---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 2009n"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "2009n"
heading: "Rural Community Development Initiative"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/2009n"
units:
  - "Chapter 50 — Agricultural Credit"
  - "Subchapter V — Rural Community Advancement Program"
---

# §2009n. Rural Community Development Initiative

- (a) **Definitions—** In this section:
  - (1) **Eligible entity—** The term “eligible entity” means—
    - (A) a private, nonprofit community-based housing or community development organization;
    - (B) a [rural](/usc/7/1991.md?p=a-13-A) community; or
    - (C) a federally recognized Indian tribe.
  - (2) **Eligible intermediary—** The term “eligible intermediary” means a qualified—
    - (A) private, nonprofit organization; or
    - (B) public organization.
- (b) **Establishment—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) shall establish a [Rural](/usc/7/1991.md?p=a-13-A) Community Development Initiative, under which the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) shall provide grants, subject to the availability of appropriations, to eligible intermediaries to carry out programs to provide financial and technical assistance to eligible entities to develop the capacity and ability of eligible entities to carry out projects to improve housing, community facilities, and community and economic development projects in [rural areas](/usc/7/1991.md?p=a-13-A).
- (c) **Amount of grants—** The amount of a grant provided to an eligible intermediary under this section shall be not more than $500,000.
- (d) **Matching funds—**
  - (1) **In general—** An eligible intermediary receiving a grant under this section shall provide matching funds from other sources, including Federal funds for related activities, in an amount not less than the amount of the grant.
  - (2) **Waiver—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) may waive [paragraph (1)](#d-1) with respect to a project that would be carried out in a persistently poor [rural](/usc/7/1991.md?p=a-13-A) region, as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 87–128, title III, § 381O, as added Pub. L. 119–101, title V, § 502(h), July 11, 2026, 140 Stat. 923.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 2009n, Pub. L. 87–128, title III, § 381O, as added Pub. L. 104–127, title VII, § 761, Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1147, related to rural venture capital demonstration program, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 107–171, title VI, § 6026(b), May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 372.