[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 81 (Thursday, April 26, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18264-18273]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-08785]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Housing Service
Notice of Solicitation of Applications (NOSA) for the Rural
Community Development Initiative (RCDI) for Fiscal Year 2018
AGENCY: Rural Housing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Rural Housing Service (Agency), an agency within the USDA
Rural Development mission area, announces the acceptance of
applications under the Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI)
program. Applicants must provide matching funds in an amount at least
equal to the Federal grant. These grants will be made to qualified
intermediary organizations that will provide financial and technical
assistance to recipients to develop their capacity and ability to
undertake projects related to housing, community facilities, or
community and economic development that will support the community.
This Notice lists the information needed to submit an application
for these funds. This Notice announces that the Agency is accepting
fiscal year (FY) 2018 applications for the RCDI program. The Agency
will publish the amount of funding received in the appropriations act
on its website at https://www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom/notices-solicitation-applications-nosas.
DATES: The deadline for receipt of an application is 4 p.m. local time,
June 25, 2018. The application date and time are firm. The Agency will
not consider any application received after the deadline. Applicants
intending to mail applications must provide sufficient time to permit
delivery on or before the closing deadline date and time. Acceptance by
the United States Postal Service or private mailer does not constitute
delivery. Facsimile (FAX), electronic mail, and postage due
applications will not be accepted.
ADDRESSES: Entities wishing to apply for assistance may download the
application documents and requirements delineated in this Notice from
the RCDI website: http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/rural-community-development-initiative-grants.
Application information for electronic submissions may be found at
http://www.grants.gov.
Applicants may also request paper application packages from the
Rural Development office in their state. A list of Rural Development
State offices contacts can be found via https://www.rd.usda.gov/files/CF_State_Office_Contacts.pdf.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Rural Development office for the
state in which the applicant is located. A list of Rural Development
State Office contacts is provided at the following link: https://www.rd.usda.gov/files/CF_State_Office_Contacts.pdf.
Paperwork Reduction Act
The paperwork burden has been cleared by the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) under OMB Control Number 0575-0180.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
[[Page 18265]]
Preface
The Agency encourages applications that will support
recommendations made in the Rural Prosperity Task Force report to help
improve life in rural America (www.usda.gov/ruralprosperity).
Applicants are encouraged to consider projects that provide measurable
results in helping rural communities build robust and sustainable
economies through strategic investments in infrastructure,
partnerships, and innovation. Key strategies include:
Achieving e-Connectivity for Rural America
Developing the Rural Economy
Harnessing Technological Innovation
Supporting a Rural Workforce
Improving Quality of Life
Overview
Federal Agency: Rural Housing Service.
Funding Opportunity Title: Rural Community Development Initiative.
Announcement Type: Initial Announcement.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 10.446.
Dates: The deadline for receipt of an application is 4 p.m. local
time, June 25, 2018. The application date and time are firm. The Agency
will not consider any application received after the deadline.
Applicants intending to mail applications must provide sufficient time
to permit delivery on or before the closing deadline date and time.
Acceptance by the United States Postal Service or private mailer does
not constitute delivery. Facsimile (FAX), electronic mail and postage
due applications will not be accepted. Prior to official submission of
applications, applicants may request technical assistance or other
application guidance from the Agency, as long as such requests are made
prior to June 15, 2018. Technical assistance is not meant to be an
analysis or assessment of the quality of the materials submitted, a
substitute for agency review of completed applications, nor a
determination of eligibility, if such determination requires in-depth
analysis. The Agency will not solicit or consider scoring or
eligibility information that is submitted after the application
deadline. The Agency reserves the right to contact applicants to seek
clarification information on materials contained in the submitted
application.
A. Program Description
Congress first authorized the RCDI in 1999 (Pub.L. 106-78, which
was amended most recently by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018
(Pub. L. 115-141) to develop the capacity and ability of private,
nonprofit community-based housing and community development
organizations, low-income rural communities, and federally recognized
Native American Tribes to undertake projects related to housing,
community facilities, or community and economic development in rural
areas. Strengthening the recipient's capacity in these areas will
benefit the communities they serve. The RCDI structure requires the
intermediary (grantee) to provide a program of financial and technical
assistance to recipients. The recipients will, in turn, provide
programs to their communities (beneficiaries).
B. Federal Award Information
The Agency will publish the amount of funding received in the FY
2018 Appropriations Act on its website at https://www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom/notices-solicitation-applications-nosas.
Qualified private organizations, nonprofit organizations and public
(including tribal) intermediary organizations proposing to carry out
financial and technical assistance programs will be eligible to receive
the grant funding.
The intermediary will be required to provide matching funds in an
amount at least equal to the RCDI grant.
A grant will be the type of assistance instrument awarded to
successful applications.
The respective minimum and maximum grant amount per intermediary is
$50,000 and $250,000.
Grant funds must be utilized within 3 years from date of the award.
A grantee that has an outstanding RCDI grant over 3 years old, as
of the application due date in this Notice, is not eligible to apply
for this round of funding.
The intermediary must provide a program of financial and technical
assistance to one or more of the following: a private, nonprofit
community-based housing and development organization, a low-income
rural community or a federally recognized tribe.
