Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA RD HCFP RCDI 2024
The Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) is a discretionary grant program run by the USDA Rural Housing Service that funds technical assistance and training efforts aimed at strengthening rural communities. Rather than funding construction directly, RCDI is designed to build local capacity by supporting intermediary organizations that can coach, train, and resource smaller rural entities so they can successfully plan, finance, and carry out projects tied to housing, community facilities, and broader community and economic development.
The basic structure is a three-level model: the intermediary (the grantee) receives the federal award and then delivers a structured program of financial assistance and hands-on technical assistance to local recipient organizations. Those recipients then provide services or carry out activities that ultimately benefit rural residents and communities (the beneficiaries). In practical terms, the intermediary might provide training on organizational governance, financial management, project development, fundraising, compliance, or strategic planning, along with pass-through financial support that helps recipients get positioned to launch or expand community projects.
Eligible applicants are described broadly and include qualified private, nonprofit, and public entities, including tribal organizations, that can operate as intermediaries. The opportunity lists a wide range of eligible applicant types such as state, county, and local governments; special districts; school districts; public and state-controlled colleges and universities; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; private institutions of higher education; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. Even with this wide eligibility, the key requirement is that the applicant must function as an intermediary capable of running a financial and technical assistance program for rural recipients.
To qualify as an intermediary, the organization must have been legally organized for at least three years and must demonstrate at least three years of prior experience working with private nonprofit community-based housing and development organizations, low-income rural communities, or tribal organizations. That experience must be in one or more of the eligible focus areas: housing, community facilities, or community and economic development. This experience requirement is central because the program is heavily focused on delivering credible, practical capacity-building support to rural partners.
Award sizes range from a minimum of $50,000 to a maximum (award ceiling) of $500,000 per intermediary. A major condition of the program is the match requirement: the intermediary must provide matching funds in an amount at least equal to the RCDI grant (a dollar-for-dollar match). Applicants should plan for this early because it affects project scale, cash flow, and how the budget is structured across federal and matching sources.
Geography and population rules apply to the communities being served. Specifically, the recipient organizations and the beneficiaries must be located in a city or town with a population of 50,000 or fewer inhabitants. Importantly, the intermediary itself does not have to be located in a town under 50,000; the rural size requirement applies to the recipient and beneficiary locations, which aligns with the program goal of building capacity in smaller rural places.
This specific opportunity is identified as USDA RD HCFP RCDI 2024 under CFDA (Assistance Listing) 10.446. The original closing date listed is July 10, 2024. The program anticipated making about 25 awards, with the maximum award set at $500,000. Overall, RCDI is best understood as a capacity-building and technical assistance grant that helps rural organizations become stronger, more effective, and better prepared to deliver tangible housing, facilities, and economic development outcomes in their communities.Apply for USDA RD HCFP RCDI 2024
- The Rural Housing Service in the agriculture, community development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.446.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-06-10.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-07-10. (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 25 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.
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Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) - FAQs
What is the Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI)?
The Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) is a discretionary grant program run by the USDA Rural Housing Service. It funds technical assistance and training efforts intended to strengthen rural communities by building the capacity of local organizations.
What does RCDI fund?
RCDI funds technical assistance, training, and related capacity-building support. The program is designed to help rural organizations improve their ability to plan, finance, and carry out projects tied to housing, community facilities, and broader community and economic development.
Does RCDI pay for construction or direct project costs?
RCDI is not described as a direct construction funding program. Instead, it focuses on building local capacity through training, coaching, and pass-through support delivered by an intermediary organization.
How is the RCDI program structured?
RCDI uses a three-level model: (1) an intermediary (the grantee) receives the federal award, (2) the intermediary delivers a structured program of financial assistance and hands-on technical assistance to local recipient organizations, and (3) those recipients provide services or carry out activities that benefit rural residents and communities (the beneficiaries).
Who is the "intermediary" in RCDI?
The intermediary is the organization that applies for and receives the RCDI grant award. The intermediary is responsible for operating the program by providing training, technical assistance, and financial assistance to local rural recipient organizations.
Who are the "recipients" and "beneficiaries" under RCDI?
Recipients are the local organizations that receive financial and technical assistance from the intermediary. Beneficiaries are the rural residents and communities ultimately served by the recipients' activities and services.
What types of activities might an intermediary provide to recipients?
Examples described include training and support related to organizational governance, financial management, project development, fundraising, compliance, and strategic planning, along with pass-through financial assistance to help recipients get positioned to launch or expand community projects.
What are the eligible focus areas for RCDI activities?
The eligible focus areas referenced are housing, community facilities, and community and economic development.
Who can apply for this RCDI opportunity?
Eligible applicants are broadly described as qualified private, nonprofit, and public entities, including tribal organizations, that can operate as intermediaries. The opportunity lists many eligible applicant types, including state, county, and local governments; special districts; school districts; public and state-controlled colleges and universities; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; private institutions of higher education; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other eligible entities described in the opportunity.
If many entity types are eligible, what is the main requirement to be a competitive/eligible applicant?
The key requirement stated is that the applicant must function as an intermediary capable of running a financial and technical assistance program for rural recipients. Eligibility is not only about entity type; it is also about the organization being able to deliver the required intermediary role.
How long must an organization have existed to qualify as an intermediary?
To qualify as an intermediary, the organization must have been legally organized for at least three years.
What experience must an intermediary demonstrate?
The intermediary must demonstrate at least three years of prior experience working with private nonprofit community-based housing and development organizations, low-income rural communities, or tribal organizations. That experience must be in one or more of the eligible focus areas: housing, community facilities, or community and economic development.
How much funding is available per award?
Award sizes range from a minimum of $50,000 to a maximum (award ceiling) of $500,000 per intermediary.
Is there a matching funds requirement?
Yes. The intermediary must provide matching funds in an amount at least equal to the RCDI grant amount. This is described as a dollar-for-dollar match.
How does the match requirement affect planning and budgeting?
Because the match must be at least equal to the grant amount, applicants should plan early. The match affects project scale, cash flow, and how the overall budget is structured across federal and matching sources.
Do the rural location rules apply to the intermediary organization?
No. The intermediary itself does not have to be located in a town under 50,000 population. The rural size requirement applies to the recipient organizations and the beneficiary locations.
What are the geography/population rules for communities served?
The recipient organizations and the beneficiaries must be located in a city or town with a population of 50,000 or fewer inhabitants.
What is the official program identifier for this opportunity?
This opportunity is identified as USDA RD HCFP RCDI 2024 under CFDA (Assistance Listing) 10.446.
What is the closing date listed for this opportunity?
The original closing date listed is July 10, 2024.
How many awards were anticipated for this opportunity?
The program anticipated making about 25 awards.
What is the maximum award amount mentioned for this round?
The maximum award referenced is $500,000.
In plain terms, what is RCDI best used for?
RCDI is best understood as a capacity-building and technical assistance grant that helps rural organizations become stronger, more effective, and better prepared to deliver tangible housing, facilities, and economic development outcomes in their communities.
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