Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA RD CFTAT 2023
The Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training (CFTAT) Grant is a discretionary grant program run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Rural Housing Service (RHS), designed to strengthen rural and other eligible communities by funding technical assistance and training related to essential community facilities. Rather than paying directly for construction or equipment, this opportunity supports the planning and capacity-building work that communities often need before they can successfully develop, apply for, or finance community facilities projects. The program’s focus is on helping local groups understand what facilities are needed, how to prioritize them, and how to put together a workable strategy to move projects forward.
Under this opportunity, USDA makes grants to public bodies and private nonprofit corporations so they can provide technical assistance and/or training to associations and local entities tied to essential community facilities efforts. In practice, this means the grant funds can be used to help communities, Indian Tribes, and nonprofit corporations identify and plan for community facility needs in their area. Once those needs are clearly identified, the grantee can then assist those communities in locating and coordinating public and private financing resources to support the facility needs that were identified. The intent is to build a pipeline of well-planned, finance-ready community facility projects by improving local planning, knowledge, and access to funding networks.
A wide range of applicant types are eligible, reflecting the program’s community development purpose. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city/township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments; nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those categories); and private institutions of higher education. This broad eligibility allows both government entities and mission-driven organizations to serve as providers of technical assistance and training, especially in places where local capacity is limited.
The funding opportunity is identified as “USDA RD CFTAT 2023” and is listed under CFDA (now commonly referred to as Assistance Listing) number 10.766, with activity areas noted as Agriculture and Community Development. Awards have an upper funding limit (award ceiling) of $150,000, and USDA anticipated making about 15 awards under this notice. The opportunity was created on April 21, 2023, and the original closing date was June 30, 2023, indicating a time-limited application window for that specific cycle.
Overall, this grant is best understood as a planning and readiness tool: it supports organizations that can coach, train, and guide communities through the early-stage work of defining essential community facility needs and building realistic pathways to fund them. By investing in technical assistance and training, USDA aims to help communities and tribal areas move from identified needs to actionable plans and, ultimately, to financed community facility projects that improve local services and quality of life.Apply for USDA RD CFTAT 2023
- The Department of Agriculture, Rural Housing Service in the agriculture, community development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training Grant" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.766.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 21, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 30, 2023. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $150,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training (CFTAT) Grant - FAQs
What is the Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training (CFTAT) Grant?
The Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training (CFTAT) Grant is a discretionary grant program run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Rural Housing Service (RHS). It is designed to strengthen rural and other eligible communities by funding technical assistance and training connected to essential community facilities.
Who administers this grant opportunity?
The program is administered by USDA Rural Housing Service (RHS).
What is the main purpose of the CFTAT Grant?
The main purpose is to fund planning, technical assistance, and training that help communities understand essential community facility needs, prioritize them, and develop workable strategies to move projects forward. The goal is to improve local capacity and create a pipeline of well-planned, finance-ready community facility projects.
Does CFTAT pay for construction or equipment purchases?
No. Based on the information provided, this opportunity is not intended to pay directly for construction or equipment. It supports the early-stage planning and capacity-building work that often needs to happen before communities can successfully develop, apply for, or finance community facilities projects.
What types of activities can CFTAT funding support?
CFTAT funding supports technical assistance and/or training related to essential community facilities efforts. This can include helping communities, Indian Tribes, and nonprofit corporations identify and plan for facility needs, and then assisting them in locating and coordinating public and private financing resources to support those identified needs.
Who receives the grant funds?
USDA makes grants to public bodies and private nonprofit corporations so that those grantees can provide technical assistance and/or training to associations and local entities connected to essential community facilities work.
Who is the assistance meant to benefit?
The assistance is meant to benefit associations and local entities tied to essential community facilities efforts. In practice, it is used to support communities, Indian Tribes, and nonprofit corporations as they identify needs, plan effectively, and connect with financing resources.
What does USDA mean by “essential community facilities” in this context?
Based on the information provided, “essential community facilities” refers broadly to community facilities that support local services and quality of life. The grant focuses on the planning and readiness work related to those facilities, rather than directly funding the facilities themselves.
