9-6-16.pdf">RURAL LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation)
Rural LISC created the Community Facilities Fund to provide capital to help develop and improve essential community facilities in rural areas. Rural LISC utilizes this fund to provide permanent and construction-to- permanent financing for rural community facilities, including health care centers, hospitals, educational facilities, and other nonprofit and public facilities in rural communities with populations under 20,000. Deadline: ongoing.

http://giving.walmart.com/apply-for-grants/local-giving">Walmart Foundation
The Walmart Foundation’s Community Grant Program is offering grants to nonprofit organizations and agencies that work in one of the following areas: hunger relief and healthy eating, health and human service, quality of life, education, community and economic development, diversity and inclusion, public safety, or environmental sustainability. Awards range from $250 to $5,000. Deadline: applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

https://corporate.homedepot.com/grants/community-impact-grants">Home Depot Foundation
The Home Depot Foundation provides funding for nonprofit organizations and public agencies in the United States that are using the power of volunteers to improve communities through its Community Impact Grants program. Priority is given to projects that benefit veterans and/or diverse and underserved communities. Projects should be volunteer-friendly, engage people at all skill levels, and be expected to have a strong and lasting impact. Awards of up to $5,000 will be given in the form of The Home Depot gift cards for the purchase of tools, materials, or services. Deadline: awards are made on a rolling basis.

https://firstnations.org/">First Nations Development Institute
First Nations today announced it has received a one-year, $100,000 grant from the http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=74YHV4ix3kJEPDVjmHNSJt81pvhoKVN5">Agua Fund as renewed funding to assist Native American communities in South Dakota and on the Navajo Nation (Arizona, New Mexico and Utah). The funding allows First Nations to work with selected communities toward increasing control of their local food systems for improved health and well-being, as well as for asset-building and economic development purposes. First Nations expects to issue a request for proposals for this grant program in the near future. Eligible entities will be Sioux or Navajo tribes, Sioux or Navajo-controlled nonprofit organizations, or Native community-based groups committed to increasing healthy food access in Sioux or Navajo communities. First Nations will offer capacity-building training to the four selected participants, while two of these groups will receive direct grants of $30,000 each. The project will focus on tribal hunger, nutrition and healthy foods access, and will engage in activities such as conducting community food assessments and expanding initiatives for food-related business development. Participants will be selected based on their potential to serve as a positive model with replicable or adaptable components for other Native communities, as well as on their communities’ needs related to tribal hunger, food insecurity and healthy foods access.

https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/water-waste-disposal-loan-grant-program">Water and Waste Disposal Direct Loan and Grant Program
The Water and Waste Disposal Direct Loan and Grant Program can provide funding for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage to households and businesses in eligible rural areas. To learn more about this program, contact your local state USDA Rural Development office.

https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/water-waste-disposal-loan-guarantees">Water and Waste Disposal Loan Guarantees Program
The Water and Waste Disposal Loan Guarantees Program can help private lenders provide affordable financing to qualified borrowers to improve access to clean, reliable water and waste disposal systems for households and businesses in rural areas. To learn more about this program, contact your local state USDA Rural Development office.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=300263&utm_content&utm_medium=email&utm_name&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term">Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, Fire Prevention and Safety Grants
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Grants Programs Directorate is responsible for the implementation and administration of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. The Grant Programs Directorate administers the Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) Grant Program as part of the AFG Program. The purpose of the FP&S Grant Program is to enhance the safety of the public and firefighters with respect to fire and fire-related hazards by assisting fire prevention programs and supporting firefighter health and safety research and development. FP&S Grants are offered to support projects in two activities: (1) activities designed to reach high-risk target groups and mitigate the incidence of death, injuries, and property damage caused by fire and fire-related hazards ("Fire Prevention and Safety Activity") and (2) research and development activities aimed at improving firefighter safety, health, or wellness through research and development that reduces firefighter fatalities and injuries ("Firefighter Safety Research and Development Activity").

