Working on Wellness Environments
Working on Wellness Environments (WOW-E) is a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension multidisciplinary community development program

USDA Rural Development Funding Opportunities

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Funding Opportunities for Infrastructure 

Water & Waste Disposal Loan & Grant Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development offers funding for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal and storm water drainage to households and businesses in eligible rural areas. Application Deadline: Ongoing

Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development grants for eligible communities to prepare for or recover from an emergency that threatens the availability of safe, reliable drinking water. Application Deadline: Ongoing

Single Family Housing Rural Disaster Home Repair Grants *NEW*
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development grants to very-low and low-income homeowners to repair homes damaged in a Calendar Year 2022 Presidentially Declared Disaster Area. To determine your eligibility, review the list of Presidentially Declared Disasters by State and County. How do I get started? Contact a USDA home loan specialist in your area. Application Deadline: Open

Housing Preservation Grant Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development provides funding to sponsoring organizations for the repair or rehabilitation of applicable housing. *New* Funding may also be available to help repair homes damaged during a calendar year 2022 Presidentially declared disaster area. Federal Register. Application Deadline: 6/5/2023

Community Connect Grant Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development provides funding to construct broadband networks in rural areas that do not currently have broadband service. Application Deadline: 6/20/2023

Funding Opportunities for Community and Economic Development

SEARCH – Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities and Households
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development funding for financially distressed rural communities of less than 2,500 people to assist with feasibility studies, design assistance and technical assistance on proposed water and waste disposal projects. Application Deadline: Open

Water and Waste Disposal Pre-development Planning Grants
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development offers grants to help low-income, rural communities with the initial planning and development of applications for their Water and Waste Disposal loan/grant and loan guarantee programs. Application Deadline: Ongoing

Rural Energy Savings Program 
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development provides loans to entities that agree to make affordable loans to help consumers implement cost-effective, energy efficiency measures to lower energy bills for rural families and businesses and reduce barriers to investment in energy efficiency projects or activities. Application Deadline: Open

Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grant Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development provides technical assistance for the development of cooperatives or the formation of new cooperatives including leadership training, the development of feasibility studies, business plans and/or strategic plans. Application Deadline: 5/16/2023

Energizing Rural Communities Prize
U.S. Department of Energy
DOE’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations offers funding for entrepreneurs, university faculty, student groups, community organizations, tribal and local governments, financial institutions, industry professionals, and others with ideas to help organize or finance a clean energy demonstration project in a rural or remote area. Application Deadline: 5/24/2023

Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations Grant Program
U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)
DOL Employment and Training Administration and Women’s Bureau grant program supports community-based organizations in their efforts to recruit, train, and retain more women in Registered Apprenticeship Programs and industries where they are underrepresented such as construction, manufacturing, and cybersecurity. Application Deadline: 5/29/2023

Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
EPA program supporting the design of a new pass-through program to provide grant funds via subawards to community-based nonprofit organizations and other eligible subrecipient groups representing underserved and disadvantaged communities. Application Deadline: 5/31/2023

Broadband Technical Assistance Program *NEW*
The U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA Rural Development offers this program to support technical assistance projects such as conducting feasibility studies, completing network designs and developing broadband financial assistance applications. Funding is also available to help organizations access federal resources, and to conduct data collection and reporting. Read the full news release. Application Deadline: 6/20/2023

TxDOT Transportation Alternatives (TA) Set Aside funding open

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TxDOT 2023 Transportation Alternatives Set-aside (TA) program call opened on December 2, 2022. Step 1 of the application is due January 27, 2023. Projects eligible for this funding source must focus on improving safety, access, or mobility for people of all ages and abilities; construct segments identified as part of the Texas Bicycle Tourism Trails network; improving access to or between existing bicycle and pedestrian facilities and public transportation; or enhance bicycle and pedestrian access and safety to school-related destinations. Proposed projects may be located on state-maintained roadway right-of-way (on-system) or along on- or off-street property owned by the project sponsor (off-system).

The TxDOT bicycle and pedestrian grant and funding webpage has the complete list of project materials and technical assistance tools for application development. 

“This Call for Projects features a two-step application process.  The Preliminary Application (Step 1) provides high-level proposed project information to determine eligibility and funding opportunities.  Following successful completion of Step 1, a Detailed Application (Step 2) provides more comprehensive project information. This two-step approach is intended to enhance the quality of project applications and to foster communication between prospective project sponsors and TxDOT District staff.  Both steps must be completed for a project to be considered for funding under this program call.”

Here is the primary link to the funding source: https://www.txdot.gov/business/grants-and-funding/bicycle-pedestrian-local-federal-funding-programs.html

USDA Rural Placemaking Innovation Challenge

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The USDA Rural Placemaking Innovation Challenge provides funding for planning support, technical assistance, or training to foster placemaking in rural communities. The USDA defines rural placemaking as a collaborative engagement process that helps leaders from rural communities create quality places where people will want to live, work, play and learn.

There is more information about who should apply, funding details, an application checklist, and more on USDA’s website. Click here to learn more and apply.

To read about previous recipients’ work, click here.

There will be a virtual General Office Hours event on August 3, 2022 with more information and a time to ask questions. Click here to register.

