U-S Department of Agriculture Rural Development announced they are accepting applications for grants to help start, expand, or improve rural cooperatives and other mutually-owned businesses.  USDA is offering priority points to projects that advance key priorities under the Biden-Harris Administration to help communities recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, advance equity and combat climate change.  Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small speaks highly of rural cooperatives.  USDA is making the grants available under the Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) program to help improve economic conditions in rural areas through cooperative development.  For fiscal year 2022, the maximum award is $200,000.  Grants are awarded on a competitive basis through a national competition.