Unleashing American Energy and Economic Prosperity; Rural Energy for America Program (REAP)

Thinking about solar panels, a new grain dryer or other energy upgrades for a farm or rural shop? The rules for one popular USDA grant just flipped.

USDA’s Rural Business-Cooperative Service has rewritten the Rural Energy for America Program, called REAP. The final rule takes effect October 16, 2026. The agency is still accepting comments until November 2, 2026, under Docket No. RBS-26-Business-0529.

The big change is timing. Under the new setup, a project must already be built and running before you apply. Your application then includes 12 months of actual energy production or savings data, plus 12 months of data from before the equipment went in. USDA calls this a post-completion, performance-validated model.

The agency will review each application for completeness, eligibility, risk and merit. Awards depend on available money and on criteria USDA will spell out in an annual notice. If you were counting on a REAP grant to help pay for equipment up front, read the rule before you sign with an installer.

Federal Register filing: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/10/01/2026-20178/unleashing-american-energy-and-economic-prosperity-rural-energy-for-america-program-reap

This is a Notice Nearby publisher-desk Federal brief — a short in-house summary of a public federal filing. It is not official agency minutes, not a newspaper story, and not Legal Publication. It does not satisfy a statutory notice requirement.