Rural County Grant

Opens: July 1, 2026
Closes: Sept. 1, 2026

The Rural County Grant (RCG) is designed to empower rural county governments to manage their unique economic development opportunities and to take responsibility for planning, projects, and activities that will lead to improved economies. 

The grant addresses economic development needs in the following categories:

• Business recruitment, development, and expansion
• Workforce training and development
• Infrastructure, industrial building development, and capital facilities improvements for business development

Rural counties in the state of Utah of the third*, fourth, fifth, and sixth class are eligible to apply for the Rural County Grant. A rural county may receive grant funding up to $200,000 annually. Funds are distributed each fiscal year to rural counties that meet the qualifying requirements listed below. 

QUALIFYING REQUIREMENTS

• A rural county must form and maintain a functioning County Economic Opportunity Advisory Board (CEO Board).
• The county must have complied with annual reporting and accounted for RCG funds distributed to them for use during the previous fiscal year. Annual reporting is due no later than July 31 each year. 
• The county must submit a formal application each fiscal year, no later than September 1, which includes a description of its anticipated economic development projects and activities, as approved by the county legislative body and based on the CEO Board’s advice and recommendations.

Requirements for completing the annual report and instructions for applying for the RCG are listed in the Resources section below.

*Note: As per (63N-4-801(9)(b), Washington County, a third-class county, does not qualify for the RCG because it has a city with a population greater than 100,000.