San Juan County Rural County Grant Program (RCGP)

The San Juan County Rural County Grant Program supports the growth and diversification of the local economy through direct investment in businesses and nonprofit organizations located in San Juan County, Utah. Funding is provided through the Utah Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity and administered by San Juan County. The program is intended to strengthen economic opportunity, job creation, and community vitality by supporting projects that recruit, develop, or expand local businesses, provide workforce training and development opportunities, or improve infrastructure and facilities that directly support business growth. The county uses a tiered structure so applicants compete against projects of a similar size, development stage, readiness, and anticipated economic impact. Funding is organized into three tiers. Tier 1 provides up to $10,000 for seed money, equipment, materials, marketing tools, and smaller facility improvements, with a 10 percent match requirement. Tier 2 provides $10,000 to $25,000 for business expansion, renovation, revitalization, operational improvements, commercial property improvements, and expanded services, with a 20 percent match requirement. Tier 3 provides $26,000 to $60,000 for major business expansions, facility construction or upgrades, job creation, and projects expected to produce substantial economic return to the county, with a 20 percent match requirement. Cash and in-kind match are accepted. In-kind contributions may include donated materials, volunteer labor, and use of existing equipment or space when a clear and reasonable value is documented. Eligible applicants are for-profit businesses and nonprofit organizations located in San Juan County. Each business or nonprofit may apply for only one project during the grant cycle. Applicants must not be delinquent on taxes and must have valid licenses. Applicants with an active or unfinished San Juan County Rural County Grant project cannot apply until all project work and reporting are completed and approved, and applicants that have received two prior Rural County Grant awards are not eligible for additional funding. Eligible activities include commercial construction or renovation, equipment and machinery purchases, agricultural value-added production, workforce development or skill-based training, and projects introducing new industries or services. Tier 1 additionally supports startup seed funding, tools, raw materials, website or online sales setup, printed marketing or signage, beautification, landscaping, and minor facility improvements. Routine payroll, utilities, rent, reimbursement for completed projects, and certain standalone exterior improvements are ineligible. Complete applications must include the required documentation identified by the county, including a completed and signed W-9 that matches IRS records, a valid business license from San Juan County, a local municipality, or Navajo Nation, and an IRS Determination Letter for nonprofit applicants. Tier 3 applicants must provide a prior- and current-year Profit and Loss Statement or, for nonprofits, a Statement of Activities. Applicants must also provide proof of the required cash or in-kind match. The county identifies a Budget Template as required for all applicants and states that the official Excel template must be completed and uploaded with the online application. Optional materials that may earn additional scoring points include a Profit and Loss Summary, Balance Sheet or nonprofit Statement of Activities, letters of support, and vendor quotes or cost estimates. Applications must be submitted online through the San Juan County Economic Development Form. The application opens September 1, 2026, at 8 am MST. The detailed application schedule states that it closes November 4, 2026, at 11:55 MST, although the page heading separately states that applications will be open through November 30, 2026. Because the source contains conflicting closing dates, applicants should verify the final deadline with San Juan County before submission. If an applicant encounters an error or needs to update submitted information, the applicant may submit another application through the same link, and the most recently dated submission becomes the official version reviewed. The Economic Development Department cannot correct or edit an individual application after submission, making applicant review before final submission important. Applications are evaluated independently within the selected funding tier using a tier-specific scoring system. Applicants are instructed to select the tier that best reflects their project's scale, readiness, and impact, and projects compete only within the selected tier. The program emphasizes measurable economic return such as job creation, tax growth, or business expansion. Tier 1 projects are excepted from the general measurable ROI requirement because early-stage projects may not yet demonstrate measurable returns, although they can receive additional scoring points for reasonable potential to create jobs, support business growth, or produce community impact. The source lists award notifications as February 2026, which conflicts chronologically with the September-November 2026 application period and should be verified. Awardees are scheduled to be announced March 12, 2027, during the San Juan County Business Basecamp Expo and Conference. Recipients must provide a required mid-year report and a final report upon project completion or within 12 months of fund distribution, whichever occurs first. Final reports must be presented to the Community and Economic Development Board at a scheduled meeting and must include project photos, invoices, and receipts related to approved expenses. Applicants may obtain free technical assistance through county partners for financial planning, budgeting, infrastructure guidance, business planning, projections, grant preparation, financial review, and operational planning. For application questions or assistance during business hours of 8 am to 5 pm MST, applicants may contact the San Juan County Economic Development Office at 435-485-8502 or thansen@sanjuancountyut.gov. The source identifies Talia Hansen as the Economic Development Manager associated with program reporting.

Select the tier that best matches project scale, readiness, and impact because projects compete only within their selected tier. Clearly document cash or in-kind match and its reasonable value. Demonstrate measurable ROI through job creation, tax growth, or business expansion where applicable; Tier 1 applicants should demonstrate reasonable potential for job creation, business growth, or community impact. Include optional financial documents, letters of support, and vendor quotes or cost estimates when available because these may earn additional scoring points. Review all information carefully before submission because the Economic Development Department cannot edit submitted applications.