Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA RD CFTAT 2018
The Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training (CFTAT) Grant is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), specifically through USDA Rural Development Utilities Programs. Its purpose is to fund organizations that can provide hands-on technical assistance and training tied to USDA essential community facilities programs. In practical terms, the grant is meant to help rural and underserved communities strengthen their ability to figure out what facilities they need (and why), plan those projects in a realistic way, and then line up the funding sources that could make those projects happen.
The core focus is capacity-building rather than construction. Grant-funded work centers on helping communities, Indian Tribes, and nonprofit corporations identify and prioritize essential community facility needs in their service area. That can include guiding local leaders through needs assessments, project planning, and early-stage development steps that communities often struggle to pay for or staff internally. After those needs are clearly defined, the grantee can also help communities map out and pursue financing strategies by identifying potential public and private funding sources, including but not limited to USDA programs.
Eligible applicants are broad and include many types of governmental and nonprofit entities. Public-sector applicants can include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public housing authorities or Indian housing authorities; and public or state-controlled institutions of higher education. Tribal eligibility includes federally recognized Native American tribal governments and also Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized as governments. On the nonprofit and education side, both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) nonprofits (excluding higher education institutions in those nonprofit categories) may apply, and private institutions of higher education are also listed as eligible. The opportunity is categorized under Agriculture and Community Development and is associated with CFDA number 10.766.
For the 2018 posting referenced, the award ceiling is $150,000 per grant, with an expectation of about 15 awards. The funding instrument is a grant. The opportunity was created on May 3, 2018, with an original closing date of July 2, 2018, and it is identified by the funding opportunity number USDA RD CFTAT 2018.
Overall, this grant is designed for organizations that can act as technical partners to rural communities and similar eligible areas, helping them move from vague needs to clearly defined, fundable community facilities projects by improving planning, readiness, and access to financing pathways.Apply for USDA RD CFTAT 2018
- The Department of Agriculture, Utilities Programs 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 May 03, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 02, 2018. (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 opportunity from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Utilities Programs. It funds organizations that provide hands-on technical assistance and training connected to USDA essential community facilities programs.
What is the main purpose of the CFTAT Grant?
The main purpose is capacity-building. The grant supports technical assistance and training that help rural and underserved communities improve their ability to identify essential facility needs, plan realistic projects, and pursue workable financing strategies to move those projects forward.
Does this grant pay for construction of community facilities?
No. The core focus is not construction. Grant-funded work is aimed at early-stage support such as needs identification, prioritization, planning, and helping communities become ready to pursue financing.
Who is this grant designed to help (the end beneficiaries)?
The work supported by this grant is intended to benefit rural and underserved communities by strengthening local capacity to define and advance essential community facilities projects. It can also support communities, Indian Tribes, and nonprofit corporations in the grantee's service area through technical assistance and training.
Who applies for the CFTAT Grant?
Organizations apply to receive funding so they can deliver technical assistance and training. In other words, the applicants are technical assistance providers and training providers, not construction project sponsors seeking direct capital for a building project.
What types of activities can the grant fund?
The grant can fund hands-on technical assistance and training that help eligible communities and organizations:
- Identify and prioritize essential community facility needs in their service area
- Conduct or support needs assessments
- Develop realistic project plans
- Work through early-stage project development steps that are often hard to staff or pay for locally
- Identify potential public and private funding sources and build financing strategies (including, but not limited to, USDA programs)
What does "capacity-building" mean in this program?
In this context, capacity-building means improving a community's ability to move from a general idea (or an unmet need) to a clearly defined, fundable community facilities project. This includes building planning readiness, improving decision-making around priorities, and strengthening the ability to pursue financing pathways.
What does the program mean by "essential community facilities"?
The opportunity describes the work as being tied to USDA essential community facilities programs. Based on the information provided, the grant supports planning and readiness activities related to essential facility needs, but it does not list specific facility types in the description.
