Grants and Loans | USDA
Stay Connected   Become a fan on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Watch USDA videos on YouTube Subscribe to receive e-mail updates View USDA Photos on Flickr Subscribe to RSS Feeds
Stay Connected
USDA Programs and Services
Grants and Loans
 Visit the Federal Trade Commission's Identify Theft Website

This FTC website to help you deter, detect, and defend against identity theft. You can learn how to avoid theft, or learn what to do if your identity is stolen.

 Farm Loans

FSA makes direct and guaranteed farm ownership and operating loans to family-size farmers and ranchers who cannot obtain commercial credit from a bank, Farm Credit System institution, or other lender. FSA loans can be used to purchase land, livestock, equipment, feed, seed, and supplies. Loans can also be used to construct buildings or make farm improvements.

 Housing Assistance

USDA provides homeownership opportunities to low- and moderate-income rural Americans through several loan, grant, and loan guarantee programs. The programs also make funding available to individuals to finance vital improvements necessary to make their homes decent, safe, and sanitary. USDA Multi-Family Housing Programs offer Rural Rental Housing Loans to provide affordable multi-family rental housing for very low-, low-, and moderate-income families; the elderly; and persons with disabilities. In addition, rental assistance is available to eligible families.

 Rural Development Loan Assistance

USDA Rural Development forges partnerships with rural communities, funding projects that bring housing, community facilities, business guarantees, utilities and other services to rural America. USDA provides technical assistance and financial backing for rural businesses and cooperatives to create quality jobs in rural areas. Rural Development promotes the President's National Energy Policy and ultimately the nation's energy security by engaging the entrepreneurial spirit of rural America in the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements. Rural Development works with low-income individuals, State, local and Indian tribal governments, as well as private and nonprofit organizations and user-owned cooperatives.

 Beginning Farmers and Ranchers

USDA, through the Farm Service Agency, provides direct and guaranteed loans to beginning farmers and ranchers who are unable to obtain financing from commercial credit sources. Each fiscal year, the Agency targets a portion of its direct and guaranteed farm ownership (FO) and operating loan (OL) funds to beginning farmers and ranchers.

 Business Development

USDA provides technical assistance to businesses and cooperatives located in rural communities, and establishes strategic alliances and partnerships that leverage public, private, and cooperative resources to create jobs and stimulate rural economic activity by promoting business development.

 Community Facilities

Community Programs provide loans, grants and loan guarantees for projects to develop essential community facilities for public use in rural areas. This may include hospitals, fire protection, public safety, libraries, schools, day care centers as well as many other community-based initiatives. USDA also works to develop the capacity and ability of private, nonprofit community-based housing and community development organizations, and low income rural communities to improve housing, community facilities, community and economic development projects in rural areas.

 Utility Services

USDA supports deployment of reliable and affordable water, waste treatment, electric power and telecommunications services, including broadband, to help rural areas expand economic opportunities and improve the quality of life for rural residents. Rural Development provides funding opportunities in the form of payments, grants, loans, and loan guarantees, for the development and commercialization of vital utility services. These programs revitalize rural communities with a variety of improvements, and create sustainable opportunities for wealth, new jobs, and increased economic activity in rural America.

 Crop and Livestock Insurance

USDA helps producers manage their business risks. The mission of USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA) is to promote, support, and regulate sound risk management solutions to preserve and strengthen the economic stability of America's agricultural producers. As part of this mission, RMA operates and manages the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC).

RMA has three divisions: Insurance Services, Product Management, and Risk Compliance. Seventeen private-sector insurance companies sell and service the policies. RMA develops and/or approves the premium rate, administers premium and expense subsidies, approves and supports products, and reinsures the companies. RMA also sponsors educational and outreach programs and seminars on the general topic of risk.

 Federal State Marketing Improvement Program

This matching grant program, also known as FSMIP, provides matching funds to State Departments of Agriculture and other appropriate State agencies to assist in exploring new market opportunities for food and agricultural products, and to encourage research and innovation aimed at improving the efficiency and performance of the marketing system.

 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program

The SCBGP funds can be requested to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. Specialty crops are defined as fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and nursery crops (including floriculture).

 The Farmers Market Promotion Program

The FMPP was created through a recent amendment of the Farmer-to-Consumer Direct Marketing Act of 1976. The grants, authorized by the FMPP, are targeted to help improve and expand domestic farmers markets, roadside stands, community-supported agriculture programs and other direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities.

 Organic Cost Share Program

AMS administers two organic certification cost share programs. Each program provides cost share assistance, through participating States, to organic producers and/or organic handlers. Recipients must receive initial certification or continuation of certification from a USDA accredited certifying agent (ACA).