https://www.enterprisecommunity.org/solutions-and-innovation/disaster-recovery-and-rebuilding#rapid-recovery-funding">Disaster Response Loans
Enterprise Community Loan Fund, Mercy Loan Fund and Neighborworks® Capital have partnered to offer $15 million in rapid-response loans for community organizations to accelerate recovery from last year’s hurricanes and wildfires. Loan recipients can use the financing for repairing, designing, and planning affordable housing developments; repairing existing or planned developments of other kinds; and relocating offices so organizations can return to work. Unsecured loans up to $500,000 will be available.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=300327&utm_content&utm_medium=email&utm_name&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term">2019 National Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program
The Secretary of Agriculture has a congressionally designated advisory council that assists the U.S. Forest Service in establishing the grant categories and recommendations of final proposals for the Forest Service to consider. This is the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council (Council). The Council serves to advise the Secretary of Agriculture on the status of the nation’s urban and community forests and related natural resources. The Council seeks to establish sustainable urban and community forests, by encouraging communities of all sizes to manage and protect their natural resources, which, if well managed, improves the public’s health, well-being, economic vitality, and creates resilient ecosystems for present and future generations. .

Publications

https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/gallery/chart-detail/?chartId=86062">Food stores—except specialized food stores—grew in number between 2009 and 2014
The numbers of different types of food stores and changes in those numbers over time have implications for the economic well-being of communities for reasons related to employment opportunities, tax revenues, and business development. Between 2009 and 2014, the number of grocery stores in the United States grew by 4 percent to 65,975, and the number of convenience stores grew by 4 percent as well to 124,879. Supercenters and warehouse club stores saw their numbers jump by 18 percent to 5,307 stores in 2014, while specialized food stores (bakeries, seafood markets, dairy stores, etc.) saw a 6-percent decline in store numbers. Preference for one-stop shopping by some consumers may be influencing the increase in supercenters and warehouse club stores and the decline in specialized food stores. ERS’s Food Environment Atlas provides a spatial overview of a county’s food retailing landscape by mapping the number and density of these four store types.

https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/gallery/chart-detail/?chartId=89187">Rural poverty remains regionally concentrated
Rural Americans living in poverty tend to be clustered in certain U.S. regions and counties. Rural (nonmetro) counties with a high incidence of poverty are mainly concentrated in the South, which had an average poverty rate of over 21 percent between 2012 and 2016. By comparison, urban (metro) counties in the South had an average poverty rate of about 16 percent. Rural counties with the most severe poverty are found in historically poor areas of the Southeast—including the Mississippi Delta and Appalachia—as well as on Native American lands. The incidence of rural poverty is relatively low elsewhere, but generally more widespread than in the past.

https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/gallery/chart-detail/?chartId=89053">Older operators often run small family farms, particularly retirement and low-sales farms
A notable characteristic of principal farm operators (those most responsible for running the farm) is their relatively advanced age. In 2016, 36 percent of principal farm operators were at least 65 years old, compared with only 14 percent of self- employed workers in nonagricultural businesses. Older operators ran 37 percent of all small family farms—those with annual gross cash farm income (GCFI) before expenses under $350,000—including 68 percent of retirement farms and 38 percent of low-sales farms. By comparison, older operators ran 21 percent of large family farms (GCFI of $1 million to $4,999,999) and 23 percent of very large family farms (GCFI of $5 million or more). Improved health and advances in farm equipment enable operators to farm later in life than in past generations. The farm is also home for most farmers, and they can gradually phase out of farming by renting out or selling parcels of their land. Some larger, more commercially oriented farms run by older farmers may have a younger, secondary operator who might eventually replace the principal operator.

Events and Learning

https://ruralbehavioralhealth.org/webinars/webinar-2-impact-opioid-epidemic-children-and-youth-rural-communities-how-schools-and">Rural Behavioral Health Webinar Series
The second webinar in the 2018 Rural Behavioral Health Webinar Series: "The Impact of the Opioid Epidemic on Children and Youth in Rural Communities-How Schools and Communities are Responding" will be held July 19, 3:00-4:30 PM EDT.

https://www.events.rcac.org/assnfe/ev.asp?ID=1416">Disaster Recovery and Preparation Webinars
The Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) is hosting a series of two online webinars on Disaster Preparation and Recovery. The webinars will cover why disasters are important for housing counseling; the potential effects of disasters on communities, agencies and counselors; and the six areas in which housing counseling has played a key role in disaster recovery to help participants gain a broad understanding of the agency disaster preparation and recovery role, including pre-disaster agency planning, identifying and collaborating with key stakeholders, and recognizing opportunities for disaster recovery housing counseling services. The webinars will take place on September 11 and September 13, 2018 from 1:00 to 3:00 PM EDT.