Eligibility
Applicant type, geography, program rules and required conditions.
My Organization Fit Score
See how strongly this opportunity fits your organization.
Atlas combines public grant intelligence with the details of your organization to evaluate eligibility, strategic alignment, funding potential, timing, project fit and submission burden.
GrantUSDA Rural Development Persistent Poverty One Percent Loan Program for Distressed Communities — Rolling 2026
Atlas Opportunity Score86/100
FundingLoan financing at a 1% interest rate, with repayment periods up to 40 years based on the useful life of the facilities financed. USDA does not publish a single national applicant loan ceiling on the current program page.
DeadlineOpen. Applications are accepted on an ongoing October 1 through September 30 cycle through RD Apply. The national page does not state a submission clock time.
Required next actionIdentify qualifying rural water, wastewater, solid-waste, and storm-water projects in distressed communities located in persistent-poverty counties. Before application, verify the current USDA mapping and service-area eligibility, health or sanitary standard nexus, engineering and environmental requirements, financial capacity, certifications, and current RD Apply instructions.
Current statusOpen — Rolling October 1 through September 30 processing cycleSource verificationOctober 3, 2026
Tell Atlas Who You Are
Request your organization-specific analysis.
The form will carry the grant context with it, so you only need to provide the details Atlas cannot know from the opportunity itself.
How Atlas Scores Fit
Useful enough to guide action, structured enough to scale.
Strategic Alignment
How directly the organization's goals and use case match the funder's priorities.
Funding Potential
Available dollars, allowable uses, match burden and the amount that can realistically support the project.
Actionability
Deadline, documentation burden, readiness and the practical work required to submit a strong application.
A High Score Is the Beginning
When the fit is strong, Atlas shows you why.
The goal is not to hand you another number. It is to identify the opportunities worth your attention and make the next step obvious.