Rural Community Development Grants | Grantivia

Rural Community Development Grants

Find federal and state grants for rural community development. Whether you're working on rural infrastructure, agricultural development, broadband expansion, rural business growth, or community economic development, we help you discover funding opportunities.

Tip: Rural development grants support infrastructure, business development, housing, healthcare, education, and quality of life improvements in rural areas. USDA and other federal agencies offer substantial rural funding.

1244 Grants Available

We found 1244 rural community development grants in our database. Browse opportunities for your rural community.

Application Instructions for the Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) Imminent Threat (IT) Program

Agency: Department of Housing and Urban Development

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Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Strengthening Agricultural Systems

Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture

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SOI - Rural Transportation Match and Gap Funding Assistance Program

Agency: Denali Commission

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Farmworkers Advancement Program (FAP) Grant for Program Year 2025-26 (PY 25-26)

Agency: Employment Development Department

Eligibility: The goal of this grant is to fund projects that focus on farmworker needs at a regional level by offering essential skills and upskilling training for farmworkers to either advance in the agricultural industry and/or prepare for advancement outside of the agricultural sector. This grant program is intended to address multiple existing and emerging gaps in the current workforce system for farmworkers. FAP PY 25-26 programs will position farmworkers to obtain access to good-quality jobs  including jobs that pay family-sustaining wages, offer benefits, have predictable hours, opportunities for career advancement, and promote worker voice. Projects will also provide wrap-around support and resources to build skills to prevent job loss and lay the foundation for upward mobility. Funded...

Category: Agriculture; Disadvantaged Communities; Employment

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Vertebrate Pest Control Research Program

Agency: CA Department of Food and Agriculture

Eligibility: Proposals may focus on research and/or education projects to enhance control measures of vertebrate pests that pose a significant threat to the welfare of state’s agricultural economy, infrastructure, environment, and the public. CDFA does not support proprietary product development projects. Proposals that originate from outside of California are considered if the proposal includes relevance to vertebrate pest concerns within California. Proposals may focus on research and/or education projects to enhance control measures of vertebrate pests that pose a significant threat to the welfare of state’s agricultural economy, infrastructure, environment, and the public.  CDFA does not support proprietary product development projects.  Proposals that originate from outside of California are...

Category: Agriculture; Environment & Water; Health & Human Services; Science

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Farm and Ranch Solid Waste Clean Up and Abatement Grant Program FR90

Agency: Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery

Eligibility: The Farm & Ranch Solid Waste Clean Up & Abatement Grant program provides funding for cleaning up and preventing illegal dumping on agricultural properties (CCR, Section 17991(d)). Each fiscal year has four application cycles, with the fourth serving as the pilot cycle. Cycle 90 (FR90) is the fourth and the pilot cycle. CalRecycle administers the program per Section 48100 of the Public Resources Code. The project sites eligible for the grant must be located on 'farm and ranch' property, encompassing both private and public land, where the owner is not held responsible for the illegal disposal. The definition of 'farm and ranch' property can be found in the Eligible Geographies section below. Grantees are given approximately two years to complete the project(s). The sites should be fully...

Category: Agriculture; Disadvantaged Communities; Environment & Water

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2025-26 Digital Divide Grant Program Round 3

Agency: Public Utilities Commission

Eligibility: The Digital Divide Grant Program will award one grant of $100,000 for rural and urban public schools and two grants of up to $50,000 each for non-profit Community Based Organizations (CBO). The grants will fund digital projects that serve beneficiary public schools/districts and non-profit Community Organizations. Projects may address gaps in broadband networks, affordability, access to personal devices and digital skills training. The Digital Divide Grant Program (DDGP) will provide three grants for a total of $200,000. The DDGP is funded by fees collected from leases of state-owned property to wireless telecommunications service providers, pursuant to Government Code Section 14666.8. Eligible projects will serve a beneficiary public school or district located in an urban or rural...

Category: Disadvantaged Communities; Education; Housing

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2025 CDBG NOFA

Agency: Department of Housing and Community Development

Eligibility: Under the 2025 NOFA, approximately $27 million in federal funds for Community Development Block Grant will be made available to develop viable communities provisioning decent affordable housing, expanding economic opportunities, and developing suitable infrastructure principally for the benefit of Low- and Moderate-Income (LMI) persons, families, households, and neighborhoods. Under this NOFA, CDBG funds are provided as grants to Non-Entitlement Units of Local Government for projects and programs that will reduce disparities in their communities. All CDBG activities must meet the National Objective of benefiting low- and moderate-income persons. The objectives of the CDBG program are to develop viable communities by the provision of decent affordable housing, a suitable living...

