Program 101

What does this program do?
Provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to purchase or install renewable energy systems or make energy efficiency improvements

Who may apply?

Agricultural producers with at least 50% of gross income coming from agricultural operations, and

Why does USDA Rural Development do this?
This program helps increase American energy independence by increasing the private sector supply of renewable energy and decreasing the demand for energy through energy efficiency improvements. Over time, these investments can also help lower the cost of energy costs for small businesses and agricultural producers.

NOTE: Because citations and other information may be subject to change, please always consult the program Instructions listed in the section above titled, "What governs this program?" You may also contact your local office for assistance.

Forms & Resources

NOTE: Please contact your local State Office and speak to a Rural Development Energy Coordinator before attempting to fill out any forms or applications. This will save you valuable time in completing your application.

To complete an application for this program, you must be pre-registered with the System for Award Management (SAM) and also have a Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number. Neither of these applications cost money, but they can take time so be sure to get this taken care of right away. If you are already registered with these systems, you do not need to do it again.