ABOUT THE RMAP PROGRAM

The USDA Rural Development (USDA RD) Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP) provides funding for Native CDFIs to support microbusiness development in Tribal and rural communities. This program offers both loans and grants to help intermediaries provide financial assistance, training, and technical support to Native entrepreneurs and small business owners.

Eligible Uses of RMAP Funding

  • Microloans to Native-owned small businesses (loans up to $50,000)
  • Technical assistance and training for microentrepreneurs
  • Business planning support and financial literacy education
  • Expanding access to credit in Native and rural communities

Who Can Apply?

  • Nonprofits.
  • Federally-recognized tribes.
  • Institutions of higher education.

Watch NCN Live

If you’re a Native CDFI or a Tribally focused lender looking to start (or grow your) lending to rural businesses in your community to create local jobs, or you provide loans, training and technical assistance specifically focused on rural microentrepreneurs, this webinar is for you. During this NCN Live webinar, representatives from USDA cover the range of project types that are eligible under the RMAP program in order to promote economic development and job creation, what types of entities are eligible to apply, funding cycles and how to best connect with your RD State Office if you’re interested in applying.

Interviews

In this section, we feature candid conversations between a Native CDFI leader and a USDA State Director, offering real-world perspectives on specific USDA programs impacting Native communities. Each interview highlights success stories, lessons learned, and personal insights—covering how they got started, the challenges they faced, and what made their collaboration effective. These stories provide valuable guidance and inspiration for others looking to implement similar efforts.

Native CDFI Leader/Lender

Being able to offer this loan packaging service, we’re able to provide [clients] with financing and keep them here in Hawaii. What we’ve been finding out [is that] a lot of Native Hawaiians are leaving Hawaii because they don’t have any other option.

Aikue Kalima / Hawaiʻi Community Lending

USDA State Director

This is a FANTASTIC Theme. Do you think that in the next version you could try and have it Multilanguage. Because I have nothing bad to say about this theme. Thank a million!

Mark Jance / Facebook