(a) Restrictions substantially similar to Sections 743, 744, 745,
and 746 outlined in Title VII, ``General Provisions--Government-Wide''
of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (Pub. L. 115-141) will
apply unless noted on the rural development website. Any corporation
(i) that has been convicted of a felony criminal violation under any
Federal law within the past 24 months or (ii) that has any unpaid
Federal tax liability that has been assessed, for which all judicial
and administrative remedies have been exhausted or have lapsed, and
that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant to an agreement with
the authority responsible for collecting the tax liability, is not
eligible for financial assistance provided with funds, unless a Federal
agency has considered suspension or debarment of the corporation and
has made a determination that this further action is not necessary to
protect the interests of the Government. In addition, none of the funds
appropriated or otherwise made available by this or any other Act may
be available for a contract, grant, or cooperative agreement with an
entity that requires employees or contractors of such entity seeking to
report fraud, waste, or abuse to sign internal confidentiality
agreements or statements prohibiting or otherwise restricting such
employees or contractors from lawfully reporting such waste, fraud, or
abuse to a designated investigative or law enforcement representative
of a Federal department or agency authorized to receive such
information. Additionally, no funds appropriated in this or any other
Act may be used to implement or enforce the agreements in Standard
Forms 312 and 4414 of the Government or any other nondisclosure policy,
form, or agreement if such policy, form, or agreement does not contain
the following provisions: ``These provisions are consistent with and do
not supersede, conflict with, or otherwise alter the employee
obligations, rights, or liabilities created by existing statute or
Executive order relating to (1) classified information, (2)
communications to Congress, (3) the reporting to an Inspector General
of a violation of any law, rule, or regulation, or mismanagement, a
gross waste of funds, an abuse of authority, or a substantial and
specific danger to public health or safety, or (4) any other
whistleblower protection.
(b) A nondisclosure agreement may continue to be implemented and
enforced notwithstanding subsection (a) if it complies with the
requirements for such agreement that were in effect when the agreement
was entered into.
(c) No funds appropriated in this or any other Act may be used to
implement or enforce any agreement entered into during fiscal year 2014
which does not contain substantially similar language to that required
in subsection (a).''
C. Eligibility Information
Applicants must meet all of the following eligibility requirements
by the application deadline. Applications
[[Page 18266]]
which fail to meet any of these requirements by the application
deadline will be deemed ineligible and will not be evaluated further,
and will not receive a Federal award.
1. Eligible Applicants
(a) Qualified private organizations, nonprofit organizations
(including faith-based and community organizations and philanthropic
foundations), in accordance with 7 CFR part 16, and public (including
tribal) intermediary organizations are eligible applicants. Definitions
that describe eligible organizations and other key terms are listed
below.
(b) The recipient must be a nonprofit community-based housing and
development organization, low-income rural community, or federally
recognized tribe based on the RCDI definitions of these groups.
(c) Private nonprofit, faith or community-based organizations must
provide a certificate of incorporation and good standing from the
Secretary of the State of incorporation, or other similar and valid
documentation of current nonprofit status. For low-income rural
community recipients, the Agency requires evidence that the entity is a
public body and census data verifying that the median household income
of the community where the office receiving the financial and technical
assistance is located is at, or below, 80 percent of the State or
national median household income, whichever is higher. For federally
recognized tribes, the Agency needs the page listing their name from
the current Federal Register list of tribal entities recognized and
eligible for funding services (see the definition of federally
recognized tribes in this Notice for details on this list).
(d) Any corporation (1) that has been convicted of a felony
criminal violation under any Federal law within the past 24 months or
(2) that has any unpaid Federal tax liability that has been assessed,
for which all judicial and administrative remedies have been exhausted
or have lapsed, and that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant
to an agreement with the authority responsible for collecting the tax
liability; is not eligible for financial assistance provided with full-
year appropriated funds for Fiscal Year 2018, unless a Federal agency
has considered suspension or debarment of the corporation and has made
a determination that this further action is not necessary to protect
the interests of the Government.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
There is a matching requirement of at least equal to the amount of
the grant. If this matching funds requirement is not met, the
application will be deemed ineligible. See section D, Application and
Submission Information, for required pre-award and post award matching
funds documentation submission.
Matching funds are cash or confirmed funding commitments that must
be at least equal to the grant amount and committed for a period of not
less than the grant performance period. These funds can only be used
for eligible RCDI activities and must be used to support the overall
purpose of the RCDI program.
In-kind contributions such as salaries, donated time and effort,
real and nonexpendable personal property and goods and services cannot
be used as matching funds.
Grant funds and matching funds must be used in equal proportions.
This does not mean funds have to be used equally by line item.
The request for advance or reimbursement and supporting
documentation must show that RCDI fund usage does not exceed the
cumulative amount of matching funds used.
Grant funds will be disbursed pursuant to relevant provisions of 2
CFR parts 200 and 400. See Section D, Application and Submission
Information, for matching funds documentation and pre-award
requirements.
The intermediary is responsible for demonstrating that matching
funds are available, and committed for a period of not less than the
grant performance period to the RCDI proposal. Matching funds may be
provided by the intermediary or a third party. Other Federal funds may
be used as matching funds if authorized by statute and the purpose of
the funds is an eligible RCDI purpose.
RCDI funds will be disbursed on an advance or reimbursement basis.
Matching funds cannot be expended prior to execution of the RCDI Grant
Agreement.
3. Other Program Requirements
(a) The recipient and beneficiary, but not the intermediary, must
be located in an eligible rural area. The physical location of the
recipient's office that will be receiving the financial and technical
assistance must be in an eligible rural area. If the recipient is a
low-income community, the median household income of the area where the
office is located must be at or below 80 percent of the State or
national median household income, whichever is higher. The applicable
Rural Development State Office can assist in determining the
eligibility of an area.
A listing of Rural Development State Office contacts can be found
at the following link: https://www.rd.usda.gov/files/CF_State_Office_Contacts.pdf. A map showing eligible rural areas can be
found at the following link: http://eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov/eligibility/welcomeAction.do?pageAction=RBSmenu&NavKey=property@13.
(b) RCDI grantees that have an outstanding grant over 3 years old,
as of the application due date in this Notice, will not be eligible to
apply for this round of funding. Grant and matching funds must be
utilized in a timely manner to ensure that the goals and objectives of
the program are met.
(c) Individuals cannot be recipients.
(d) The intermediary must provide a program of financial and
technical assistance to the recipient.
