Opportunity Information: Apply for RD RBCS 23 RMAP
The Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP) is a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Business-Cooperative Service funding opportunity designed to expand access to capital and business support services for very small rural businesses. Instead of lending directly to individual entrepreneurs, the program funds Microenterprise Development Organizations (MDOs) so they can operate a Rural Microloan Revolving Fund. In practice, that means an eligible organization receives federal support to make and recycle small loans to rural microbusinesses over time, helping entrepreneurs start new ventures, stabilize operations, or grow existing firms. Alongside the lending component, the program also supports training and technical assistance for microloan borrowers and other rural microentrepreneurs, which can include practical business coaching, financial management support, and guidance that improves a business's ability to use financing effectively and stay sustainable.
Eligible applicants are organizations that can serve as Microenterprise Development Organizations. The program allows three main types of entities to apply: nonprofit organizations (including those with 501(c)(3) status), federally recognized tribal governments, and public or state-controlled institutions of higher education. These applicants are the direct recipients of the federal award and are responsible for administering the revolving loan fund and delivering business development services. The businesses that ultimately benefit (the "ultimate recipients") are not the direct applicants to USDA; they apply to the funded MDO for microloans and related assistance.
To qualify as an ultimate recipient business, the enterprise must be located in an eligible rural area and have 10 or fewer full-time employees. The program's definition of an eligible area focuses on rural communities outside cities or towns with populations of 50,000 or more. Areas considered urbanized or closely tied to a city of 50,000 or more may be excluded, reflecting the program's intent to target genuinely rural markets. An important flexibility point is that a borrower company's headquarters can be located in a larger city, as long as the service area for the funded project and the business activity being supported are located in an eligible rural area. Similarly, the lender or administering MDO can be located anywhere; the key requirement is that the funds and services are directed to qualifying rural communities and microenterprises.
This opportunity is a discretionary grant program under CFDA number 10.870 (listed as Assistance Listing 10.870). The funding opportunity title is Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program, with the opportunity number RD RBCS 23 RMAP, and it is administered by USDA's Rural Business-Cooperative Service. For this cycle, the maximum award amount (award ceiling) is $500,000, with an expectation of about 20 awards. Applications were accepted through quarterly competitions, with deadlines for completed applications to be received in the USDA Rural Development State Office by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on September 30, 2022; December 31, 2022; March 31, 2023; and June 30, 2023. The opportunity was created on August 31, 2022, and the final listed closing date was June 30, 2023.Apply for RD RBCS 23 RMAP
- The Department of Agriculture, Rural Business-Cooperative Service in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.870.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 31, 2022.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 30, 2023 The deadlines for completed applications to be received in the USDA RD State Office for quarterly funding competitions are no later than 1159 p.m. Eastern time on First Quarter, September 30, 2022Second Quarter, December 31, 2022Third Quarter, March 31, 2023, and Fourth Quarter, June 30, 2023.. (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 $500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 20 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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