What does “technical assistance and training” look like under this program?
It involves coaching, training, and guidance that helps local groups figure out what facilities are needed, how to prioritize facility needs, and how to build a realistic strategy to move potential projects forward. It can also include support to locate and coordinate financing sources (public and private) once needs are identified.
What outcomes is USDA trying to achieve through CFTAT?
USDA aims to build a pipeline of well-planned, finance-ready community facility projects by improving local planning, increasing knowledge, and strengthening access to funding networks and financing resources.
What is the opportunity name and identifier?
The funding opportunity is identified as “USDA RD CFTAT 2023.”
What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number for this opportunity?
The Assistance Listing number (formerly CFDA) is 10.766.
What activity areas are associated with this grant?
The activity areas listed for this opportunity are Agriculture and Community Development.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include a wide range of public and nonprofit entities, including:
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Public housing authorities
- Indian housing authorities
- Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments
- Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in that category)
- Nonprofit organizations without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in that category)
- Private institutions of higher education
Are nonprofit organizations required to have 501(c)(3) status to apply?
No. The eligibility list includes nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status (with the note that institutions of higher education are excluded from those nonprofit categories).
Are tribal entities eligible?
Yes. Eligible applicants include federally recognized Native American tribal governments and Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments. The program also describes assisting Indian Tribes as part of the intended community support.
Can higher education institutions apply?
Yes. Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education are listed as eligible applicants. (The provided eligibility list also notes that institutions of higher education are excluded from the nonprofit categories with/without 501(c)(3) status.)
What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling is $150,000.
How many awards did USDA expect to make?
USDA anticipated making about 15 awards under this notice.
When was this opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on April 21, 2023.
When was the application window scheduled to close?
The original closing date was June 30, 2023, indicating a time-limited application window for that specific cycle.
Is CFTAT best suited for early-stage projects or later-stage projects?
Based on the description, CFTAT is best understood as an early-stage planning and readiness tool. It supports the work that needs to happen before a community facility project is ready to apply for or secure financing.
How does this grant help communities move projects forward if it does not fund construction?
It helps communities get organized and prepared by clarifying facility needs, improving prioritization, developing workable strategies, and connecting communities to public and private financing resources. The intent is to help communities move from identified needs to actionable plans and ultimately to financed projects.
What kind of organizations are expected to deliver the assistance?
The program is designed for organizations that can coach, train, and guide communities through planning and readiness work related to essential community facilities. The eligible applicant list includes both government entities and mission-driven organizations, reflecting that technical assistance capacity may be strongest outside of the communities that need it most.
What is the overall value proposition of this program for rural and eligible communities?
The program invests in technical assistance and training so communities can build local capacity, make better decisions about facility priorities, and develop realistic pathways to funding. The broader objective is improved local services and quality of life through community facility projects that are better planned and more likely to secure financing.
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Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (USDA RD CFTAT 2023) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Rural Community Development Initiative Apply for USDA RD HCFP RCDI 2023 Funding Number: USDA RD HCFP RCDI 2023 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Rural Housing Service Category: Agriculture, Community Development Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training Grant - Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act 2023 Grant Funds Apply for USDA RD CFTAT 2023 DISASTER Funding Number: USDA RD CFTAT 2023 DISASTER Agency: Department of Agriculture, Rural Housing Service Category: Agriculture, Community Development Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Puerto Rico Rural Partners Network Rural Community Development Initiative Apply for USDA RD HCFP PR RPN RCDI 2024 Funding Number: USDA RD HCFP PR RPN RCDI 2024 Agency: Rural Housing Service Category: Agriculture, Community Development Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training Grant Apply for USDA RD CFTAT 2024 Funding Number: USDA RD CFTAT 2024 Agency: Rural Housing Service Category: Agriculture, Community Development Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) Apply for USDA RD HCFP RCDI 2024 Funding Number: USDA RD HCFP RCDI 2024 Agency: Rural Housing Service Category: Agriculture, Community Development Funding Amount: $500,000 |
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