RPIC COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT | RPIC2022

Opportunity Information: Apply for RPIC2022

The RPIC Cooperative Agreement (Funding Opportunity Number RPIC2022) is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Utilities Service, focused on strengthening rural communities through placemaking. The program, called the Rural Placemaking Innovation Challenge (RPIC), is designed to help rural places turn community ideas into practical plans and on-the-ground action by providing structured planning support, technical assistance, and training. Rather than funding a single narrow construction project, RPIC is geared toward building local capacity: helping communities define a shared vision, organize partners, and develop workable strategies that can be implemented and sustained.

At its core, RPIC supports placemaking efforts, meaning community-driven work that improves the character, functionality, and livability of a place. The opportunity emphasizes activities like visioning and planning, as well as hands-on assistance that helps communities move from concept to implementation. The funding can be used to support efforts that expand broadband access capacity, preserve cultural and historic structures, and advance community development priorities such as transportation options, housing solutions, and recreational spaces. In practice, this can include technical guidance, training sessions, facilitation of community input processes, development of placemaking plans, and support for coordinating early implementation steps that set projects up for long-term success.

A major requirement of this opportunity is collaboration. Applicants are expected to show they already have, or will build, strong partnerships across a mix of public, private, philanthropic, Tribal, and community-based stakeholders. The intent is to ensure placemaking plans are not created in isolation and that there is real alignment among the organizations that can help deliver resources, expertise, and long-term follow-through. Competitive proposals would typically demonstrate how partners will contribute to planning and implementation, how roles are defined, and how the partnership structure will keep momentum after the agreement period.

The funding instrument is a Cooperative Agreement, which generally signals a more active role for the federal agency compared with a standard grant. While the specific level of involvement can vary, cooperative agreements usually involve substantial federal participation in areas like project oversight, coordination, and collaboration on deliverables. The activity category is Regional Development (CFDA 10.890), reinforcing that this opportunity is aimed at broader community and regional capacity-building rather than isolated, single-purpose outputs.

Eligibility is broad and includes state, county, and city/township governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Tribal governments and other Tribal organizations; IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofits (excluding IHEs in that category); and small businesses. This wide eligibility reflects the reality that placemaking leadership in rural areas can come from many places, including local governments, universities, community nonprofits, and mission-driven private sector organizations.

In terms of scale, the award ceiling is $250,000, with an anticipated total of about 15 awards. The opportunity was created on June 30, 2022, with an original application closing date of August 15, 2022. Overall, RPIC is best understood as a capacity-and-coordination opportunity for rural communities that want to strengthen quality of life and local identity, using technical assistance and planning support to advance tangible improvements in infrastructure, community spaces, and preservation, backed by clear partnerships that can carry the work forward.

• The Department of Agriculture, Rural Utilities Service in the regional development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "RPIC COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.890.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 30, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 15, 2022. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $250,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Small businesses.

Apply for RPIC2022

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