With FIELDS and MPPEP Phase 4 closing in August 2026 and most FY 2027 windows still unposted, the firm has published a consolidated USDA Rural Development grant calendar and is scheduling feasibility studies now — standard two-week turnaround, RUSH delivery in 7 business days at additional cost.
LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. — Wert-Berater, Inc., an independent feasibility study and capital-advisory firm serving lenders and government agencies since 1998, today published a consolidated 2026–2027 USDA Rural Development grant schedule covering the competitive programs most relevant to rural business, processing, infrastructure, energy, broadband/telehealth, and predevelopment work — and announced that it is scheduling feasibility studies for upcoming deadlines now. Standard turnaround is two weeks from receipt of a complete project file; RUSH orders with delivery in 7 business days are accepted at additional cost.
As of July 7, 2026, two major windows remain open: the $500 million FIELDS fertilizer production program, due August 17, 2026, and the $60 million MPPEP Phase 4 meat and poultry processing competition, due August 7, 2026. Several other FY 2026 windows — VAPG, RBDG, DLT, and the water/wastewater revolving-fund competition — have already closed, and USDA has not yet posted most FY 2027 competitive deadlines, making the second half of 2026 the planning season for next year's rounds.
The firm's published schedule maps every program to its feasibility-study treatment, because the requirements differ sharply by track. FIELDS requires a project-specific study — signed by a qualified independent consultant, dated within three years of submission, and covering economic, market, technical, financial, and management feasibility — submitted with the application. VAPG planning grants, RBDG, SEARCH, and SDGG can fund the study itself as an eligible activity. MPPEP Phase 4 sits at the other extreme: a business plan is required for processing expansion applications, but feasibility-study and project-planning costs are unallowable uses of grant funds and must be budgeted outside the award.
The schedule also flags program-status items applicants can miss: REAP grant awards are paused pending new regulations even though guaranteed-loan applications are still accepted, HBIIP has no active funding, and rolling predevelopment programs such as SEARCH are managed through USDA Rural Development state offices rather than a national deadline.
With the August 2026 deadlines fixed and FY 2027 windows expected to open on short application clocks, the firm encourages applicants to scope and schedule feasibility work early — so the study is complete before the narrative is written, not commissioned against a 30-to-60-day window. Standard delivery is two weeks from receipt of a complete project file; RUSH orders, delivered in 7 business days, are accepted at additional cost.
Each engagement is scoped, timelined, and fee-quoted before work begins. The full grant schedule is available on the firm's website, and prospective applicants can schedule a qualification conversation through the site or by contacting the office directly.
Wert-Berater, Inc. is an independent feasibility study consulting firm founded in 1998, providing lender- and agency-facing feasibility studies, highest-and-best-use analyses, and capital-advisory support. The firm has completed more than 4,000 engagements across all 50 states and internationally, evaluating over $40.2 billion in project value for SBA, USDA, EB-5, conventional, and institutional financing decisions. In every engagement, fiduciary duty runs to the lender and the applicable agency.
Media contact: Donald Safranek, MSc, President, Wert-Berater, Inc. — +1 310-857-2443 ext. 800. Press inquiries only; client, lender, and property identities remain confidential.
President, Wert-Berater, Inc. — independent feasibility study consultants since 1998. More than 4,000 feasibility studies completed across all 50 states and internationally, evaluating $40.2 billion in project value for SBA, USDA, EB-5, conventional, and institutional financing decisions. Fiduciary duty runs to the lender and agency in every engagement.
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Schedule a ConversationIndependent feasibility studies since 1998 — 4,000+ engagements, $40.2 billion in evaluated project value. Standard delivery in 10 to 15 business days. Fiduciary duty to the lender and agency.