(e) The intermediary organization must have been legally organized
for a minimum of 3 years and have at least 3 years prior experience
working with private nonprofit community-based housing and development
organizations, low-income rural communities, or tribal organizations in
the areas of housing, community facilities, or community and economic
development.
(f) Proposals must be structured to utilize the grant funds within
3 years from the date of the award.
(g) Each applicant, whether singularly or jointly, may only submit
one application for RCDI funds under this Notice. This restriction does
not preclude the applicant from providing matching funds for other
applications.
(h) Recipients can benefit from more than one RCDI application;
however, after grant selections are made, the recipient can only
benefit from multiple RCDI grants if the type of financial and
technical assistance the recipient will receive is not duplicative. The
services described in multiple RCDI grant applications must have
separate and identifiable accounts for compliance purposes.
(i) The intermediary and the recipient cannot be the same entity.
The recipient can be a related entity to the intermediary, if it meets
the definition of a recipient, provided the relationship does not
create a Conflict of Interest that cannot be resolved to Rural
Development's satisfaction.
(j) If the recipient is a low-income rural community, identify the
unit of government to which the financial and
[[Page 18267]]
technical assistance will be provided, e.g., town council or village
board. The financial and technical assistance must be provided to the
organized unit of government representing that community, not the
community at large.
4. Eligible Grant Purposes
Fund uses must be consistent with the RCDI purpose. A nonexclusive
list of eligible grant uses includes the following:
(a) Provide technical assistance to develop recipients' capacity
and ability to undertake projects related to housing, community
facilities, or community and economic development, e.g., the
intermediary hires a staff person to provide technical assistance to
the recipient or the recipient hires a staff person, under the
supervision of the intermediary, to carry out the technical assistance
provided by the intermediary.
(b) Develop the capacity of recipients to conduct community
development programs, e.g., homeownership education or training for
business entrepreneurs.
(c) Develop the capacity of recipients to conduct development
initiatives, e.g., programs that support micro-enterprise and
sustainable development.
(d) Develop the capacity of recipients to increase their leveraging
ability and access to alternative funding sources by providing training
and staffing.
(e) Develop the capacity of recipients to provide the technical
assistance component for essential community facilities projects.
(f) Assist recipients in completing pre-development requirements
for housing, community facilities, or community and economic
development projects by providing resources for professional services,
e.g., architectural, engineering, or legal.
(g) Improve recipient's organizational capacity by providing
training and resource material on developing strategic plans, board
operations, management, financial systems, and information technology.
(h) Purchase of computers, software, and printers, limited to
$10,000 per award, at the recipient level when directly related to the
technical assistance program being undertaken by the intermediary.
(i) Provide funds to recipients for training-related travel costs
and training expenses related to RCDI.
5. Ineligible Fund Uses
The following is a list of ineligible grant uses:
(a) Pass-through grants, and any funds provided to the recipient in
a lump sum that are not reimbursements.
(b) Funding a revolving loan fund (RLF).
(c) Construction (in any form).
(d) Salaries for positions involved in construction, renovations,
rehabilitation, and any oversight of these types of activities.
(e) Intermediary preparation of strategic plans for recipients.
(f) Funding prostitution, gambling, or any illegal activities.
(g) Grants to individuals.
(h) Funding a grant where there may be a conflict of interest, or
an appearance of a conflict of interest, involving any action by the
Agency.
(i) Paying obligations incurred before the beginning date without
prior Agency approval or after the ending date of the grant agreement.
(j) Purchasing real estate.
(k) Improvement or renovation of the grantee's or recipient's
office space or for the repair or maintenance of privately owned
vehicles.
(l) Any purpose prohibited in 2 CFR part 200 or 400.
(m) Using funds for recipient's general operating costs.
(n) Using grant or matching funds for Individual Development
Accounts.
(o) Purchasing vehicles.
6. Program Examples and Restrictions
The following are examples of eligible and ineligible purposes
under the RCDI program. (These examples are illustrative and are not
meant to limit the activities proposed in the application. Activities
that meet the objectives of the RCDI program and meet the criteria
outlined in this Notice will be considered eligible.)
(a) The intermediary must work directly with the recipient, not the
ultimate beneficiaries. As an example:
The intermediary provides training to the recipient on how to
conduct homeownership education classes. The recipient then provides
ongoing homeownership education to the residents of the community--the
ultimate beneficiaries. This ``train the trainer'' concept fully meets
the intent of this initiative. The intermediary is providing technical
assistance that will build the recipient's capacity by enabling them to
conduct homeownership education classes for the public.
This is an eligible purpose. However, if the intermediary directly
provided homeownership education classes to individuals in the
recipient's service area, this would not be an eligible purpose because
the recipient would be bypassed.
(b) If the intermediary is working with a low-income community as
the recipient, the intermediary must provide the technical assistance
to the entity that represents the low-income community and is
identified in the application. Examples of entities representing a low-
income community are a village board or a town council.
If the intermediary provides technical assistance to the Board of
the low-income community on how to establish a cooperative, this would
be an eligible purpose. However, if the intermediary works directly
with individuals from the community to establish the cooperative, this
is not an eligible purpose.
The recipient's capacity is built by learning skills that will
enable them to support sustainable economic development in their
communities on an ongoing basis.
(c) The intermediary may provide technical assistance to the
recipient on how to create and operate a revolving loan fund. The
intermediary may not monitor or operate the revolving loan fund. RCDI
funds, including matching funds, cannot be used to fund revolving loan
funds.
(d) The intermediary may work with recipients in building their
capacity to provide planning and leadership development training. The
recipients of this training would be expected to assume leadership
roles in the development and execution of regional strategic plans. The
intermediary would work with multiple recipients in helping communities
recognize their connections to the greater regional and national
economies.
