Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) rules and applications for 2009 are now available.

This USDA program offers grant and loan funds to qualifying small rural businesses, farmers and ranchers who seek cost sharing up to 75 percent of the cost for renewable energy generating systems or for energy efficiency improvements. Detailed information can be found at http://www.access.gpo.gov (click on the "Rural Business-Cooperative Service" link).

Interested applicants should consider the following:

• Projects must be located in a rural area.
• REAP grants and guarantees may be used individually or in combination. Together they may finance up to 75% of a project's cost.
• Grants can finance up to 25% of project cost, not to exceed $500,000 for renewables, $250,000 for efficiency.
• Applications ≤ $20,000 are strongly preferred.
• New "REAP-Feasibility Study" grants will be available to pay 25% of the cost (up to $50,000) of obtaining renewable energy feasibility studies.
• The deadline for REAP applications is July 31, 2009.