Category: Housing

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2025 Multifamily Finance Super NOFA – Los Angeles

Agency: Department of Housing and Community Development

Eligibility: The 2025 Multifamily Finance Super NOFA - Los Angeles Disaster makes funds more accessible to developers enables the funding to further serve the lowest income Californians and increases the range of potential applicants and target populations to achieve better outcomes in health, climate, and household stability. The 2025 Multifamily Finance Super NOFA - Los Angeles Disaster (MFSN-LA Disaster NOFA) provides funding for Los Angeles disaster The California Department of Housing and Community Development (Department or HCD) is pleased to announce the release of this Multifamily Finance Super Notice of Funding Availability for approximately $101 million in funds, which may be augmented based on availability of funds. This NOFA is issued to distribute funds through a combination of...

Category: Disaster Prevention & Relief; Housing

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The California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018 (Proposition 68) SMMC Grant Program – Prop 68 River San Fernando Valley – California

Agency: Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy

Eligibility: Projects which facilitate the protection and restoration of wildlife, habitat and historical/archaeological resources, including habitat restoration projects in urban rural areas. This program Supports The California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018 is codified as Division 45 (commencing with section 80000) and sections 5096.611 and 75089.5 of the public resources code and section 79772.5 of the water code. Prop 68 authorizes $4 billion in general obligation to finance a drought, water, parks, climate, coastal protection and outdoor access for all program. The Santa Monica Mountains conservancy's ("Conservancy") Proposition 68 Grant Program Guidelines ("Guidelines") Specifically pertain to grants funded by proposition 68 and...

Category: Environment & Water

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The California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection and Outdoor Access for All – (Prop 68 River – CA) Act of 2018 (Proposition 68) SMMC Grant Program – (Prop 68 River – California)

Agency: Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy

Eligibility: Projects which facilitate the protection and restoration of wildlife, habitat and historical/archaeological resources, including habitat restoration projects in urban rural areas. This program supports The California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018 is codified as Division 45 (commencing with section 80000) and sections 5096.611 and 75089.5 of the public resources code and section 79772.5 of the water code. Prop 68 authorizes $4 billion in general obligation to finance a drought, water, parks, climate, coastal protection and outdoor access for all program. The Santa Monica Mountains conservancy's ("Conservancy") Proposition 68 Grant Program Guidelines ("Guidelines") Specifically pertain to grants funded by proposition 68 and...

Category: Environment & Water

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The California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018 (Proposition 68) SMMC Grant Program – (Prop 68 River San Fernando Valley – Severely Disadvantaged Community)

Agency: Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy

Eligibility: Projects which facilitate the protection and restoration of wildlife, habitat and historical/archaeological resources, including habitat restoration projects in urban rural areas. This program supports The California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018 is codified as Division 45 (commencing with section 80000) and sections 5096.611 and 75089.5 of the public resources code and section 79772.5 of the water code. Prop 68 authorizes $4 billion in general obligation to finance a drought, water, parks, climate, coastal protection and outdoor access for all program. The Santa Monica Mountains conservancy's ("Conservancy") Proposition 68 Grant Program Guidelines ("Guidelines") Specifically pertain to grants funded by proposition 68 and...

Category: Environment & Water

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The California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018 (Proposition 68) SMMC Grant Program – Prop 68 River San Fernando Valley

Agency: Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy

Eligibility: Projects which facilitate the protection and restoration of wildlife, habitat and historical/archaeological resources, including habitat restoration projects in urban rural areas. This program supports The California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018 is codified as Division 45 (commencing with section 80000) and sections 5096.611 and 75089.5 of the public resources code and section 79772.5 of the water code. Prop 68 authorizes $4 billion in general obligation to finance a drought, water, parks, climate, coastal protection and outdoor access for all program. The Santa Monica Mountains conservancy's ("Conservancy") Proposition 68 Grant Program Guidelines ("Guidelines") Specifically pertain to grants funded by proposition 68 and...

Category: Environment & Water

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The California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018 (Proposition 68) SMMC Grant Program – Prop 68 River

Agency: Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy

Eligibility: Projects which facilitate the protection and restoration of wildlife, habitat and historical/archaeological resources, including habitat restoration projects in urban rural areas. This program supports The California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018 is codified as Division 45 (commencing with section 80000) and sections 5096.611 and 75089.5 of the public resources code and section 79772.5 of the water code. Prop 68 authorizes $4 billion in general obligation to finance a drought, water, parks, climate, coastal protection and outdoor access for all program. The Santa Monica Mountains conservancy's ("Conservancy") Proposition 68 Grant Program Guidelines ("Guidelines") Specifically pertain to grants funded by proposition 68 and...

Category: Environment & Water

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Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Rescue

Agency: Wildlife Conservation Board

Eligibility: The Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Rescue Program was created by Assembly Bill 2421, and signed into law in 2018 becoming effective immediately. The Program was created for the purpose of recovering and sustaining populations of monarch butterflies and other pollinators. Eligible activities under this program include: Provide grants for the restoration or enhancement of California prairie and other appropriate breeding habitat for monarch butterflies and pollinators on private and public lands. Provide grants for the restoration or enhancement of overwintering monarch butterfly habitat on private and public lands. Provide technical assistance to grant recipients, including farmers and ranchers, regarding restoration and enhancement of breeding, overwintering, and other appropriate...

