Opportunity Information: Apply for RD RBS 23 01 RISE
The Rural Innovation Stronger Economies (RISE) program is a discretionary USDA Rural Development grant opportunity administered by the Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS). For FY 2023, USDA set aside a total of $2,000,000 for this program, with an expectation of making about four awards. Individual awards can be as large as $2,000,000 (the listed award ceiling), and the funding instrument is a grant. The program is cataloged under CFDA/Assistance Listing 10.755 and falls under activity areas that include agriculture, business and commerce, and regional development.
RISE is designed to strengthen economically distressed rural communities by supporting efforts that lead to higher-wage job creation and more resilient local economies. The core idea is to fund projects that provide financial assistance connected to innovation centers and job accelerator programs. In practical terms, this points to initiatives that help communities incubate or accelerate businesses, build entrepreneurship support systems, and create structured pathways for new ventures to start, scale, and hire. The opportunity emphasizes outcomes like accelerating the formation of new businesses, improving a community's ability to create high-wage jobs, and helping rural regions identify and maximize local assets, which can include workforce strengths, industry clusters, natural resources, existing employers, educational institutions, and other place-based advantages.
Eligible applicants include state governments, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in that nonprofit category). The notice also lists an "Others" category, with the expectation that applicants consult the opportunity's additional eligibility details for clarification on what other entities may qualify. The awarding agency is the U.S. Department of Agriculture, specifically RBCS within Rural Development.
The opportunity was created on January 27, 2023. Applications were required to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov, and they had to be received and accepted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on April 20, 2023 to be considered. The announcement also provided an optional concept proposal step: prospective applicants could submit a concept proposal for agency review via Grants.gov by 4:30 p.m. on February 21, 2023, consistent with the requirements referenced at 7 CFR 4284.1115(a). That concept proposal was explicitly not the full application and did not, by itself, constitute a request for program funds; it was a pre-application checkpoint meant to help potential applicants gauge fit and alignment before preparing a complete submission.
Overall, RISE is aimed at helping rural places move beyond short-term assistance and toward durable economic development capacity. By focusing on innovation centers and job accelerators, the program signals an emphasis on building local infrastructure for entrepreneurship, business growth, and talent development, especially in communities facing persistent economic challenges. The intended result is a stronger rural economic ecosystem that can generate better-paying jobs, support new enterprise creation, and more effectively mobilize local strengths into sustainable regional growth.Apply for RD RBS 23 01 RISE
- The Department of Agriculture, Rural Business-Cooperative Service in the agriculture, business and commerce, regional development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Rural Innovation Stronger Economies (RISE)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.755.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 27, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 20, 2023 Electronic applications must be received and accepted by no later than1159 Eastern Time, April 20, 2023, or they will not be considered for funding. Potential applicants may submit a concept proposal for review by the Agency to https://www.grants.gov by 430 p.m. on February 21, 2023 in compliance with 7CFR 4284.1115(a). Submission of a concept proposal is not an application for program funds.. (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 $2,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, 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, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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RISE Grant (USDA Rural Development) FAQs
What is the Rural Innovation Stronger Economies (RISE) program?
RISE is a discretionary grant opportunity from USDA Rural Development, administered by the Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS). It is designed to strengthen economically distressed rural communities by supporting efforts that lead to higher-wage job creation and more resilient local economies.
Which USDA office administers RISE?
The program is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Rural Development, through the Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS).
What is the purpose of RISE funding?
RISE supports projects that help rural communities build durable economic development capacity, with an emphasis on creating higher-wage jobs and strengthening local economic resilience. The opportunity highlights supporting systems and pathways that help businesses start, scale, and hire.
What kinds of projects does RISE prioritize?
RISE emphasizes projects that provide financial assistance connected to innovation centers and job accelerator programs. This points to initiatives that incubate or accelerate businesses, strengthen entrepreneurship support systems, and create structured pipelines that help new ventures develop and grow.
What outcomes is RISE trying to achieve?
The opportunity emphasizes outcomes such as accelerating the formation of new businesses, improving a community's ability to create high-wage jobs, and helping rural regions identify and maximize local assets to support sustainable growth.
What does the program mean by "local assets"?
Local assets can include workforce strengths, industry clusters, natural resources, existing employers, educational institutions, and other place-based advantages that a rural region can mobilize to support entrepreneurship and economic development.
Is RISE a grant or a loan?
RISE uses a grant funding instrument.
What was the total FY 2023 funding available for RISE?
For FY 2023, USDA set aside a total of $2,000,000 for the RISE program.
How many awards did USDA expect to make in FY 2023?
The announcement indicated an expectation of making about four awards.
What is the maximum award amount?
Individual awards can be as large as $2,000,000 (the listed award ceiling).
What is the CFDA/Assistance Listing number for this opportunity?
The program is cataloged under CFDA/Assistance Listing 10.755.
What activity areas does RISE fall under?
The opportunity falls under activity areas that include agriculture, business and commerce, and regional development.
Who is eligible to apply for RISE?
Eligible applicants include state governments, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in that nonprofit category).
Are nonprofit universities eligible under the nonprofit category?
The notice specifies that 501(c)(3) nonprofit eligibility excludes institutions of higher education in that nonprofit category.
What does the "Others" eligibility category mean?
The notice lists an "Others" category and indicates that applicants should consult the opportunity's additional eligibility details to clarify what other entities may qualify.
When was this opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on January 27, 2023.
How were applications submitted?
Applications were required to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov.
What was the deadline for the full application?
Applications had to be received and accepted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on April 20, 2023 to be considered.
Was there a concept proposal option?
Yes. The announcement provided an optional concept proposal step for prospective applicants to submit for agency review before preparing a full application.
When was the optional concept proposal due?
Concept proposals (optional) could be submitted via Grants.gov by 4:30 p.m. on February 21, 2023.
Is the concept proposal the same as the full application?
No. The concept proposal was explicitly not the full application.
Does submitting a concept proposal mean you have applied for funding?
No. The concept proposal did not, by itself, constitute a request for program funds. It was described as a pre-application checkpoint to help potential applicants gauge fit and alignment before preparing a complete submission.
What regulation was referenced for the concept proposal step?
The concept proposal step was referenced as being consistent with requirements at 7 CFR 4284.1115(a).
What types of communities is RISE intended to help?
RISE is designed to strengthen economically distressed rural communities, with an emphasis on building long-term capacity for economic growth rather than short-term assistance.
How does RISE approach rural economic development?
RISE focuses on building local infrastructure for entrepreneurship, business growth, and talent development through innovation centers and job accelerators, aiming to create stronger rural economic ecosystems that can generate better-paying jobs and support new enterprise creation.
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