Reimagining Rural - Next Step Grants

Next Step Grants are for communities that participated in the Reimagining Rural Virtual Series and received a Reimagining Rural Seed Grant. These grants are to support programming in four focus areas, and applications will be accepted Monday, July 6, through Friday, August 14. 

Eligibility requirements: 

• Participated in a RR Virtual Series.
• Received a RR Seed Grant.
• An eligible application organization type is a nonprofit or a governmental department or agency (including schools). 

Please note that organizations are eligible to apply regardless of how long ago they participated in the Virtual Series or received the Seed Grant.  

 Grant description: 

• Funding range:  $7,500–$10,000
• Activity focus (must align with at least one of the following four areas):

1. Capacity building and leadership development, such as training programs or support for local organizations leading development efforts
2. Business space rehabilitation, such as façade improvements and other brick-and-mortar projects that make small towns more inviting for small businesses
3. Placemaking and beautification, such as murals, pocket parks, and festivals that foster community pride and boost visitation on main street
4. Digital marketing and branding, such as initiatives that help small businesses and communities build an online presence and attract a broader audience

• Eligible expenses: Part of the application will be a budget description section which will request a description of the expenses to carry out the proposed project. Those expenses can be programmatic, operational, and/or administrative in nature as long as that need is persuasively made in the application.