Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grant | RBCS SDGG 2023

Opportunity Information: Apply for RBCS SDGG 2023

The Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grant (SDGG) is a competitive federal grant opportunity run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS). It is designed to strengthen rural communities by funding technical assistance that helps socially disadvantaged groups participate more fully in cooperative and rural business development. The program aligns with USDA Rural Development's broader mission of improving quality of life in rural America, with an emphasis on directing resources toward people and communities that face systemic barriers and therefore may need added support to access economic opportunities.

For this funding cycle, USDA announced a total of $3,000,000 available in competitive grant funds under the FY 2022 SDGG program. The opportunity is listed under the title "Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grant" with the funding opportunity number "RBCS SDGG 2023." Awards are made as grants (not loans), and the activity area is categorized under business and commerce. The relevant CFDA/Assistance Listing number is 10.871, which is the program identifier applicants typically use when searching for requirements or verifying the program in federal grant systems.

The core purpose of SDGG is to provide technical assistance in rural areas. In practical terms, that generally means supporting services like training, outreach, feasibility and business planning support, organizational development, governance and compliance assistance, and other capacity-building efforts that help socially disadvantaged groups develop, expand, or participate in cooperatives and cooperative-related economic activity. Rather than directly funding construction or large capital purchases, the emphasis is on guidance, education, and hands-on support that improves long-term readiness and sustainability for the people and organizations the program is intended to serve.

Eligibility to apply centers on cooperative-focused entities. The opportunity specifies that eligible applicants include cooperatives, groups of cooperatives, and cooperative development centers. The listing also notes eligibility for Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) and includes an "Others (see text)" category, indicating there are additional eligibility details in the full notice that clarify which other organizations may apply and under what conditions. In general, programs like SDGG commonly focus on entities that have the structure and experience to deliver technical assistance to rural communities, rather than individual applicants seeking support for a single business.

In terms of award size and scale, the maximum award (ceiling) is $175,000, and the agency projected approximately 30 awards. With $3 million total available, that expected award count and ceiling suggest many grants will fall below the maximum depending on the strength of proposals and the geographic or programmatic spread USDA aims to achieve. Because this is a competitive program, funding is not guaranteed; awards depend on application quality, alignment with program goals, and the scoring and selection process described in the full funding notice.

Key administrative details include a creation/posted date of March 17, 2023, and an original closing date of May 16, 2023. Those dates define the application window for this particular announcement. Applicants typically need to prepare a full proposal package by the deadline, following federal formatting, budget, and narrative requirements. Since this is a discretionary grant program, proposals are usually evaluated against published criteria such as need, work plan quality, organizational capability, expected outcomes, and how well the project serves the intended rural socially disadvantaged populations.

Overall, SDGG is best understood as a targeted capacity-building grant: it invests in organizations that can deliver practical technical assistance in rural areas, with the goal of expanding economic participation and opportunity for socially disadvantaged groups through cooperative development and related rural business support.

• The Department of Agriculture, Rural Business-Cooperative Service in the business and commerce sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grant" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.871.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 17, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 16, 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 $175,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 30 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for RBCS SDGG 2023

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