Oklahoma Rural Development State Office Announces $2 Million in Business Development Grants

U.S. Department of Agriculture ( USDA) Rural Development Oklahoma State Director Kenneth Corn announced today that the BidenHarris 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:

•Ru r a l 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 BidenHarris 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.”

https://www. rd.usda.gov/ok.