---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 2008c"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "2008c"
heading: "Rural Business-Cooperative Service programs technical assistance and training"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/2008c"
units:
  - "Chapter 50 — Agricultural Credit"
  - "Subchapter IV — Administrative Provisions"
---

# §2008c. Rural Business-Cooperative Service programs technical assistance and training

- (a) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) may make grants to public bodies, private nonprofit corporations, economic development authorities, institutions of higher education, federally recognized Indian Tribes, and [rural](/usc/7/1991.md?p=a-13-A) cooperatives for the purpose of providing or obtaining technical assistance and training to support funding applications for programs carried out by the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2), acting through the Administrator of the [Rural](/usc/7/1991.md?p=a-13-A) Business-Cooperative Service.
- (b) **Purposes—** A grant under [subsection (a)](#a) may be used—
  - (1) to assist communities in identifying and planning for business and economic development needs;
  - (2) to identify public and private resources to finance business and small and emerging business needs;
  - (3) to prepare reports and surveys necessary to request financial assistance for businesses in [rural](/usc/7/1991.md?p=a-13-A) communities; and
  - (4) to prepare applications for financial assistance.
- (c) **Selection priority—** In selecting recipients of grants under this section, the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) shall give priority to grants serving persistent poverty counties and high poverty communities, as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2).
- (d) **Funding—**
  - (1) **In general—** There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023, to remain available until expended.
  - (2) **Availability—** Any amounts authorized to be appropriated under [paragraph (1)](#d-1) for any fiscal year that are not appropriated for that fiscal year may be appropriated for the immediately succeeding fiscal year.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 87–128, title III, § 368, as added Pub. L. 115–334, title VI, § 6419, Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4764.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 2008c, Pub. L. 87–128, title III, § 368, as added Pub. L. 101–624, title XXIII, § 2317, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4009, related to allocation and transfer of loan guarantee authority, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 104–127, title VII, § 756, Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1131.