USDA Rural Development – Tennessee State Office

Rural Business Development Grants (Tennessee)

Done for this year — next round expected · Assistance Listing 10.351

Deadline: Done for this year · next round expected due around Jun 30, 2027
Award size: Not specified — see notice
Cost share / match ?: Not required
Who can apply: City or town government, County government, Special district (utility, fire, etc.), Tribal government, Nonprofit with 501(c)(3), Nonprofit without 501(c)(3)
Where: Anywhere in Tennessee

This year's round is over

Last round: due around Jun 30, 2026, as the funder posted it.

Next round, expected: due around Jun 30, 2027. The funder hasn't announced it yet. GrantMe projects it from last year's dates, so check the official page as it gets closer.

Use the time now: get grant-ready, read last year's guidelines, and add the expected dates to your calendar.

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. Grant-ready checklist

How this fits you

Available in Tennessee
No cost share required
Tennessee recipients since 2023: 16

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

About this grant

Grants to towns, tribes and nonprofits for projects that help small and emerging rural businesses grow or that support economic development planning in rural areas outside cities of 50,000 or more. Businesses and individuals cannot receive these grants directly.

Who in Tennessee has won this program

16 awards to Tennessee recipients in 13 counties since federal FY2023. Largest shown:

Past Tennessee recipients
Recipient	Where	Amount	FY
Knoxville Entrepreneur Center	Knoxville, Knox County	$105K	2022
Bradley County School District	Cleveland, Bradley County	$89K	2020
Town Of Jonesborough Town Hall	Jonesborough, Sullivan County	$84K	2023
Grundy County Government	Altamont, Grundy County	$56K	2018
Upper Cumberland Entrepreneurial Foundation	Crossville, Cumberland County	$50K	2020
Fentress County Schools	Jamestown, Fentress County	$50K	2020
Parsons-Decatur County Higher Education Foundation	Parsons, Decatur County	$40K	2026
Macon County Board Of Education	Lafayette, Macon County	$37K	2021
Town Of Erwin	Erwin, Unicoi County	$36K	2018
Bradley County School District	Cleveland, Bradley County	$31K	2023
Upper Cumberland Entrepreneurial Foundation	Cookeville, Jackson County	$30K	2025
Polk County Government	Benton, Polk County	$24K	2021

Source: USAspending.gov. Past awards show who this program funds; they don't guarantee future awards.

About the program (10.351)

Rural Business Development Grant — RBDG

How applications are judged

Projects selected for funding should, as much as practical, adhere to the following priorities: (1) Projects which will be located in communities having a large portion of their population with low incomes; (2) projects which will save existing jobs; (3) projects which will create jobs; and (4) projects located in areas with high unemployment rate.

Matching requirements

This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Examples of funded projects

Fiscal Year2025: This Rural Development investment will be used to prepare a preliminary engineering plan focused on key infrastructure needs for the buildout of 19 remaining acres of commercial and retail space on 30 acres of trust land. This Rural Development investment will be used to benefit Tribal communities by providing critical technical assistance and project management support to increase access to jobs, services, businesses and programs.

Program listing on SAM.gov

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Key facts