Local Government Central—Rural Issues

Rural Grants and Loans

The following alphabetical list includes state and federal programs that are either specifically targeted at rural jurisdictions, offer a rural preference in the application process, or are simply available to rural jurisdictions.

• Specific Grants
• Funding sites

Specific Grants

Beverage Container Recycling Grants

What is it: Provides funding for two separate categories: (1) to establish recycling programs in "underserved" and rural areas in order to make beverage container recycling more convenient, and (2) to leverage local dollars for recycling outreach while building on the statewide theme.
Who can apply: Cities, counties, Indian tribes, nonprofits, schools, social clubs, businesses, and even individuals.
Enabling agency: California Department of Conservation, Division of Recycling
More information: www.consrv.ca.gov/dor/grants/index.htm

Economic Development Assistance Program

What is it: Helps distressed communities address problems associated with long-term economic distress, including recovering from the economic impacts of natural disasters, the closure of military installations and other Federal facilities, changing trade patterns, and the depletion of natural resources. Grants may be used for infrastructure, business assistance, research grants, and strategic initiatives.
Who can apply: Generally, states, cities, counties, and Indian tribes.  Applicants are prescreened.
Enabling agency: U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration.
More information: www.osec.doc.gov/eda/HTML/1h_grantreq.htm
California Contacts: See contact listing.

Farm and Ranch Cleanup Grants

What is it: Provides financial assistance for the cleanup of illegal solid waste sites on farm or ranch property.
Who can apply: Cities and counties.
Enabling agency: California Integrated Waste Management Board
More information: www.ciwmb.ca.gov/LEACentral/GrantsLoans/FarmRanch/ 

Local Enforcement Agency Grants Program

What is it: Provides grant funds, based on population and solid waste facilities, to local enforcement agencies to assist in their solid waste facilities permit and inspection programs.
Who can apply: Board-certified Local Enforcement Agencies
Enabling agency: California Integrated Waste Management Board
More information: www.ciwmb.ca.gov/leacentral/grantsloans/LEA/

Playground Safety and Recreational Surfacing Grants

What is it: Provides grant funds to upgrade parks, tracks, and other recreational surfaces using recycled-content materials.
Who can apply: Depending on the specific program: cities, counties, Board-approved regional agencies, special districts, and schools.
Enabling agency: California Integrated Waste Management Board
More information: www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Playgrounds/

Pollution Prevention Grants

What is it: Provides grant funds to identify strategies and solutions for reducing waste at the source.
Who can apply: States, businesses, and Indian tribes.
Enabling agency: United States Environmental Protection Agency
More information: www.epa.gov/p2/programs/ppis/2002p2guidance.htm

Reuse Assistance Grants

What is it: Provides grant funds to promote and apply the concept of reuse and encourage the development or expansion of reuse activities at the local public agency level.
Who can apply: California cities, counties, and Board-approved regional agencies.
Enabling agency: California Integrated Waste Management Board
More information: www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Reuse/Grants/

Rural Business Development Loans and Grants

What is it: Provides grants to rural areas to promote the development of small private businesses, to retain existing businesses, to encourage the growth of rural business cooperatives, and to re-capitalize local revolving loan programs.  Rural Business Enterprises Grants can be used to promote recycling-based businesses or business incubators by acquiring land, buildings, machinery or equipment, providing technical assistance, or making loans for startup operating costs or working capital. Related programs include the Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan, the Intermediary Re-lending Program, and the Rural Cooperative Development Grant.
Who can apply: Varies depending on the program; generally counties, cities, other special districts, and federally recognized Indian tribes.
Enabling agency: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development Administration.
More information: www.rurdev.usda.gov/ca/businessprograms.html 
California contact: Varies by county; see list of California staff.

Solid Waste Assistance Funds

What is it: Provides grants to promote source reduction, product stewardship, reuse, market development, and job creation for recycling and composting, or the procurement or manufacturing of products with postconsumer recycled content.
Who can apply: States, counties, cities, universities, federally recognized Indian tribes, and nonprofit organizations.
Enabling agency: United States Environmental Protection Agency
More information: www.epa.gov/region09/waste/solid/funding.html
California contact:  Adrienne Priselac, EPA Region 9, (415) 972-3285

Solid Waste Disposal and Co-disposal Site Cleanup Program

What is it: This three-part program may expend funds directly for cleanup or emergency actions, provide loans to responsible parties who demonstrate the ability to repay State funds, or provide matching grants to local governments to assist in remediation of environmental problems at landfills. 
Who can apply: Depends on which aspect of the program is utilized; generally cities, counties, regional agencies, and Board-certified local enforcement agencies.
Enabling agency: California Integrated Waste Management Board
More information: www.ciwmb.ca.gov/leacentral/grantsloans/SolidWaste/

