New Era Rural Technology Competitive Grants Program
Agriculture-based renewable energy offers many rural areas a means of strengthening their economy while helping meet the nations energy demands. Many rural communities have struggled for decades with the loss of jobs and income from restructuring in the agricultural and manufacturing sectors. Rural community colleges and advanced technological centers promote access to educational programs and aid in workforce development that is vital to creating rural economies that are competitive in the global marketplace.
With this RFA, the Department requests applications for fiscal year (FY) 2009. RTP grants are for technology development, applied research, and/or training to develop an agriculture-based renewable energy workforce to serve rural communities. Awards will stimulate and enable community colleges and advanced technological centers located in rural areas to provide technology development, applied research, and/or training necessary to produce graduates capable of strengthening the Nations technical, scientific and professional workforce in the fields of bioenergy, pulp and paper manufacturing, and agriculture-based renewable energy resources.
