About Rural Community Assistance Partnership
A national network of nonprofit partners providing technical assistance, training, resources and support to rural communities, U.S. territories, and Tribal lands to improve water, wastewater, and community infrastructure and capacity.
Focus Areas
waterwastewaterrural developmentcommunity developmentinfrastructuretraining and educationcapacity buildingpolicy & advocacy
Who They Fund
local communities / regional economiessmall businesses and entrepreneursworkforce / unemployed or underemployed individualsnonprofit organizations delivering training or TA
About Rural Community Assistance Partnership
Rural Community Assistance Partnership Incorporated centers its grantmaking on technical assistance, training, and research for rural water and wastewater systems, with a strong emphasis on community infrastructure and capacity. A defining pattern in the recent grants is repeated, high-dollar support to a small set of nonprofit partners that deliver this work across the country. Communities Unlimited in Fayetteville, Arkansas received multiple seven-figure awards, including $4,458,249 in 2025 and $4,106,847 in 2024, all for technical assistance, training, research, and economic development. Rural Comm Assistance Corp in West Sacramento, California and Rcap Solutions Inc in Worcester, Massachusetts also appear repeatedly as major recipients, reflecting a networked approach to delivery rather than isolated project giving. The foundation’s funding reaches rural communities, U.S. territories, and Tribal lands through programs tied to safe drinking water, managerial and financial capacity, leadership development, and applied support for local systems. Its recent portfolio includes large awards to regional technical-assistance organizations, alongside targeted grants to universities and national associations working on water system management. The result is a grantmaker that operates through intermediaries and field partners to strengthen the organizations and systems that keep rural water infrastructure functioning.
What Rural Community Assistance Partnership Funds
A major share of the foundation’s support goes to technical assistance, training, and research for rural water and wastewater systems. In that lane, it gave $4,458,249 to Communities Unlimited for technical assistance, training, research, and economic development, and similar grants to Rural Comm Assistance Corp and Rcap Solutions Inc for the same purpose. It also supports leadership and workforce development in water governance. The Water Leadership Institute is one example of that approach, with stipend-supported cohorts designed to help participants build capacity for water system management and community engagement. The foundation backs applied capacity-building work with national partners as well. It awarded $722,614 to the University of IL for technical assistance, training, and research and economic development, and it funded the American Water Works Association for the same broad area across multiple years. These grants show an emphasis on implementation support, professional training, and field-based knowledge rather than direct service grants to individuals.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$24M
Total Assets
$6M
Total Revenue
$29.8M
Total Expenses
$29.8M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $22K and $3.2M, with a median of $101K.
25th Percentile
$22K
Median
$101K
75th Percentile
$3.2M
Geographic Reach
National15 states funded
About 5% of grants go to recipients in CA.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
OLGA MORALES PATE
Accepts unsolicited proposals
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