Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program (USDA CF)
Affordable loans and grants to build, renovate, or equip essential community facilities in rural areas, explicitly including fire and rescue stations, police stations, fire trucks, police vehicles, and equipment. Can cover land, construction, professional fees, and equipment.
Who it is for
Public bodies, community-based nonprofits, and federally recognized tribes serving rural communities of 20,000 residents or fewer. Smaller, lower-income communities qualify for a larger grant share.
Department types: Career, Volunteer, Combination, Any department
An honest note on fit
The strongest federal option for a rural department that needs a new station or apparatus and cannot win a competitive AFG award. It is mostly a loan with a grant piece, not free money, but the loan terms are far better than commercial financing. Not available to departments in communities over 20,000.
Before you start
How you apply: Apply directly to the funder.
You work directly with your USDA Rural Development state or area office. This is a relationship-driven process, not an online-only submission.
Match required: The program is structured as a loan plus a graduated grant rather than a fixed match. The grant share depends on community size and median household income, so the local share is effectively the loan portion.
How to apply
- Find your USDA Rural Development state office and call them. They assign an Area Specialist who becomes your point of contact.
- Describe your project early. The specialist can tell you whether it is a good fit before you invest months in an application.
- Confirm your community qualifies: a rural area of 20,000 residents or fewer.
- Prepare the pre-application package: financial statements, current operating budget, and for nonprofits, evidence of community support and governing documents. A preliminary architectural feasibility report and cost estimate are needed for construction.
- Submit the pre-application to your local Rural Development office, which determines eligibility and tells you what else is needed, typically within 45 days.
Deadline: Applications are accepted on an ongoing, rolling basis rather than in a fixed window. (Rolling, apply any time)
Funding: Grants cover roughly 15 to 75 percent of eligible project costs, with the highest grant share going to the smallest, lowest-income communities. The rest is an affordable fixed-rate loan with terms up to 40 years.
Verified as of 2026-05-31. Programs are checked periodically against their official source. Funding details and deadlines change. Confirm the current requirements on the official program page before you apply.