(e) The intermediary could provide training and technical
assistance to the recipients on developing emergency shelter and
feeding, short-term housing, search and rescue, and environmental
accident, prevention, and cleanup program plans. For longer term
disaster and economic crisis responses, the intermediary could work
with the recipients to develop job placement and training programs, and
develop coordinated transit systems for displaced workers.
D. Application and Submission Information
1. Address To Request Application Package
Entities wishing to apply for assistance may download the
application documents and requirements delineated in this Notice from
the RCDI website: http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/rural-community-development-initiative-grants.
[[Page 18268]]
Application information for electronic submissions may be found at
http://www.grants.gov.
Applicants may also request paper application packages from the
Rural Development office in their state. A list of Rural Development
State office contacts can be found via https://www.rd.usda.gov/files/CF_State_Office_Contacts.pdf. You may also obtain a copy by calling
202-205-9685.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
If the applicant is ineligible or the application is incomplete,
the Agency will inform the applicant in writing of the decision,
reasons therefore, and its appeal rights and no further evaluation of
the application will occur.
A complete application for RCDI funds must include the following:
(a) A summary page, double-spaced between items, listing the
following: (This information should not be presented in narrative
form.)
(1) Applicant's name,
(2) Applicant's address,
(3) Applicant's telephone number,
(4) Name of applicant's contact person, email address and telephone
number,
(5) Applicant's fax number,
(6) County where applicant is located,
(7) Congressional district number where applicant is located,
(8) Amount of grant request, and
(9) Number of recipients.
(b) A detailed Table of Contents containing page numbers for each
component of the application.
(c) A project overview, no longer than one page, including the
following items, which will also be addressed separately and in detail
under ``Building Capacity and Expertise'' of the ``Evaluation
Criteria.''
(1) The type of technical assistance to be provided to the
recipients and how it will be implemented.
(2) How the capacity and ability of the recipients will be
improved.
(3) The overall goals to be accomplished.
(4) The benchmarks to be used to measure the success of the
program. Benchmarks should be specific and quantifiable.
(d) Organizational documents, such as a certificate of
incorporation and a current good standing certification from the
Secretary of State where the applicant is incorporated and other
similar and valid documentation of current non-profit status, from the
intermediary that confirms it has been legally organized for a minimum
of 3 years as the applicant entity.
(e) Verification of source and amount of matching funds, e.g., a
copy of a bank statement if matching funds are in cash or a copy of the
confirmed funding commitment from the funding source.
The verification must show that matching funds are available for
the duration of the grant performance period. The verification of
matching funds must be submitted with the application or the
application will be considered incomplete.
The applicant will be contacted by the Agency prior to grant award
to verify that the matching funds provided with the application
continue to be available. The applicant will have 15 days from the date
contacted to submit verification that matching funds continue to be
available.
If the applicant is unable to provide the verification within that
timeframe, the application will be considered ineligible. The applicant
must maintain bank statements on file or other documentation for a
period of at least 3 years after grant closing except that the records
shall be retained beyond the 3-year period if audit findings have not
been resolved.
(f) The following information for each recipient:
(1) Recipient's entity name,
(2) Complete address (mailing and physical location, if different),
(3) County where located,
(4) Number of Congressional district where recipient is located,
(5) Contact person's name, email address and telephone number and,
(6) Form RD 400-4, ``Assurance Agreement.'' If the Form RD 400-4 is
not submitted for the applicant and each recipient, the recipient will
be considered ineligible. No information pertaining to that recipient
will be included in the income or population scoring criteria and the
requested funding may be adjusted due to the deletion of the recipient.
(g) Submit evidence that each recipient entity is eligible.
Documentation must be submitted to verify recipient eligibility.
Acceptable documentation varies depending on the type of recipient:
(1) Nonprofits--provide a current valid letter confirming non-
profit status from the Secretary of the State of incorporation, a
current good standing certification from the Secretary of the State of
incorporation, or other valid documentation of current nonprofit status
of each recipient.
A nonprofit recipient must provide evidence that it is a valid
nonprofit when the intermediary applies for the RCDI grant.
Organizations with pending requests for nonprofit designations are not
eligible.
(2) Low-income rural community--provide evidence the entity is a
public body (copy of Charter, relevant Acts of Assembly, relevant court
orders (if created judicially) or other valid documentation), a copy of
the 2010 census data to verify the population, and 2010 American
Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (2006--2010 data set) data as
evidence that the median household income is at, or below, 80 percent
of either the State or national median household income. We will only
accept data and printouts from http://www.census.gov.
(3) Federally recognized tribes--provide the page listing their
name from the Federal Register list of tribal entities published most
recently by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The 2018 list is available at
83 FR 4235 pages 4235-4241 and https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-01-30/pdf/2018-01907.pdf. For Tribes that received federal recognition
after the most recent publication, statutory citations and additional
documentation may suffice.
(h) Each of the ``Evaluation Criteria'' must be addressed
specifically and individually by category. Present these criteria in
narrative form. Narrative (not including attachments) must be limited
to five pages per criterion. The ``Population and Income'' criteria for
recipient locations can be provided in the form of a list; however, the
source of the data must be included on the page(s).
(i) A timeline identifying specific activities and proposed dates
for completion.
(j) A detailed project budget that includes the RCDI grant amount
and matching funds. This should be a line-item budget, by category.
Categories such as salaries, administrative, other, and indirect costs
that pertain to the proposed project must be clearly defined.
Supporting documentation listing the components of these categories
must be included. The budget should be dated: Year 1, year 2, and year
3, as applicable.
(k) The indirect cost category in the project budget should be used
only when a grant applicant has a federally negotiated indirect cost
rate. A copy of the current rate agreement must be provided with the
application. Non-federal entities that have never received a negotiated
indirect cost rate, except for those non-Federal entities described in
Appendix VII to Part 200-States and Local Government and Indian Tribe
Indirect Cost Proposals, paragraph (d)(1)(B), may use the de minimis
rate of 10 percent of modified total direct costs (MTDC).