Solid Waste Management Grants

What is it: Provides grants of up to 100 percent of eligible program costs to evaluate landfill conditions to determine threats to water resources, provide technical assistance and/or training to help communities reduce the solid waste stream,  enhance operator skills in operation and maintenance of active landfills, or assist operators of landfills which are closed, or will be closed soon, with the development and implementation of the plans for closing and future land use.
Who can apply: Recipients can be public entities, including municipalities, counties, special purpose districts, Indian tribes, and local government-based multi-jurisdictional organizations.  Private nonprofit organizations that have been granted tax exempt status by the IRS may be eligible for assistance if they have proven ability, background, experience, legal authority, and actual capacity to provide the proposed services.
Enabling agency: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development Administration.
Fact sheet: www.usda.gov/rus/water/docs/wwfact.doc (MS Word, 34K) www.usda.gov/rus/water/docs/wwfact.pdf (Adobe Acrobat, 40K)
Contact: varies by county; see list of California staff.

Targeted Brownfields Assessments

What is it: Provides funding and technical assistance to determine the contamination of  abandoned industrial sites and minimize uncertainties with the redevelopment of these sites.
Who can apply: States, cities, counties and Indian Tribes.
Enabling agency: United States Environmental Protection Agency
More information: www.epa.gov/brownfields/html-doc/tba.htm
California contact:  EPA Region 9 Brownfields staff

Used Oil and Household Hazardous Waste Grants

What is it: Provides competitive and noncompetitive grants to increase the collection and decrease the illegal disposal of used motor oil and other household hazardous wastes.
Who can apply: Varies depending on the program; generally, California cities, counties, regional agencies, special districts, and nonprofit organizations.
Enabling agency: California Integrated Waste Management Board
More information: www.ciwmb.ca.gov/HHW/Grants.htm

Waste Tire Amnesty Day Grants

What is it: Provides grants funds to develop education programs on the requirements for proper tire disposal and to fund amnesty days to help consumers deal with nuisance tires.
Who can apply: California cities, counties, Board-approved regional agencies, special districts, and Indian tribes.
Enabling agency: California Integrated Waste Management Board
More information: www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Tires/Grants/Amnesty/

Waste Tire Cleanup Grants

What is it: Provides grants funds for the removal, transportation, disposal, and end use of waste tires from "legacy" waste tire piles.
Who can apply: California counties, cities, Board-approved regional agencies, Board-certified local enforcement agencies (LEA),  fire districts, code enforcement agencies, and Indian tribes.
Enabling agency: California Integrated Waste Management Board
More information: www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Tires/Grants/Cleanup/

Waste Tire Enforcement Grants

What is it: Provides grant funds to investigate waste tire facilities and survey tire dealers and auto dismantlers to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
Who can apply: California cities, counties, Board-approved regional agencies,  Board-certified local enforcement agencies, and special districts with regulatory authority over tire disposal.
Enabling agency: California Integrated Waste Management Board
More information: www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Tires/Grants/Enforcement/

Water and Waste Disposal Loans and Grants

What is it: Provides loans, guaranteed loans, and grants for water, sewer, storm water, and solid waste disposal facilities in rural areas and towns of up to 10,000 people.
Who can apply: Recipients must be public entities, including municipalities, counties, special purpose districts, Indian tribes, and corporations not operated for profit, including cooperatives. A new entity may be formed to provide the needed service if an appropriate one does not already exist.
Enabling agency: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development Administration.
Fact sheet: www.usda.gov/rus/water/docs/wwfact.doc (MS Word, 34K) www.usda.gov/rus/water/docs/wwfact.pdf (Adobe Acrobat, 40K)
Contact: Varies by county; see list of California staff.

Funding Sites

California Grants Database: Allows users to identify grant sources within California's agencies and departments through a single search, without being required to know the name of the department administering the grant.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance: Allows users to identify grant sources within federal government agencies and departments through a single search, without being required to know the name of the department administering the grant.

CIWMB Grants:  Links to detailed information about the many funding opportunities administered by the California Integrated Waste Management Board.

U.S. Department of Commerce Database: Search for grants and loans and other opportunities for rural assistance.

U.S. Department of Energy Grants and Funding:  Many resources, including grant-writing tutorials and a listing of known private and government grants available for research and implementation of projects focused in areas related to energy efficiency, sustainable development, and the environment.

U.S. EPA Region 9 Community Funding Sources

U.S. EPA Environmental Finance Program

U.S. EPA Grant Writing Tutorial

U.S. EPA Waste Management in Indian Country

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Super NOFA: HUD has consolidated its Community Development Block Grants and other programs into one large funding scheme.  Grants still have their own application process and deadlines.

Rural Home

Last updated: January 09, 2008