RISE Reauthorization Act of 2026

This legislation, known as the Rural Innovation Stronger Economy Reauthorization Act of 2026, aims to reauthorize and expand the existing Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) grant program. It authorizes an appropriation of $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030 to support economic development and innovation in rural areas. The bill significantly modifies the program by broadening its scope and targeting specific community types. It removes previous emphasis on "industry clusters," allowing for a more flexible approach to supporting diverse industries and regional activities, and requires the Secretary to ensure a diverse set of industry bases is represented. Additionally, grant selections will now require concurrence from applicable state rural development offices. A key expansion focuses on directing resources to smaller communities, mandating that the program target a broad base of rural community types , with an emphasis on those with populations of fewer than 20,000 inhabitants. To further support the smallest areas, at least 10 percent of the total grant amount each fiscal year must be awarded to benefit rural communities with populations of fewer than 10,000 inhabitants.