[[Page 18269]]
(l) Form SF-424, ``Application for Federal Assistance.''
(Do not complete Form SF-424A, ``Budget Information.'' A separate
line-item budget should be presented as described in Letter (j) of this
section.)
(m) Form SF-424B, ``Assurances--Non-Construction Programs.''
(n) Form AD-1047, ``Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension,
and Other Responsibility Matters--Primary Covered Transactions.''
(o) Form AD-1048, ``Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension,
Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion--Lower Tier Covered
Transactions.''
(p) Form AD-1049, ``Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace
Requirements.''
(q) Certification of Non-Lobbying Activities.
(r) Standard Form LLL, ``Disclosure of Lobbying Activities,'' if
applicable.
(s) Form RD 400-4, ``Assurance Agreement,'' for the applicant and
each recipient. The applicant and each prospective recipient must sign
Form RD 400-4, Assurance Agreement, which assures USDA that the
recipient is in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of
1964, 7 CFR part 15, and other Agency regulations: That no person will
be discriminated against based on race, color or national origin, in
regard to any program or activity for which the recipient receives
Federal financial assistance; That nondiscrimination statements are in
advertisements and brochures.
Applicants must collect and maintain data provided by recipients on
race, sex, and national origin and ensure Ultimate Recipients collect
and maintain this data. Race and ethnicity data will be collected in
accordance with OMB Federal Register notice, ``Revisions to the
Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and
Ethnicity'' (62 FR 58782), October 30, 1997. Sex data will be collected
in accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. These
items should not be submitted with the application but should be
available upon request by the Agency.
The applicant and the recipient must comply with Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972,
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Executive
Order 12250, Executive Order 13166 Limited English Proficiency (LEP),
and 7 CFR part 1901, subpart E.
(t) Identify and report any association or relationship with Rural
Development employees. (A statement acknowledging whether or not a
relationship exists is required.)
(u) Form AD-3030, ``Representations Regarding Felony Conviction and
Tax Delinquent Status for Corporate Applicants,'' if you are a
corporation. A corporation is any entity that has filed articles of
incorporation in one of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the
Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau, and the Republic
of the Marshall Islands, or the various territories of the United
States including American Samoa, Guam, Midway Islands, Northern Mariana
Islands, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Corporations include
both for profit and non-profit entities.
3. Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) and System
for Awards Management (SAM)
Grant applicants must obtain a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal
Numbering System (DUNS) number and register in the System for Award
Management (SAM) prior to submitting an application pursuant to 2 CFR
25.200(b). In addition, an entity applicant must maintain registration
in SAM at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an
application or plan under consideration by the Agency. Similarly, all
recipients of Federal financial assistance are required to report
information about first-tier subawards and executive compensation in
accordance to 2 CFR part 170. So long as an entity applicant does not
have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b), the applicant must have the
necessary processes and systems in place to comply with the reporting
requirements should the applicant receive funding. See 2 CFR
170.200(b).
An applicant, unless excepted under 2 CFR 25.110(b), (c), or (d),
is required to:
(a) Be registered in SAM before submitting its application;
(b) Provide a valid DUNS number in its application; and
(c) Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current
information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or
an application or plan under consideration by a Federal awarding
agency.
The Federal awarding agency may not make a federal award to an
applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable DUNS and
SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the
requirements by the time the Federal awarding agency is ready to make a
Federal award, the Federal awarding agency may determine that the
applicant is not qualified to receive a Federal award and use that
determination as a basis for making a Federal award to another
applicant.
As required by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), all grant
applications must provide a DUNS number when applying for Federal
grants, on or after October 1, 2003. Organizations can receive a DUNS
number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free number at 1-866-
705-5711 or via internet at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. Additional
information concerning this requirement can be obtained on the
Grants.gov website at http://www.grants.gov. Similarly, applicants may
register for SAM at https://www.sam.gov or by calling 1-866-606-8220.
The applicant must provide documentation that they are registered
in SAM and their DUNS number. If the applicant does not provide
documentation that they are registered in SAM and their DUNS number,
the application will not be considered for funding. The required forms
and certifications can be downloaded from the RCDI website at: http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/rural-community-development-initiative-grants.
4. Submission Dates and Times
The deadline for receipt of an application is 4 p.m. local time,
June 25, 2018. The application date and time are firm. The Agency will
not consider any application received after the deadline. You may
submit your application in paper form or electronically through
Grants.gov. Applicants intending to mail applications must provide
sufficient time to permit delivery on or before the closing deadline
date and time. Acceptance by the United States Postal Service or
private mailer does not constitute delivery. Facsimile (FAX),
electronic mail, and postage due applications will not be accepted.
To submit a paper application, the original application package
must be submitted to the Rural Development State Office where the
applicant's headquarters is located.
A listing of Rural Development State Offices contacts can be found
via https://www.rd.usda.gov/files/CF_State_Office_Contacts.pdf.
Applications will not be accepted via FAX or electronic mail.
Applicants may file an electronic application at http://www.grants.gov. Grants.gov contains full instructions on all required
passwords, credentialing, and software. Follow the instructions at
Grants.gov for registering and submitting an electronic application. If
[[Page 18270]]
a system problem or technical difficulty occurs with an electronic
application, please use the customer support resources available at the
Grants.gov website.
Technical difficulties submitting an application through Grants.gov
will not be a reason to extend the application deadline. If an
application is unable to be submitted through Grants.gov, a paper
application must be received in the appropriate Rural Development State
Office by the deadline noted previously.
First time Grants.gov users should carefully read and follow the
registration steps listed on the website. These steps need to be
initiated early in the application process to avoid delays in
submitting your application online.
