Ten Communities to Benefit from USDA Grant Initiative Through Syncurrent Platform
MARQUETTE, Mich. – Syncurrent, a technology startup based in Marquette, Michigan, has announced the selection of ten pilot communities for a grant program funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development.
These selected communities will gain access to Syncurrent’s platform. After simply entering their governmental unit’s name, the platform provides a tailored list of relevant federal and state funding opportunities for which they are eligible. Each pilot community can use an unlimited number of subscriptions, allowing various departments to utilize the $49-per-month service to access potentially millions of dollars in grants they qualify for.
“These pilot communities often lack the resources, including dedicated staff, to pursue meaningful grant opportunities,” said Dhruv C. Patel, co-founder and CEO of Syncurrent. “We are excited to partner with these ten pilot communities to help them pursue the grants they qualify for, so they can focus on what matters most – supporting and providing critical services to the residents they serve.”
Small governments nationwide have access to over a trillion dollars in grant funding each year. However, many local governments, including Tribal Nations, struggle with the complexities of the grant application process. Syncurrent’s platform addresses this challenge by daily indexing platforms like grants.gov and providing pilot communities with current funding solutions.
The platform uses artificial intelligence to analyze publicly available data and streamline the grant search, saving communities hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars in labor costs annually. Initially planned as a six-community pilot, the program expanded to ten due to high demand.
Pilot communities receive access to Syncurrent’s platform, its implementation team, and support from the USDA Rural Development team. The pilot communities are:
- Chippewa County
- Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians
- City of Marquette
- Lac Vieux Desert Tribe
- Village of Cassopolis
- Village of Brooklyn
- City of Charlevoix
- City of Escanaba
- Township of Fife Lake
- City of Alpena
“We are grateful to partner with Syncurrent to help navigate the vast amount of grant opportunities that are out there, in the most effective way possible and to empower our individual grant managers,” said Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Director of Strategic Planning Larry Jacques. “With Syncurrent, we no longer scramble to find funding opportunities—we’re ahead of the game,” said Headwaters North CEO Diane Durance. “Gaining early access to newly announced grants gives us the time we need to craft competitive proposals and collaborate with our partners effectively.”
Federal grants typically represent 17% of a municipality’s budget, according to the Peter G Peterson Foundation. As the December 2024 deadline for the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding approaches, many communities will need to seek additional funding sources to continue supporting their residents, as remaining unobligated funds must be returned to the U.S. Department of Treasury.
Through this pilot program, Syncurrent aims to become a long-term partner for underserved communities. Further announcements about future opportunities will be made at a later date.
About Syncurrent
Founded in 2022, Syncurrent is an AI technology startup based in Marquette that helps rural communities and Tribal Nations navigate the complexities of funding access. The platform matches these communities with customized federal and state funding opportunities, allowing them to pursue financial investments more easily. The location of the company in Marquette, near five tribal nations, is an ideal setting for a startup focused on bridging the funding gap.
For more information, visit www.syncurrent.com.