Is the technical assistance limited to USDA funding options?
No. The grant allows grantees to help communities identify potential public and private funding sources, including but not limited to USDA programs.
Which federal agency offers this grant?
This opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), through USDA Rural Development Utilities Programs.
Is the CFTAT a grant or another type of federal funding?
The funding instrument is a grant.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA number 10.766.
What is the funding opportunity number for the referenced posting?
The referenced posting identifies the opportunity as USDA RD CFTAT 2018.
How much funding is available per award?
For the 2018 posting referenced, the award ceiling is $150,000 per grant.
How many awards were expected under the referenced posting?
For the 2018 posting referenced, the opportunity indicates an expectation of about 15 awards.
Who is eligible to apply (public-sector entities)?
Eligible public-sector applicants can include:
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public housing authorities
- Indian housing authorities
- Public or state-controlled institutions of higher education
Who is eligible to apply (Tribal entities)?
Tribal eligibility includes:
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized as governments
Who is eligible to apply (nonprofit and education entities)?
Eligible nonprofit and education applicants can include:
- 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations (excluding institutions of higher education in this nonprofit category)
- Non-501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations (excluding institutions of higher education in this nonprofit category)
- Private institutions of higher education
Is this opportunity focused on rural areas?
Yes. The grant is designed for organizations that serve as technical partners to rural communities and similar eligible areas, with an emphasis on rural and underserved communities.
What kinds of support can a grantee provide to communities?
A grantee can guide local leaders through the steps that often hold projects back early on, such as clarifying what facilities are needed (and why), organizing priorities, developing realistic project plans, and identifying financing pathways and funding sources.
What problem is the CFTAT Grant trying to solve?
The grant targets a common gap in rural and underserved areas: communities often lack staff time, specialized expertise, or budget to do early-stage needs assessments, planning, and project development work. CFTAT funding supports organizations that can fill that gap by providing hands-on assistance and training.
When was the referenced opportunity created and when did it close?
For the 2018 posting referenced, the opportunity was created on May 3, 2018, with an original closing date of July 2, 2018.
What broad category does this grant fall under?
The opportunity is categorized under Agriculture and Community Development.
What is the overall outcome the program is aiming for?
The program aims to help communities move from vague or unmet facility needs to clearly defined, fundable community facilities projects by improving planning, readiness, prioritization, and access to financing strategies.
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (USDA RD CFTAT 2018) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) Apply for USDA RD HCFP RCDI 2019 Funding Number: USDA RD HCFP RCDI 2019 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Utilities Programs Category: Agriculture, Community Development Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training Grant Apply for USDA RD CFTAT 2019 Funding Number: USDA RD CFTAT 2019 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Utilities Programs Category: Agriculture, Community Development Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training Grant Apply for USDA RD CFTAT 2020 Funding Number: USDA RD CFTAT 2020 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Utilities Programs Category: Agriculture, Community Development Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training Grant - Disaster Relief Act 2019 Grant Funds Apply for USDA RD CFTAT 2020 DISASTER Funding Number: USDA RD CFTAT 2020 DISASTER Agency: Department of Agriculture, Utilities Programs Category: Agriculture, Community Development Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Rural Community Development Initiative Apply for USDA RD HCFP RCDI 2020 Funding Number: USDA RD HCFP RCDI 2020 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Utilities Programs Category: Agriculture, Community Development Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Rural Community Development Initiative Apply for USDA RD HCFP RCDI 2022 Funding Number: USDA RD HCFP RCDI 2022 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Rural Housing Service Category: Agriculture, Community Development Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training Grant Apply for USDA RD CFTAT 2022 Funding Number: USDA RD CFTAT 2022 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Rural Housing Service Category: Agriculture, Community Development Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training Grant Apply for USDA RD CFTAT 2023 Funding Number: USDA RD CFTAT 2023 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Rural Housing Service Category: Agriculture, Community Development Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| 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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