[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 69 (Monday, April 12, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17612-17613]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-8983]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Inviting Preapplications for Rural Cooperative Development Grants
AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) announces the
availability of approximately $1.75 million in competing Rural
Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) funds for fiscal year (FY) 1999.
This action will comply with legislation which authorizes grants for
establishing and operating centers for rural cooperative development.
The intended effect of this notice is to solicit preapplications for FY
1999 and award grants before September 1, 1999.
DATES: The deadline for receipt of a preapplication is May 28, 1999.
Preapplications received after that date will not be considered.
ADDRESSES: Entities wishing to apply for assistance should contact
their USDA Rural Development State Office to receive further
information and copies of the preapplication package.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James E. Haskell, Assistant Deputy
Administrator, Cooperative Services, Rural Business-Cooperative
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Stop 3250, Room 4016, South
Agriculture Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC
20250-3250. Telephone (202) 720-8460.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Rural Cooperative Development Grants (RCDG)
is authorized by section 310B(e) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932(e) and regulations are contained in 7
CFR part 4284, subpart F. The primary objective of the RCDG program is
to improve the economic condition of rural areas through cooperative
development. The program is administered through USDA Rural Development
State Offices acting on behalf of RBS.
Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis to nonprofit
corporations and institutions of higher education based on specific
selection criteria. The priorities described in this paragraph will be
used by RBS to rate preapplications. RBS review of preapplications will
include the complete preapplication package submitted to the Rural
Development State office. Points will be distributed according to
ranking as compared with other preapplications on hand. Points will be
awarded to each factor on a 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 basis depending on the
applicant's ranking compared to other applicants.
(A) Preference will be given to applications that:
(1) Demonstrate a proven track record in administering a nationally
coordinated, regionally or State-wide operated project;
(2) Demonstrate previous expertise in providing technical
assistance to cooperatives in rural areas;
(3) Demonstrate the ability to assist in the retention of business,
facilitate the establishment of cooperatives and new cooperative
approaches, and generate employment opportunities that will improve the
economic conditions of rural areas;
(4) Demonstrate the ability to create horizontal linkages among
cooperative businesses within and among various sectors in rural areas
of the United States and vertical linkages to domestic and
international markets;
(5) Commit to providing technical assistance and other services to
underserved and economically distressed rural areas of the United
States;
(6) Commit to providing greater than a 25 percent matching
contribution with private funds and in-kind contributions;
(7) Evidence transferability or demonstration value to assist rural
areas outside of project area; and
(8) Demonstrate that any cooperative development activity is
consistent with positive environmental stewardship.
Fiscal Year 1999 Preapplication Submission
Preapplications must include a clear statement of the goals and
objectives of the project and a plan which describes the proposed
project. Each preapplication received in the State office will be
reviewed to determine if the preapplication is consistent with the
eligible purposes outlined in 7 CFR part 4284, subpart F.
Preapplications without supportive data to address selection criteria
will not be considered. Copies of 7 CFR part 4284, subpart F, will be
provided to any interested applicant by making a request to the Rural
Development State office or RBS National office. Preapplications must
be completed and submitted to the Rural Development State office as
soon as possible, but no later than May 28, 1999. Preapplications
received after May 28, 1999, will not be considered.
Each preapplication must contain the following:
(A) A detailed Table of Contents containing page numbers for each
component of the preapplication.
(B) A project summary of 250 words or less on a separate page. This
page must include the title of the project and the names of the primary
project contacts and the applicant organization, followed by the
summary. The summary should be self-contained and should describe the
overall goals, relevance of the project, and a listing of all
organizations involved in the project. The project summary should
immediately follow the Table of Contents.
(C) A separate one-page information sheet which lists each of the
eight evaluation criteria followed by the page numbers of all relevant
material and documentation contained in the preapplication which
supports that criteria. This page should immediately follow the project
summary.
(D) An additional requirement for those applicants who have
received funding under the RCDG program in
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fiscal years 1997-98 is a summation, not to exceed three pages, of
progress and results for all projects fully or partially funded by the
RCDG program in those years. This summary should include the status of
cooperative businesses organized and all eligible grant purpose
activities listed under 7 CFR 4284.515. The summary should immediately
follow the page described above in paragraph (c) documenting the
location of evaluation criteria supporting material.
The National office will score applicants based on the grant
selection criteria contained in 7 CFR part 4284, subpart F, and will
select awardees subject to the availability of funds and the awardee's
satisfactory submission of a formal application and related materials
in accordance with subpart F. Entities submitting preapplications that
are selected for award will be invited by the State office to submit a
formal application prior to September 1, 1999. It is anticipated that
grant awardees will be selected by September 1, 1999.
Dated: March 31, 1999.
Dayton Watkins,
Administrator, RBS.
[FR Doc. 99-8983 Filed 4-9-99; 8:45 am]
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