FEDERAL AGENCY:

RURAL BUSINESS-COOPERATIVE SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

AUTHORIZATION:

Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, Title VI, Section 6021, Public Law 107-171.

To improve the quality of life in rural America by supporting and maintaining a network of State Rural Development Councils (SRDCs) that create and facilitate cross-program collaborations.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:

Direct Payments for Specified Use. Place Cursor Here for Definition

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:

Funds will be used by State Rural Development Councils to bring together individuals from a wide spectrum of organizations and entities and facilitate collaborations among them; address persistent and emerging rural problems and increase the voice of rural institutions in State and national policy.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:   State Rural Development Councils recognized by the Secretary of Agriculture as well as the National Rural Development Coordinating Committee to be established by the Secretary of Agriculture.

Beneficiary Eligibility:   Inhabitants in rural areas where rural area means any area other than a city or town that has a population greater than 50,000 and urbanized areas contiguous and adjacent to such cities or towns.

Credentials/Documentation:   Evidence that the SRDC is current under its obligations pursuant to the applicable recognition agreement whereby USDA recognizes the SRDC and the SRDC agrees to perform the duties required by the authorizing statute. OMB Circular No. A-87 is not applicable to this program.

Pre-application Coordination:   This program is subject to the provisions of E.O. 12372 which requires consultation with State and local officials. An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.

Application Procedure:   Submit applications to the national headquarters office of the National Rural Development Partnership at USDA in accordance with the instructions in the applicable Notices of Funding Availability. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102, but is covered under OMB Circular No. A- 110.

Award Procedure:   Applications will be solicited via a Notice of Funding Availability issued by USDA and subject to evaluation by the USDA national headquarters office for the National Rural Development Partnership. Grant payments may be made by Treasury check in advance or by reimbursement.

Deadlines:   As specified in the Notice Inviting Applications for recognition published in the Federal Register and in the applicable Notices of Funding Availability.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:   Representative range of time required for the application to be processed at the Federal level from 20 to 100 days after the application is filed.

Appeals:   Applicants may appeal any determination to the National Appeals Division.

Renewals:   SRDC status may be renewed or extended upon application.

ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:   Applicants must provide matching funds or in kind goods or services in an amount not less than 33 percent of total Federal funds received, where not less than 10 percent is a cash match and "Federal funds" for this purpose excludes (1) funds specific to a given program or project; and (2) Federal reimbursements to SRDCs for services provided to the Federal agency.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:   Cash payments will be made in equal quarterly disbursements.

POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:   SRDCs are required to submit an annual plan with goals and performance measurers and an annual report on their progress in meeting these goals and measures.

Audits:   Recipients are subject to audit by the Office of Inspector General, USDA.

Records:   Records will be maintained in the USDA national headquarters office of the National Rural Development Partnership for the duration of the recognition agreement between the SRDC and USDA.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

Account Identification:   12-0400-0-1-452.

Obligations:   (Grants) FY 03 $2,000,000; FY 04 est not available; and FY 05 est not available.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  
$150,000 per council, annually.

Fiscal Year 2003 funds will provide for the full funding requirements of at least 8 State Rural Development Councils.

REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:

This program is announced through news media and in letters to State Rural Development Directors in each State. A Notice Inviting Applications for Recognition will be published, as well as a Notice of Funding Availability for the recognized Councils.

INFORMATION CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:   Not applicable.

Headquarters Office:   David Sears, National Rural Development Partnership, Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Room 4225-S, Mail Stop 3205, Washington, DC 20250-3205. Telephone: (202) 690-2394.

Web Site Address:   http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/nrdp

EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:

Operating funds for State Rural Development Councils since the President's Initiative on Rural America first launched in 1990.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:

Proposals are evaluated on how well they will enhance the capacity of States and rural communities to design flexible and innovative responses to their State-specific rural development needs, with local determinations of progress and selection of projects and activities. Note: This language is from the statute.