Part B · Startup-relevant scheme
Intermediary Relending Program (IRP)
US Department of Agriculture (Rural Development)
Loan / Credit
IdeationSeed / Early-Stage
Agriculture & Food
IRP capitalizes revolving loan funds run by local intermediaries (nonprofits, cooperatives, or tribal governments) rather than lending to businesses directly, so decisions stay close to the community being served.
Type of support
Loan / Credit
Best suited for
Ideation / Early-Stage
Headline amount
Up to $400,000 per ultimate recipient
How much
Up to $400,000
Objectives
Reduce poverty and grow employment in the most disadvantaged and remote rural communities by funding trusted local lenders rather than a one-size-fits-all national program.
Who can apply?
- Ultimate recipients are rural businesses and community-development projects.
- Intermediary applicants must be nonprofits, cooperatives, tribes, or public agencies with a track record of commercial lending.
What do you get?
- Intermediaries eligible for up to $1M in IRP funding, capped at $15M outstanding IRP debt.
- Ultimate recipient loans capped at the lesser of $400,000 or 50% of the loan to the intermediary.
- 1% interest rate to intermediaries.
How to apply
Rural businesses apply to a local IRP-funded intermediary lender in their area, not directly to USDA.
Key links
Details as most recently confirmed against the official source linked above. Deadlines, amounts and windows change — verify on the official portal before applying.