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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Funding by Topic: Employment and unemployment

Summaries of funding programs are provided by RHIhub for your convenience. Please contact the funder directly for the most complete and current information.

Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC): Grant Initiative for the Appalachian, Delta, and Northern Border Regions
Grants for projects in the Appalachian, Lower Mississippi Delta, and Northern Border regions that will provide career, training, and support services to eligible individuals in eligible counties and parishes. Grants will support workforce development activities that prepare dislocated workers, new entrants to the workforce, and incumbent workers for good jobs in high-demand occupations aligned with a regional or community economic development strategy. High demand industries include manufacturing, IT, healthcare, business, and energy.
Geographic coverage: Service areas of the Northern Border Regional Commission, Appalachian Regional Commission, and Delta Regional Authority
Application Deadline: Jul 23, 2026
Sponsors: Appalachian Regional Commission, Delta Regional Authority, Employment and Training Administration, Northern Border Regional Commission, U.S. Department of Labor
Local Economy Lab: Funding to Support Coal Communities in Transition
Funding and technical assistance to help coal communities build community-led economic transition projects. Community-driven solutions will be across 3 strategy areas: workforce development, entrepreneurship/small business support, and place-based infrastructure.
Geographic coverage: Available in 32 states
Application Deadline: Jul 24, 2026
Sponsor: Just Transition Fund
America's Healthy Food Financing Initiative Food Access and Retail Expansion (FARE) Fund Grants and Technical Assistance
Grant funding for projects related to food retail supply chain resiliency, access to healthy foods, employment, and low-income community revitalization.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Letter of Intent (Required): Jul 31, 2026
Application Deadline: Oct 30, 2026
Sponsors: Healthy Food Financing Initiative, Reinvestment Fund, U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA Rural Development
Delta Regional Authority States Economic Development Assistance Program (SEDAP)
Grants to help Delta communities create jobs and improve infrastructure. Funds may be used for basic public infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, broadband, and business development including entrepreneurship and workforce training.
Geographic coverage: Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee.
Application Deadline: Jul 31, 2026
Sponsor: Delta Regional Authority
Utah Rural County Grant
Grants for rural counties in Utah to address economic development needs.
Geographic coverage: Utah
Application Deadline: Sep 1, 2026
Sponsor: Utah Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity
Alliant Energy Community Grants
Grants to build stronger communities in Iowa and Wisconsin with focus on hunger, housing, transportation, workforce, environmental stewardship, and community safety and engagement.
Geographic coverage: Iowa and Wisconsin
Application Deadline: Sep 15, 2026
Sponsor: Alliant Energy Foundation
Rocky Mountain Power Foundation Grants
Grants for organizations in the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation service area, with a focus on community enhancement, safety/wellness, environment, arts/culture, and education.
Geographic coverage: Service area of the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation in Idaho, Wyoming, and Utah
Application Deadline: Sep 15, 2026
Sponsor: Rocky Mountain Power Foundation
Native Entities Grant Program
Funding for American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian tribes and organizations to promote the adoption of broadband within their communities.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Sep 17, 2026
Sponsors: National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce
America's Healthy Food Financing Initiative Local and Regional Healthy Food Financing Partnerships Program (HFFI Partnerships Program)
Funding to build the capacity of locally and regionally focused Healthy Food Financing Partnerships to provide financial and technical assistance to eligible healthy food retailers and post-harvest food retail supply chain enterprises. Rural areas are a program priority.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Sep 18, 2026
Sponsors: Healthy Food Financing Initiative, Reinvestment Fund, U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA Rural Development
America's Healthy Food Financing Initiative Food Access and Retail Expansion (FARE) Fund Loans and Technical Assistance
Loans and technical assistance funding for projects related to increasing food access and strengthening, expanding, and innovating within the food retail supply chain. Loans are one-time investments of capital to address barriers to entry in the food retail or food enterprise fields for rural and other eligible areas. Technical assistance funding will support planning and other projects that build capacity to develop a food retail outlet or food enterprise.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Sep 30, 2028
Sponsors: Healthy Food Financing Initiative, Reinvestment Fund, U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA Rural Development