Part B · Startup-relevant scheme
Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP)
US Department of Agriculture (Rural Development)
Mixed
IdeationSeed / Early-Stage
Agriculture & Food
Created in the 2008 Farm Bill, RMAP funds nonprofit and tribal microenterprise development organizations (MDOs) to make small loans and deliver hands-on training to rural entrepreneurs.
Type of support
Mixed
Best suited for
Ideation / Early-Stage
Headline amount
Under $50,000 per microloan
How much
Under $50,000 (plus paired technical assistance)
Objectives
Reach the smallest rural businesses that even SBA microloans or B&I guarantees don't fit, pairing capital with the technical assistance many microentrepreneurs need most.
Who can apply?
- Ultimate borrowers are rural microentrepreneurs/microenterprises.
- Applicants for the program itself are nonprofits, tribes, or public higher-education institutions that then relend as MDOs.
What do you get?
- Fixed-rate microloans under $50,000 to rural entrepreneurs.
- Combination loan-and-technical-assistance grants, or standalone technical-assistance grants to MDOs.
- About $21M available for FY2026.
How to apply
Rural entrepreneurs apply to a local RMAP-funded microenterprise development organization, 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.