In order to register with System for Award Management (SAM), your
organization will need a DUNS number. Be sure to complete the Marketing
Partner ID (MPID) and Electronic Business Primary Point of Contact
fields during the SAM registration process.
These are mandatory fields that are required when submitting grant
applications through Grants.gov. Additional application instructions
for submitting an electronic application can be found by selecting this
funding opportunity on Grants.gov.
5. Funding Restrictions
Meeting expenses. In accordance with 31 U.S.C. 1345, ``Expenses of
Meetings,'' appropriations may not be used for travel, transportation,
and subsistence expenses for a meeting. RCDI grant funds cannot be used
for these meeting-related expenses. Matching funds may, however, be
used to pay for these expenses.
RCDI funds may be used to pay for a speaker as part of a program,
equipment to facilitate the program, and the actual room that will
house the meeting.
RCDI funds cannot be used for meetings; they can, however, be used
for travel, transportation, or subsistence expenses for program-related
training and technical assistance purposes. Any training not delineated
in the application must be approved by the Agency to verify compliance
with 31 U.S.C. 1345. Travel and per diem expenses (including meals and
incidental expenses) will be allowed in accordance with 2 CFR parts 200
and 400.
E. Application Review Information
1. Evaluation Criteria
Applications will be evaluated using the following criteria and
weights:
(a) Building Capacity and Expertise--Maximum 40 Points
The applicant must demonstrate how they will improve the
recipients' capacity, through a program of financial and technical
assistance, as it relates to the RCDI purposes.
Capacity-building financial and technical assistance should provide
new functions to the recipients or expand existing functions that will
enable the recipients to undertake projects in the areas of housing,
community facilities, or community and economic development that will
benefit the community. Capacity-building financial and technical
assistance may include, but is not limited to: Training to conduct
community development programs, e.g., homeownership education, or the
establishment of minority business entrepreneurs, cooperatives, or
micro-enterprises; organizational development, e.g., assistance to
develop or improve board operations, management, and financial systems;
instruction on how to develop and implement a strategic plan;
instruction on how to access alternative funding sources to increase
leveraging opportunities; staffing, e.g., hiring a person at
intermediary or recipient level to provide technical assistance to
recipients.
The program of financial and technical assistance that is to be
provided, its delivery, and the measurability of the program's
effectiveness will determine the merit of the application.
All applications will be competitively ranked with the applications
providing the most improvement in capacity development and measurable
activities being ranked the highest.
The narrative response must contain the following items. This list
also contains the points for each item.
(1) Describe the nature of financial and technical assistance to be
provided to the recipients and the activities that will be conducted to
deliver the technical assistance; (10 Points)
(2) Explain how financial and technical assistance will develop or
increase the recipient's capacity. Indicate whether a new function is
being developed or if existing functions are being expanded or
performed more effectively; (7 Points)
(3) Identify which RCDI purpose areas will be addressed with this
assistance: Housing, community facilities, or community and economic
development; (3 Points)
(4) Describe how the results of the technical assistance will be
measured. What benchmarks will be used to measure effectiveness?
Benchmarks should be specific and quantifiable; (5 Points)
(5) Demonstrate that it has conducted programs of financial and
technical assistance and achieved measurable results in the areas of
housing, community facilities, or community and economic development in
rural areas. (10 Points)
(6) Provide in a chart or excel spreadsheet, the organization name,
point of contact, address, phone number, email address, and the type
and amount of the financial and technical assistance the applicant
organization has provided to the following for the last 3 years: (5
Points)
(i) Nonprofit organizations in rural areas.
(ii) Low-income communities in rural areas (also include the type
of entity, e.g., city government, town council, or village board).
(iii) Federally recognized tribes or any other culturally diverse
organizations.
(b) Soundness of Approach--Maximum 15 Points
The applicant can receive up to 15 points for soundness of
approach. The overall proposal will be considered under this criterion.
Applicants must list the page numbers in the application that
address these factors.
The maximum 15 points for this criterion will be based on the
following:
(1) The proposal fits the objectives for which applications were
invited, is clearly stated, and the applicant has defined how this
proposal will be implemented. (7 Points)
(2) The ability to provide the proposed financial and technical
assistance based on prior accomplishments. (6 Points)
(3) Cost effectiveness will be evaluated based on the budget in the
application. The proposed grant amount and matching funds should be
utilized to maximize capacity building at the recipient level. (2
Points)
(c) Population and Income--Maximum 15 Points
Population is based on the average population from the 2010 census
data for the communities in which the recipients are located. The
physical address, not mailing address, for each recipient must be used
for this criterion. Community is defined for scoring purposes as a
city, town, village, county, parish, borough, or census-designated
place where the recipient's office is physically located.
The applicant must submit the census data from the following
website in the
[[Page 18271]]
form of a printout of the applicable ``Fact Sheet'' to verify the
population figures used for each recipient. The data can be accessed on
the internet at http://www.census.gov; click on ``American
FactFinder,'' fill in field and click ``Go''; the name and population
data for each recipient location must be listed in this section.
The average population of the recipient locations will be used and
will be scored as follows:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scoring
Population (points)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
10,000 or less.......................................... 5
10,001 to 20,000........................................ 4
20,001 to 30,000........................................ 3
30,001 to 40,000........................................ 2
40,001 to 50,000........................................ 1
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The average of the median household income for the communities
where the recipients are physically located will determine the points
awarded. The physical address, not mailing address, for each recipient
must be used for this criterion. Applicants may compare the average
recipient median household income to the State median household income
or the national median household income, whichever yields the most
points. The national median household income to be used is $51,914.
The applicant must submit the income data in the form of a printout
of the applicable information from the following website to verify the
income for each recipient. The data being used is from the 2010
American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (2006-2010 data set).
