The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Office in Palmer, Alaska, is accepting applications for the Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) Program for Fiscal Year 2014.

The primary purpose of the RBEG is to support the development of small and emerging private business enterprises in rural areas (with a population of less than 50,000). In Alaska, the Municipality of Anchorage is the only area where the population exceeds this rural limit. However, applicants based in Anchorage can still apply for funding as long as proposed activities support small business development in rural areas.

Eligible applicants include nonprofits, public bodies (e.g., states, boroughs, cities, townships, and incorporated towns and villages, authorities, and districts), and federally recognized Tribes. The small and emerging private business that derives the benefits from the applicant must have fewer than 50 employees and less than $1 million in gross revenue.

Eligible projects to be carried out by the RBEG range from technical assistance workshops to specialized equipment to be leased by small businesses. Last year the USDA Rural Development office in Alaska supported various applicants with a wide range of projects, including energy audits for small businesses, small business development technical assistance, and agricultural technical assistance for farmers. Read about other eligible purposes and limitations.

The RBEG is governed by RD Instruction 1942-G, which outlines the selection criteria on which funding decisions are based. While applications need not address every scoring item, successful applications will satisfy as many of the priority selection criteria items as possible.

Applications are due by close of business on April 10, 2014, and must be submitted in hard copy form to the following address:

USDA Rural Development Attention: Chad Stovall 800 West Evergreen, Suite 201 Palmer, AK 99645

Please note that emailed applications will not be accepted.

For additional information about this grant, read the USDA fact sheet contact Chad Stoval at 907-761-7718 or chad.stovall@ak.usda.gov.