Curated by: The Western Nevada Development District…

This edition of Five for Friday focuses on opportunities for economic development around the region in the areas of loans to rural businesses, resilient infrastructure, natural resource conservation, and grant funding.

Grant Opportunities & More

Connecting to Our Natural Resources

The Nevada Division of Forestry’s Conservation Education and Outreach Program (CE) provides funding to organizations that help people of all ages understand and appreciate our country’s natural resources and how to conserve those resources for future generations. Through structured educational experiences and activities targeted to diverse age groups and populations, CE enables people to realize how natural resources and ecosystems affect each other and how resources can be used wisely. Funding is currently available for eligible applicants to expand or enhance CE programs and activities. Eligible applicants include state and local agencies, tribes, non-profit organizations and educational institutions.

Funding requests may not exceed $10,000 per application and indirect costs may not exceed 10% of the total budget request.

Applications: Continuous

Conservation Education & Outreach Grant

Guaranteed Loans for Rural Businesses from U.S. Department of Agriculture

USDA Rural Development program offering loan guarantees to lenders for their loans to rural businesses including hospitals, clinics, hotels, and more. Eligible uses include (but are not limited to):

• Business conversion, enlargement, repair, modernization, or development
• Purchase and development of land, buildings, and associated infrastructure for commercial or industrial properties
• Purchase and installation of machinery and equipment, supplies or inventory
• Debt refinancing when such refinancing improves cash flow and creates jobs
• Business and industrial acquisitions when the loan will maintain business operations and create or save jobs

Application Deadline: Open

Rural Business Loans

FEMA Climate Adaptation Grants Protect Communities

The Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program makes federal funds available to states, U.S. territories, federally recognized Tribal governments, and local governments for hazard mitigation activities. It does so with a recognition of the growing hazards associated with climate change, and of the need for natural hazard risk mitigation activities that promote climate adaptation and resilience with respect to those hazards. These include both acute extreme weather events and chronic stressors which have been observed and are expected to increase in intensity and frequency.

FEMA will provide financial assistance to eligible BRIC applicants for the following activities:

• Capability and Capacity-Building activities – activities that enhance the knowledge, skills, and expertise of the current workforce to expand or improve the administration of mitigation assistance. This includes activities in the following sub-categories: building codes, partnerships, project scoping, hazard mitigation planning and planning-related activities, and other activities
• Hazard Mitigation Projects – cost-effective projects designed to increase resilience and public safety; reduce injuries and loss of life; and reduce damage and destruction to property, critical services, facilities, and infrastructure (including natural systems) from a multitude of natural hazards, including drought, wildfire, earthquakes, extreme heat, and the effects of climate change
• Management Costs – financial assistance to reimburse the recipient and subrecipient for eligible and reasonable indirect costs, direct administrative costs, and other administrative expenses associated with a specific mitigation measure or project in an amount up to 15% of the total amount of the grant award

Application Deadline: February 29, 2024

BRIC Grants

USDA and National Rural Health Association to Provide Technical Assistance to Rural Hospitals

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has recently partnered with the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) to provide technical assistance to rural hospitals across the nation. USDA is awarding NRHA a $2 million cooperative agreement to implement a technical assistance pilot program for hospitals located in rural communities of 50,000 or less. The technical assistance will help rural hospitals better manage their financial and business strategies to improve performance, prevent further hospital closings, and strengthen the delivery of health care for rural communities.

USDA Rural Healthcare Programs

Firehouse Subs Foundation First Responders and Public Safety Grants

The next round of the Firehouse Subs Foundation Grants Opens in January 2024. The Foundation provides support for life saving equipment, prevention education, scholarships, continuing education, and disaster relief. Fire Departments, law enforcement, EMS, municipal and state organizations, public safety organizations, non-profits and schools are encouraged to apply. Funding averages $15,000 to $35,000 and is capped at $50,000. Since 2005, the Firehouse Subs Foundation has awarded more than $850,000 in life-saving equipment to Nevada public safety organizations.

Firehouse Sub Foundation