The data can be accessed on the internet at http://www.census.gov;
click on ``American FactFinder,'' (under ``Find Data'' at bottom of
page), ``Advanced Search,''(click on ``Show Me All'' tab), ``Topics,''
``Dataset,'' locate 2010 ACS 5 year estimates, close table, check the
``Median Income'' table (S1903 on page 2), fill in the ``state, county
or place'' field (at top of page), select ``Go'' and click ``View'';
the name and income data for each recipient location must be listed in
this section (use the Household and Median Income column). Points will
be awarded as follows:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scoring
Average recipient median income (points)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Less than or equal to 70 percent of state or national 10
median household income................................
Greater than 70, but less than or equal to 80 percent of 5
state or national median household income..............
In excess of 80 percent of state or national median 0
household Income.......................................
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(d) State Director's Points Based on Project Merit--Maximum 10
Points
(1) This criterion will be addressed by the Agency, not the
applicant.
(2) Up to 10 points may be awarded by the Rural Development State
Director to any application(s) that benefits their State regardless of
whether the applicant is headquartered in their State. The total points
awarded under this criterion, to all applications, will not exceed 10.
(3) When an intermediary submits an application that will benefit a
State that is not the same as the State in which the intermediary is
headquartered, it is the intermediary's responsibility to notify the
State Director of the State which is receiving the benefit of their
application. In such cases, State Directors awarding points to
applications benefiting their state must notify the reviewing State in
writing.
(4) Assignment of any points under this criterion requires a
written justification and must be tied to and awarded based on how
closely the application aligns with the Rural Development State
Office's strategic goals.
(e) Administrator Discretionary Points--Maximum 20 Points
The Administrator may award up to 20 discretionary points for
projects to address geographic distribution of funds, emergency
conditions caused by economic problems, natural disasters and other
initiatives identified by the Secretary.
2. Review and Selection Process
(a) Rating and ranking.
Applications will be rated and ranked on a national basis by a
review panel based on the ``Evaluation Criteria'' contained in this
Notice.
If there is a tied score after the applications have been rated and
ranked, the tie will be resolved by reviewing the scores for ''Building
Capacity and Expertise'' and the applicant with the highest score in
that category will receive a higher ranking. If the scores for
``Building Capacity and Expertise'' are the same, the scores will be
compared for the next criterion, in sequential order, until one highest
score can be determined.
(b) Initial screening.
The Agency will screen each application to determine eligibility
during the period immediately following the application deadline.
Listed below are examples of reasons for rejection from previous
funding rounds. The following reasons for rejection are not all
inclusive; however, they represent the majority of the applications
previously rejected.
(1) Recipients were not located in eligible rural areas based on
the definition in this Notice.
(2) Applicants failed to provide evidence of recipient's status,
i.e., documentation supporting nonprofit evidence of organization.
(3) Applicants failed to provide evidence of committed matching
funds or matching funds were not committed for a period at least equal
to the grant performance period.
(4) Application did not follow the RCDI structure with an
intermediary and recipients.
(5) Recipients were not identified in the application.
(6) Intermediary did not provide evidence it had been incorporated
for at least 3 years as the applicant entity.
(7) Applicants failed to address the ``Evaluation Criteria.''
(8) The purpose of the proposal did not qualify as an eligible RCDI
purpose.
(9) Inappropriate use of funds (e.g., construction or renovations).
(10) The applicant proposed providing financial and technical
assistance directly to individuals.
(11) The application package was not received by closing date and
time.
F. Federal Award Administration Information
1. Federal Award Notice
Within the limit of funds available for such purpose, the awarding
official of the Agency shall make grants in ranked order to eligible
applicants under the procedures set forth in this Notice.
Successful applicants will receive a selection letter by mail
containing instructions on requirements necessary to proceed with
execution and performance of the award.
This letter is not an authorization to begin performance. In
addition, selected applicants will be requested to verify that
components of the application have not changed at the time of selection
and on the award obligation date, if requested by the Agency.
The award is not approved until all information has been verified,
and the awarding official of the Agency has signed Form RD 1940-1,
``Request for Obligation of Funds'' and the grant agreement.
Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification including appeal
rights by mail.
[[Page 18272]]
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
Grantees will be required to do the following:
(a) Execute a Rural Community Development Initiative Grant
Agreement.
(b) Execute Form RD 1940-1, ``Request for Obligation of Funds.''
(c) Use Form SF 270, ``Request for Advance or Reimbursement,'' to
request reimbursements. Provide receipts for expenditures, timesheets
and any other documentation to support the request for reimbursement.
(d) Provide financial status and project performance reports on a
quarterly basis starting with the first full quarter after the grant
award.
(e) Maintain a financial management system that is acceptable to
the Agency.
(f) Ensure that records are maintained to document all activities
and expenditures utilizing RCDI grant funds and matching funds.
Receipts for expenditures will be included in this documentation.
(g) Provide annual audits or management reports on Form RD 442-2,
``Statement of Budget, Income and Equity,'' and Form RD 442-3,
``Balance Sheet,'' depending on the amount of Federal funds expended
and the outstanding balance.
(h) Collect and maintain data provided by recipients on race, sex,
and national origin and ensure recipients collect and maintain the same
data on beneficiaries. Race and ethnicity data will be collected in
accordance with OMB Federal Register notice, ``Revisions to the
Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and
Ethnicity,'' (62 FR 58782), October 30, 1997. Sex data will be
collected in accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of
1972. These items should not be submitted with the application but
should be available upon request by the Agency.
(i) Provide a final project performance report.
(j) Identify and report any association or relationship with Rural
Development employees.
(k) The intermediary and recipient must comply with Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972,
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Executive Order 12250,
Age Act of 1975, Executive Order 13166 Limited English Proficiency, and
7 CFR part 1901, subpart E.
(l) The grantee must comply with policies, guidance, and
requirements as described in the following applicable Code of Federal
Regulations, and any successor regulations:
(i) 2 CFR parts 200 and 400 (Uniform Administrative Requirements,
Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements For Federal Awards).
