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USDA Rural Development (Tennessee State Office) via local electric/telephone cooperatives

Rural Economic Development Loan & Grant (REDLG) - business incubator projects sponsored by a TN electric or telecom co-op

Open

Deadline
Due Dec 31, 2026 · 84 days left
Award size
Not stated: see the official notice
Match ?
Required: you cover 20% of the total project · Work out your budget and match
Who can apply
Nonprofit with 501(c)(3), Nonprofit without 501(c)(3), City or town government, County government, Small business
Where
Anywhere in Tennessee
Read the official notice Should we apply? Sign in to save

Your share in dollars

Based on the funder's stated 20% applicant share. Some programs lower it for distressed counties or accept donated help.

Before you apply: Tennessee state agencies usually require you to be registered as a supplier in the state's Edison system before they can pay a grant. Ask the program contact, and register early. Get-ready checklist

How this fits you

  • Available in Tennessee
  • Needs a match (see how much in the notice)
  • Past Tennessee awards on file: 3

Tell us who you are to see whether you're eligible.

Official notice: https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/business-programs/rural-economic-development-loan-grant-program · Printed from grantme.click/grants/38d4af8b-59eb-466c-bb1d-85423fbc9ffb

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About this grant

USDA lends and grants to rural electric and telephone utilities, which pass the money on as zero-interest loans for local job-creating projects; business incubators are named as an eligible project type. A Tennessee incubator in a rural town under 50,000 people works with its local co-op or utility (a current or former Rural Utilities Service borrower), which applies to the USDA Rural Development state office on the project's behalf. The incubator receives a 0% loan, not a grant; the utility-level grant capitalizes a revolving loan fund.

Ask a partner for a letter

Your schedule, working back from the deadline

  1. Dec10
    Ask partners for letters of support or commitment
    Suggested: partners need about three weeks to write and sign letters.
  2. Dec24
    Finish a complete draft for a final review
    Suggested: leave about a week for someone else to read the draft.
  3. Dec28
    Submit
    Suggested: submit a few days early in case the form or email has trouble.
  4. Dec31
    Deadline
    From the funder.

Save this grant to put these dates in My grants and your private calendar.

Who in Tennessee has won this program

3 awards to Tennessee groups in 2 counties since 2022. Largest shown:

Past winnerWhereAmountFiscal year
City of Sevierville, TennesseeSevierville$1.5M spent that year2025
Johnson City Energy Authority Dba BrightridgeJohnson City, Washington County$134K spent that year2023
Paris Utility Authority Dba Paris Board of Public UtilitiesParis, Henry County$111K spent that year2024

Source: Federal Audit Clearinghouse. Past awards show who this program funds. They don't guarantee future awards.

About the federal program

Rural Economic Development Loans and Grants, also called “(REDLG)”
Program number 10.854 (the federal Assistance Listing number) · U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Business Cooperative Service · Project grant, loan

How applications are judged

See 7 CFR 4280.42.

Match

This program requires the grantee to provide supplemental funds in the amount of 20 percent of the RBS application amounts.

Examples of funded projects

Fiscal year 2025: This Rural Development assistance will be used to provide financing for the construction of a 12,600 sq. ft. Fire/EMS substation in the small, unincorporated community of By. This project will expand and improve emergency medical and safety services and decrease response times by providing a permanent space dedicated to providing critical emergency services in this historically underserved population in a medically underserved rural tribal area. This Rural Development investment will fund a pass-through loan for a project will assist in financing the purchase of equipment to increase production capacity at their soybean processing facility. This project will create 1 new job. the purpose of this funding program is to provide rural economic development.

This program on SAM.gov

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