Let Farmers Fly › Federal › USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP)
USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP)
USDA Rural Development: Guaranteed loans up to $25 million; grant share when open up to 50% of eligible cost. Grants closed; guaranteed loans accepted any time.
Verified Oct 14, 2026 against rd.usda.gov · Report a change
What it pays
Up to $25
Guaranteed loans up to $25 million; grant share when open up to 50% of eligible cost. · not confirmed
You pay first
Lender terms
The rest of the project cost; lender terms on the loan.
Buy before approval?
Ask
Costs count only after a complete application is received. · not confirmed
Drones
Not addressed
Energy projects only; tillage equipment and vehicles are ineligible, so a drone is practically outside the program.
Who can apply
Agricultural producers with at least 50% of gross income from agriculture, and rural small businesses.
What it covers
Renewable energy systems and energy-efficiency improvements only; agricultural tillage equipment, used equipment and vehicles are ineligible. · not confirmed
Drones: ask the agency before you count on it
Energy projects only; tillage equipment and vehicles are ineligible, so a drone is practically outside the program.
Question to send USDA Rural Development (copy and edit)
"I farm [acres, crop] in [county]. Would a [make, model] agricultural drone used for [spot spraying / variable-rate fertilizer / cover-crop seeding] be considered eligible under USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), and what would you need from me to decide?"
Money and timing
Guaranteed loans up to $25 million; grant share when open up to 50% of eligible cost. · not confirmed The rest of the project cost; lender terms on the loan.
| Item | What the record says |
|---|---|
| Opens | Not stated |
| Deadline | Grants: no round open. Guaranteed loans: any time. |
| When money arrives | Reimbursement or loan disbursement after the project is complete. · not confirmed |
| Repayment | Guaranteed loans are repaid with interest; grants are not. |
| Equipment origin rules | Not addressed for UAS. · not confirmed |
Grants closed; guaranteed loans accepted any time.
Paperwork
Energy audit or assessment, technical report, financial statements. · not confirmed
Where this comes from
Every quoted line below was copied from the official page the research harness captured, and checked again against that capture when this site was built. Lines marked "not confirmed" elsewhere on this page have no quote yet.
| Fact | Official wording | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Program name | Rural Energy for America Program | rd.usda.gov · capture 193 | Oct 14, 2026 |
| Agency | Rural Development | rd.usda.gov · capture 193 | Oct 14, 2026 |
| Kind of help | The Agency is not accepting REAP grant applications at this time | rd.usda.gov · capture 193 | Oct 14, 2026 |
| Who can apply | where at least 50 percent of their gross income coming from agricultural operations | rd.usda.gov · capture 193 | Oct 14, 2026 |
| Who can apply | Must be located in eligible rural areas | rd.usda.gov · capture 193 | Oct 14, 2026 |
| Status | The Agency is not accepting REAP grant applications at this time | rd.usda.gov · capture 193 | Oct 14, 2026 |
| Deadline | The Agency is not accepting REAP grant applications at this time. Guaranteed loan applications may be submitted. | rd.usda.gov · capture 193 | Oct 14, 2026 |
| Deadline | Applications for this program are accepted year-round at your local office. | rd.usda.gov · capture 193 | Oct 14, 2026 |
| What it pays | Loan guarantees on loans up to 75 percent of total eligible project costs. | rd.usda.gov · capture 193 | Oct 14, 2026 |
| What it pays | Grants for up to 50 percent of total eligible project costs. | rd.usda.gov · capture 193 | Oct 14, 2026 |
| What it pays | Renewable Energy System Grants: $2,500 minimum. $1 million maximum. | rd.usda.gov · capture 193 | Oct 14, 2026 |
| You pay first | Applicants must provide at least 25 percent of the project cost if applying for loan. | rd.usda.gov · capture 193 | Oct 14, 2026 |
| You pay first | Applicants must provide matching funds if applying for a grant only. | rd.usda.gov · capture 193 | Oct 14, 2026 |
| Repayment | Interest rates are negotiated between the lender and borrower. | rd.usda.gov · capture 193 | Oct 14, 2026 |
| Repayment | The loan term will not exceed 40 years. | rd.usda.gov · capture 193 | Oct 14, 2026 |
| Official page | Rural Energy for America Program | rd.usda.gov · capture 193 | Oct 14, 2026 |
Record usda-rd-reap v2, approved; automatic checks run Oct 15, 2026.
Ask about this program
Answers come only from the verified program records on this site. Every answer shows the agency's own words and the date we checked them. When the records don't say, it tells you to ask USDA Rural Development.
Not live yet: the assistant is being built. Until then, use the program pages and the contact on each one.