Provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to purchase or install renewable energy systems or make energy efficiency improvements.
Terms and Qualification:
Businesses must be in an area other than a city or town with a population of greater than 50,000 inhabitants and the urbanized area of that city or town.
Agricultural producers may be in rural or non-rural areas.
Loan guarantee terms:
- Loan guarantees on loans up to 75% of total eligible project costs.
- Grants for up to 25% of total eligible project costs.
- Combined grant and loan guarantee funding up to 75% of total eligible project costs.
- $5,000 minimum loan amount.
- $25 million maximum loan amount.
- Up to 85% loan guarantee.
- Rates and terms negotiated with the lender and subject to USDA approval.
- Maximum term of 30 years for real estate.
- Maximum term of 15 years for machinery and equipment.
- Maximum term of 7 years for capital loans.
- Maximum term of 30 years for combined real estate and equipment loans.
Information and Forms to Apply
Program Administrator:
Office of Rural Development, US Department of Agriculture – USDA; Business and Cooperative Programs (BCP)
See website for additional information