To
develop the capacity and ability of private, nonprofit community-based
housing and community development organizations, and low income
rural communities to improve housing, community facilities, community
and economic development projects in rural areas.
TYPES
OF ASSISTANCE:
Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES
AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
Rural
Community Development Initiative grants may be used for but are
not limited to (a) training sub-grantees to conduct a program on
home-ownership education; (b) training sub- grantees to conduct
a program for minority business entrepreneurs; (c) providing technical
assistance to sub-grantees on how to effectively prepare a strategic
plan; (d) provide technical assistance to sub- grantees on how to
access alternative funding sources; (e) building organizational
capacity through board training; (f) developing training tools,
such as videos, workbooks, and reference guides to be used by the
sub-grantee; (g) providing technical assistance and training on
how to develop successful child care facilities; and (h) providing
training on effective fundraising techniques.
ELIGIBILITY
REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant
Eligibility: Rural Community Development Initiative
grants may be made to a qualified private or public (including tribal)
organization that provides technical assistance to nonprofit community-based
housing and community development organizations, and low income
rural communities. The grantee must provide a program of technical
assistance to the sub-grantee. The grantee must have at least three
years prior experience working with nonprofit organizations or low-income
rural communities in the areas of housing, community facilities,
or community and economic development. Assistance is authorized
for eligible applicants in rural areas of the States, Puerto Rico,
the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Republic of
Palaw, and the Federated States of Micronesia.
Beneficiary
Eligibility: Private, nonprofit community-based
housing and community development organizations, low income rural
communities, and Federally recognized Indian Tribes.
Credentials/Documentation:
Have the legal, financial, administrative, and operational capacity
relative to the activity for which assistance is requested. Have
necessary background and experience with proven ability to perform
responsibly in the areas of housing, community facilities, or
community and economic development. Have the ability to work within
established guidelines.
Pre-application
Coordination: A complete application for RCDI
funds must include the following: (a) a summary page; (b) a detailed
table of contents containing page numbers for each component of
the application; (c) a project overview; (d) the evaluation criteria;
(e) a separate one-page information sheet listing each of the evaluation
criteria followed by the page numbers of all relevant material and
documentation contained in the application which supports these
criteria; (f) a breakdown of specific time increments and steps
to accomplish goals; (g) a detailed breakdown of estimated costs
and a project budget; (h) organizational documents for the grantee;
(i) Form SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance; (j) Form SF-424B,
Assurances - Non-Construction Programs; (k) Form AD-1047, Certification
Regarding Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters
Primary Covered Transactions; (l) Form AD-1048, Certification Regarding
Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion Lower
Tier Covered Transactions; (m) Form AD-1049, Certification Regarding
Drug-Free Workplace Requirements; (n) Certification of Non- Lobbying
Activities; (o) Standard Form LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities;
(p) Form RD 400-1, Equal Opportunity Agreement; (q) Form RD 400-4,
Assurance Agreement, and (r) report any association or relationship
with Rural Development employees. This program is excluded from
coverage under E.O. 12372.
Application
Procedure: Application procedures will be
announced in the Federal Register.
Award
Procedure: Award is made by the Administrator,
Rural Housing Service.
Deadlines:
Announced in Federal Register.
Range
of Approval/Disapproval Time: As required,
90 days to 120 days.
Appeals:
If an application is rejected, the reasons for rejection are fully
stated. The applicant may request a review of the decision from
the National Appeals Division, USDA.
Renewals:
Not applicable.
ASSISTANCE
CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula
and Matching Requirements: The grantee must
provide matching funds at least equal to the amount of the grant
in the form of cash or committed funding. (No in-kind contributions.)
Length
and Time Phasing of Assistance: Proposals
must be structured to utilize the Rural Community Development
Initiative grant funds within 3 years from the execution of the
Rural Community Development Initiative grant agreement.
POST
ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports:
The grantee will perform self-evaluations by preparing quarterly
financial and project performance reports in accordance with the
grant agreement for RCDI.
Audits:
Periodic audits should be made as part of the grantee's system
of financial management and internal control to meet terms and
conditions of the grant. In accordance with the provisions of
7 CFR Part 3052, "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit
Organizations," which implement OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised,
June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit
Organizations," nonfederal entities that receive financial assistance
of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a
program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities
that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt
from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted
in 7 CFR 3052.
Records:
The borrower must maintain adequate records and accounts related
to the technical assistance performed.
Administrative Regulations 7 CFR 3015, 7 CFR 3016, 7 CFR 3019, 7
CFR 3052; H.R. 5426 Guidelines announced in NOFA, published in the
Federal Register.
INFORMATION
CONTACTS:
Regional
or Local Office: Consult your local telephone
directory for Rural Development field office numbers. If no listing,
contact the appropriate Rural Development State Office listed in
Appendix IV of the Catalog.
Headquarters
Office: Deputy Administrator, Community Programs,
Rural Housing Service, Department of Agriculture, Washington,
DC 20250- 3222. Telephone: (202) 720-1490. Beth Jones, Community
Programs, Rural Housing Service, Department of Agriculture, Washington,
DC 20250- 0787. Telephone: (202) 720-1498.
Web
Site Address: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rhs/rcdi/index.htm
EXAMPLES
OF FUNDED PROJECTS:
Grants were made to (a) hire a staff person to provide technical
assistance to the sub-grantee; (b) the sub-grantee organization
hires a staff person, under the supervision of the grantee, to carry
out the technical assistance; (c) develop the capacity of sub-grantees
to conduct community development programs; (d) develop the capacity
of sub-grantees to conduct home-ownership education programs; and
(e) develop the capacity of sub-grantees to conduct training for
minority business entrepreneurs.
CRITERIA
FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:
Factors considered for project selection include but are not limited
to median household income, rural population, and points for evaluation
criteria.
