Assistance to rural communities with extremely high
energy costs.
TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:
Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition
Direct Loans. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
Funds must be used to acquire, construct, extend, upgrade, and otherwise
improve energy generation, transmission, or distribution facilities serving
communities in which the average residential expenditure for home energy is at
least 275 percent of the national average residential expenditure for home
energy. Not more than 4 percent of amounts made available in grant funds may
be used for planning and administrative expenses.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant Eligibility: Persons, States, subdivisions
of States, and other entities organized under the laws of States are eligible,
including, but not limited to, corporations, partnerships, associations,
cooperatives, public bodies, and tribal entities.
Beneficiary Eligibility: Projects must serve
rural communities in which the average residential expenditure for home energy
is at least 275 percent of the national average residential expenditure for
home energy.
Pre-application Coordination: This program is
excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Application Procedure: Grant applications are
requested in response to a Notice of Funds availability published in the
Federal Register. Requirements for grant applications are described in the
Federal Register notice and on the agency web site. Application materials may
also be requested from the Agency. One or more application periods will be
announced.
Award Procedure: Grant awards will be based on
competitive ranking of applications according to published evaluation
criteria.
Deadlines: Deadlines for applications will be
published in the Federal Register and on the Agency web site. Applications
will be accepted during an announced application window and awarded at the
close of the window.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: New program.
Not yet established.
Appeals: Appeals of numerical rankings of
competitive applications may be made through dispute resolution procedures of
the RUS.
Renewals: Not applicable.
ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula and Matching Requirements: None.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: New
program. Not yet established.
POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports: Grant recipients will be required to file
periodic financial and performance reports specified in the grant agreement
and USDA regulations..
Audits: Recipient will be required to report in
accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular A-133 (Revised, June 24, 1997),
"Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations."
Records: Grantee must maintain records in
accordance with requirements of USDA regulations and grant agreement.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION:
Account Identification: 12-0400-0-1-452.
Obligations: FY 01 $0; FY 02 est $9,934,000; and
FY 03 est not available. Note: Unexpended funds are carried over for FY 2002.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance: New
program. Not yet established.
Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) will be published in the Federal Register;
Public Law 106-472.
INFORMATION CONTACTS:
Regional or Local Office: None.
Headquarters Office: Administrator, Rural
Utilities Service, Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250-1500.
Telephone: (202) 720-9540. Use the same number for FTS.
Web Site Address: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov.
EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:
New program. Not yet established.
CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:
Grant applications will be ranked competitively based on
published evaluation criteria. All projects must serve rural communities with
extremely high energy costs.
