NCBA - National Cooperative Business Association
04/07/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/07/2026 17:12
NIFA highlights role of cooperative development centers and FY25 RCDG recipients
The RCDG program received $5 million in appropriations for FY2026. USDA will release a notice of funding availability in the coming months.
On April 1, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) released an update on the 2025 Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) program awards.
Authorized through the Farm Bill, the RCDG program provides grants to cooperative development centers established through nonprofits or institutions of higher education to improve the economic condition of rural areas by helping individuals and businesses start, expand or improve cooperatives.
While the program has historically been administered by the Rural Business Cooperative Service within USDA's Rural Development Mission Area, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) was responsible for the RCDG application process, including uptake, review and awarding for FY25.
In FY2025, NIFA awarded 14 cooperative development centers. $5.8 million was appropriated for this program, in the form of technical assistance grants to facilitate rural economic growth through the creation and expansion of cooperatives. The RCDG program received $5 million in appropriations for FY2026. USDA is expected to release a notice of funding availability in the coming months.
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2025 Awardees
- Cooperative Development Institute, Inc.
- Appalachian Sustainable Development
- California Center for Cooperation Development
- Cooperative Development Foundation
- The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
- The Center for an Agricultural Economy Ltd
- The North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives
- The Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development, Inc.
- Rocky Mountain Farmers Union Educational & Charitable Foundation
- Cooperative Development Services, Inc.
- Virginia Foundation for Agriculture, Innovation & Rural Sustainability
- Clemson University
- Lake County Community Development Corporation
- Keystone Development Center
You can learn more about these cooperative development centers and their projects by visiting this link. To read NIFA's article, check out this link and subscribe to their newsletter for updates on the department's programs and activities.
To stay connected, ask questions or share your comments, email NCBA's advocacy team at [email protected].
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