Category: Environment & Water

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Oak Woodlands Conservation

Agency: Wildlife Conservation Board

Eligibility: The Oak Woodlands Conservation Program offers landowners, conservation organizations, cities and counties, an opportunity to obtain funding for projects designed to conserve and restore California's oak woodlands. While the Program is statewide in nature, it provides opportunities to address oak woodland issues on a regional priority basis. The Program is designed to help local efforts achieve oak woodland protection. More importantly, this Program provides a mechanism to bring ranchers and conservationists together in a manner that allows both to achieve that which is so valued - sustainable ranch and farming operations and healthy oak woodlands.

Category: Environment & Water

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Small and Rural Hospital Relief Program

Agency: Department of Health Care Access and Information

Eligibility: With funding from the California Electronic Cigarette Excise Tax (Senate Bill 395, Chapter 489, Statutes of 2021), the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) is launching the Small and Rural Hospital Relief Program (SRHRP) to provide grants for seismic compliance projects. First round of funding projected to be available April 2023. The Alfred E. Alquist Hospital Facilities Seismic Safety Act (Health and Safety Code (HSC) Section 129675) requires that hospitals be constructed to remain open and safely provide services to the public after an earthquake. The Small and Rural Hospital Relief Program will administer this new grant program to eligible small, rural, or Critical Access hospitals that have limited funds for seismic safety retrofit requirements. Ten percent of the...

Category: Health & Human Services

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Proposition 68 Rivers and Streams Grant Program – Klamath-Trinity Watershed

Agency: Department of Fish and Wildlife

Eligibility: To restore and protect rivers and streams in support of fisheries and wildlife. The California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018 (Proposition 68) provides funding to award grants to projects that improve a community’s ability to adapt to the unavoidable impacts of climate change; improve and protect coastal and rural economies, agricultural viability, wildlife corridors, or habitat; develop future recreational opportunities; or enhance drought tolerance, landscape resilience, and water retention. Project priorities include, but are not limited to, reconnection of rivers with their floodplains, riparian and side-channel habitat restoration, and restoration and protection of upper watershed forests and meadow systems that are...

Category: Environment & Water

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Proposition 68 Fish and Wildlife Improvement Grant Opportunities – (Including Severely Disadvantaged Communities)

Agency: Department of Fish and Wildlife

Eligibility: To restore and protect rivers and streams in support of fisheries and wildlife. The California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018 (Proposition 68) provides funding to award grants to projects that improve a community’s ability to adapt to the unavoidable impacts of climate change; improve and protect coastal and rural economies, agricultural viability, wildlife corridors, or habitat; develop future recreational opportunities; or enhance drought tolerance, landscape resilience, and water retention. Project priorities include, but are not limited to, reconnection of rivers with their floodplains, riparian and side-channel habitat restoration, and restoration and protection of upper watershed forests and meadow systems that are...

Category: Environment & Water

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Proposition 68 Rivers and Streams Grant Program

Agency: Department of Fish and Wildlife

Eligibility: To restore and protect rivers and streams in support of fisheries and wildlife. The California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018 (Proposition 68) provides funding to award grants to projects that improve a community’s ability to adapt to the unavoidable impacts of climate change; improve and protect coastal and rural economies, agricultural viability, wildlife corridors, or habitat; develop future recreational opportunities; or enhance drought tolerance, landscape resilience, and water retention. Project priorities include, but are not limited to, reconnection of rivers with their floodplains, riparian and side-channel habitat restoration, and restoration and protection of upper watershed forests and meadow systems that are...

Category: Environment & Water

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About Rural Community Development Grants

Rural community development grants support initiatives that improve quality of life and economic opportunity in rural areas. These grants fund infrastructure, business development, healthcare, education, and community services in rural communities.

Common uses for rural development grants include:

  • Rural infrastructure (roads, water, sewer, utilities)
  • Broadband and telecommunications expansion
  • Rural business development and support
  • Agricultural development and programs
  • Rural housing construction and repair
  • Rural healthcare facilities and services
  • Rural education and training
  • Community facilities and improvements

Who typically receives these grants:

  • Rural counties and municipalities
  • Rural development organizations
  • Agricultural organizations and farm groups
  • Rural cooperatives and enterprises
  • Rural nonprofits and community organizations
  • State and local rural development agencies

Next Steps

  1. Review the grants listed above for your rural development project
  2. Click "Learn More & Apply" to visit the official grant portal
  3. Verify eligibility (rural area definition, organization type, project type)
  4. Gather documentation: project plan, community needs assessment, organizational capacity, letters of support
  5. Submit your application before the deadline