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The Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge (Rural Jobs Accelerator) is an inter-agency funding opportunity designed to provide regions with the resources to plan and implement coordinated, flexible, regionally-customized activities capable of helping rural regions capitalize on the benefits of regional innovation clusters. 

The objectives of the Rural Jobs Accelerator are to:

(1) Accelerate rural distressed communities’ ability to create jobs and strengthen their regional economies,

and

(2) Help rural communities identify local assets, and connect to regional opportunities and self-identified clusters  that demonstrate high-growth potential.

Specifically, DRA grant funds may be used to assist in the economic development of rural areas by providing technical assistance for business development and economic development planning. 

Grant funds may be used for, but are not limited to, the following purposes as outlined in RD Instruction 4284-G:

  • Identify and analyze business opportunities that will use local rural materials or human resources.  This includes opportunities in export markets, as well as feasibility and business plan studies;

  • Identify, train, and provide technical assistance to existing or prospective rural entrepreneurs and managers;

  • Establish business support centers and otherwise assist in the creation of new rural businesses;

  • Conduct local community or multi-county economic development planning;

  • Establish centers for training, technology, and trade that will provide training to rural businesses in the utilization of interactive communications technologies to develop international trade opportunities and markets;

  • Conduct leadership development training of existing or prospective rural entrepreneurs and managers; or

  • Pay reasonable fees and charges for professional services necessary to conduct the technical assistance, training, or planning functions.

An application will consist of the following:

 

Complete the application documents, scan, and email to accelerate@dra.gov in one PDF document titled “Rural Jobs Accelerator Application”. 

Applicants must clearly identify a distinct scope of work for DRA funds. This scope of work must include a description of the proposed project.



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