(ii) 2 CFR parts 417 and 180 (Government-wide Debarment and
Suspension (Nonprocurement)).
(m) Form AD-3031, ``Assurance Regarding Felony Conviction or Tax
Delinquent Status for Corporate Applicants,'' must be signed by
corporate applicants who receive an award under this Notice.
3. Reporting
After grant approval and through grant completion, you will be
required to provide the following, as indicated in the Grant Agreement:
(a) SF-425, ``Federal Financial Report'' and SF-PPR, ``Performance
Progress Report'' will be required on a quarterly basis (due 30 working
days after each calendar quarter). The Performance Progress Report
shall include the elements described in the grant agreement.
(b) Final financial and performance reports will be due 90 calendar
days after the period of performance end date.
(c) A summary at the end of the final report with elements as
described in the grant agreement to assist in documenting the annual
performance goals of the RCDI program for Congress.
G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact
Contact the Rural Development office in the State where the
applicant's headquarters is located. A list of Rural Development State
Offices contacts can be found via https://www.rd.usda.gov/files/CF_State_Office_Contacts.pdf.
H. Other Information
Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants, OMB No. 1894-
0010 (applies to nonprofit applicants only--submission is optional).
No reimbursement will be made for any funds expended prior to
execution of the RCDI Grant Agreement unless the intermediary is a non-
profit or educational entity and has requested and received written
Agency approval of the costs prior to the actual expenditure.
This exception is applicable for up to 90 days prior to grant
closing and only applies to grantees that have received written
approval but have not executed the RCDI Grant Agreement.
The Agency cannot retroactively approve reimbursement for
expenditures prior to execution of the RCDI Grant Agreement.
Program Definitions
Agency--The Rural Housing Service or its successor.
Beneficiary--Entities or individuals that receive benefits from
assistance provided by the recipient.
Capacity--The ability of a recipient to implement housing,
community facilities, or community and economic development projects.
Conflict of interest--A situation in which a person or entity has
competing personal, professional, or financial interests that make it
difficult for the person or business to act impartially. Regarding use
of both grant and matching funds, Federal procurement standards
prohibit transactions that involve a real or apparent conflict of
interest for owners, employees, officers, agents, or their immediate
family members having a financial or other interest in the outcome of
the project; or that restrict open and free competition for
unrestrained trade. Specifically, project funds may not be used for
services or goods going to, or coming from, a person or entity with a
real or apparent conflict of interest, including, but not limited to,
owner(s) and their immediate family members. An example of conflict of
interest occurs when the grantee's employees, board of directors, or
the immediate family of either, have the appearance of a professional
or personal financial interest in the recipients receiving the benefits
or services of the grant.
Federally recognized tribes--Tribal entities recognized and
eligible for funding and services from the Bureau of Indian Affairs,
based on the most recent notice in the Federal Register published by
the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Tribes that received federal
recognition after the most recent publication. Tribally Designated
Housing Entities are eligible RCDI recipients.
Financial assistance--Funds, not to exceed $10,000 per award, used
by the intermediary to purchase supplies and equipment to build the
recipient's capacity.
Funds--The RCDI grant and matching money.
Intermediary--A qualified private organization, nonprofit
organization (including faith-based and community organizations and
philanthropic organizations), or public (including tribal) organization
that provides financial and technical assistance to multiple
recipients.
Low-income rural community--An authority, district, economic
development authority, regional council, or unit of government
representing an incorporated city, town,
[[Page 18273]]
village, county, township, parish, or borough whose income is at or
below 80 percent of either the state or national Median Household
Income as measured by the 2010 Census.
Matching funds--Cash or confirmed funding commitments. Matching
funds must be at least equal to the grant amount and committed for a
period of not less than the grant performance period.
Recipient---The entity that receives the financial and technical
assistance from the Intermediary. The recipient must be a nonprofit
community-based housing and development organization, a low-income
rural community or a federally recognized Tribe.
Rural and rural area--Any area other than (i) a city or town that
has a population of greater than 50,000 inhabitants; and (ii) the
urbanized area contiguous and adjacent to such city or town.
Technical assistance--Skilled help in improving the recipient's
abilities in the areas of housing, community facilities, or community
and economic development.
Non-Discrimination Statement
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its
Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or
administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on
race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including
gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital
status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance
program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil
rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA
(not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing
deadlines vary by program or incident.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of
communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print,
audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible
Agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or
contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
Additionally, program information may be made available in languages
other than English.
To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA
Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or
write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the
information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint
form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA
by:
(1) By mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW,
Washington DC 20250-9410;
(2) Fax: (202) 690-7442; or
(3) Email: [email protected].
Persons With Disabilities
Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech
disabilities and you wish to file either an EEO or program complaint
please contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339
or (800) 845-6136 (in Spanish).
Persons with disabilities who wish to file a program complaint,
please see information above on how to contact us by mail directly or
by email.
If you require alternative means of communication for program
information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) please
contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).
Appeal Process
All adverse determinations regarding applicant eligibility and the
awarding of points as part of the selection process are appealable
pursuant to 7 CFR part 11. Instructions on the appeal process will be
provided at the time an applicant is notified of the adverse decision.
In the event the applicant is awarded a grant that is less than the
amount requested, the applicant will be required to modify its
application to conform to the reduced amount before execution of the
grant agreement. The Agency reserves the right to reduce or withdraw
the award if acceptable modifications are not submitted by the awardee
within 15 working days from the date the request for modification is
made. Any modifications must be within the scope of the original
application.
Dated: April 18, 2018.
Curtis M. Anderson,
Acting Administrator, Rural Housing Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-08785 Filed 4-25-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XV-P