DOT Reconnecting Communities Grant Program – Open Now! / Oportunidad de financiamiento – Reconectar Comunidades

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DOT is now accepting applications for the Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) discretionary grant program. DOT will host an “Interested in Applying?” webinar for prospective applicants on Thursday, July 14 from 12:00 to 1:30 PM EDT (register here).  

The $1 billion RCP Program was established under President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in keeping with the Biden-Harris Administration’s belief that the promise of our nation is that every American has an equal chance to get ahead. It is the first-ever program to help reconnect communities previously cut off from opportunities by transportation infrastructure, such as highways and rail lines, through solutions like high-quality public transportation, infrastructure removal, and main street revitalization. 

In Fiscal Year 2022 (that’s now!), the RCP Program provides up to $195 million for public engagement, planning activities, capital construction projects, and technical assistance to reconnect communities where transportation infrastructure has created barriers. 

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) 

Visit the RCP Program website to access the NOFO and learn about eligibility, funding, application and submission processes, and evaluation criteria. The application submission deadline is Thursday, October 13, 2022. The RCP Program welcomes applications from diverse eligible applicants regardless of size, location, and experience administering Federal funding awards. 

Technical Assistance 

Webinars, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), and other resources are available on the RCP Program website. A new DOT Navigator consolidates a wide range of existing DOT technical assistance resources to support prospective applicants. 

Contact Us 

Please email program staff at ReconnectingCommunities@dot.gov with questions on the available information. Staff will update FAQs on a regular basis to reflect the most up-to-date information on the RCP Program. 

Aviso de Oportunidad de financiamiento disponible para el Programa piloto Reconectando Comunidades   

DOT se complace en anunciar que se están aceptando solicitudes para el programa piloto de subvenciones discrecionales Reconectando Comunidades (RCP). DOT estará llevando a cabo un resumen del Programa RCP a través de un seminario web para posibles solicitantes el jueves, 14 de julio de las 12:00 a la 1:30 p. m., hora del este (EDT). La inscripción para el seminario web está disponible aquí.   

Este programa de mil millones de dólares fue establecido bajo la Ley de Infraestructura Bipartidista del presidente Biden, de acuerdo con la ideología de la administración Biden Harris de que la promesa de nuestra nación es que cada estadounidense tiene la misma oportunidad de salir adelante. Es el primer programa que ayuda a reconectar a las comunidades que antes no tenían oportunidades debido a la infraestructura de transporte como carreteras y vías férreas, a través de soluciones como transporte público de alta calidad, eliminación de infraestructura y revitalización de calles principales. 

  

En el Año Fiscal 2022 (que es ahora mismo), el programa provee hasta 195 millones de dólares en fondos disponibles para actividades de participación pública, actividades elegibles de planificación, proyectos de construcción de bienes capitales y asistencia técnica para reconectar comunidades que han sido separadas por la infraestructura del transporte. 

Aviso de oportunidad de financiamiento (NOFO) 

Por favor consulte el Sitio web de Reconectando Comunidades para acceder al Aviso de oportunidad de financiamiento (NOFO) y para obtener más información sobre los requisitos de elegibilidad para la subvención, fondos, disponibilidad, información sobre la solicitud y cómo presentarla, así como sobre los criterios de evaluación. La fecha límite para presentar la solicitud es el 13 de octubre de 2022. El Programa RCP acepta solicitudes de una gran diversidad de solicitantes elegibles independientemente de su tamaño, ubicación y experiencia en la administración de fondos federales adjudicados.  

  

Asistencia técnica 

En el sitio web se encuentran disponibles una serie de seminarios web, preguntas frecuentes (FAQ), y otros recursos sobre el programa, así como Avisos de oportunidad de financiamiento (NOFO). Un nuevo navegador DOT consolidará una amplia gama de recursos existentes del DOT.  

  

Contacte con nosotros 

Puede enviar un correo electrónico al personal del programa a ReconnectingCommunities@dot.gov con preguntas sobre la información disponible. El personal revisará las FAQ periódicamente para reflejar la información más actualizada sobre el programa RCP.  

Grant Opportunity: Texas Local Food Purchase Assistance

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TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE – COMMISSIONER SID MILLER

Application Now Available – Texas Local Food Purchase Assistance Program Due: Thursday, August 11, 2022 by 11:59 PM Central Time.  The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) is administering the Texas Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (TxLFPA).

The purpose of the program is to maintain and improve Texas’ food and agricultural supply chain resiliency. The goal of this program is to foster in-state, long-term relationships and build sustainable market opportunities for State of Texas producers, with an emphasis on supporting local or regional and socially disadvantaged producers to increase the amount of products distributed to underserved communities in the State of Texas. In addition, TDA aims to tailor food distribution for unique local challenges to serve the State’s population and feeding programs, including food banks and other organizations that target underserved communities. The 2022 Application must be completed online. Original/Paper applications will not be accepted. Please DO NOT e-mail, mail or deliver applications in person to the TDA Headquarters in Austin. Please contact us via email at Grants@TexasAgriculture.gov with questions. Additional details, instructions and the application materials can be found here. 

Sincerely, 
Grants Office Trade & Business Development  

If the link above does not work, please copy and paste this link in your internet browser: https://texasagriculture.gov/GrantsServices/GrantsandServices/TexasLocalFoodPurchaseAssistance.aspx