USDA Rural Community Development Initiative Grant Funds
Totaling $6 million are Now Available!

08/19/2003

On July 30, 2003, Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman announced the availability of $6 million in USDA Rural Development grant funds designed to support rural economic and community development efforts. USDA's Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) provides funds to help nonprofit, community-based development organizations, federally recognized Indian tribes and low-income communities improve their ability to develop rural housing and community facilities and to improve economic growth.

Grant recipients will provide training and technical assistance to eligible nonprofit community-development organizations and low-income communities located in rural areas with populations of 50,000 or less. Technical assistance includes: setting up homeownership education programs; supporting micro-enterprises, cooperatives and sustainable development; and providing training to develop strategic plans, hire staff and oversee board operations and management. Recipients were required to obtain matching funds, doubling the value of the USDA grants. Funding of selected applicants will be contingent upon meeting the conditions of the grant agreement. This is an excellent opportunity to improve the quality of life of rural residents. If your grange is interested in applying for a grant from the Rural Community Development Initiative program, please be informed about the followings:

Contents of Application Package

A complete application for RCDI funds must include the following.

1. A summary page, double spaced between items, listing the following: (This information should not be presented in narrative form.)
   a. Applicant's name,
   b. Applicant's address,
   c. Applicant's telephone number,
   d. Name of applicant's contact person and telephone number,
   e. Applicant's fax number,
   f. County where applicant is located,
   g. Congressional district number where applicant is located,
   h. Amount of grant request,
   i. Applicant's Tax Identification Number,
   j. Number of recipients, and
   k. Source and amount of matching funds.
2. A detailed Table of Contents containing page numbers for each component of the application.
3. A project overview, no longer than five pages, including the following items, which will also be addressed separately and in detail under ``Building Capacity'' of the ``Evaluation Criteria.'' a. The type of financial and technical assistance to be provided and how it will be implemented. b. How the capacity and ability of the recipients will be improved. c. The overall goal to be accomplished. d. The benchmarks to be used to measure the success of the program.
4. Organizational or other documents for the intermediary that confirm their existence for a minimum of 3 years as the applicant entity.
5. Verification of matching funds, i.e., 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 applicant will be contacted by the Agency prior to grant award to verify that the matching funds continue to be available. The applicant will have 10 working days from the date of contact to submit verification of matching funds. If the applicant is unable to provide the verification within that timeframe, the application will be considered ineligible.
6. The following information for each recipient:
   a. Recipient's entity name,
   b. Complete address (mailing and physical location, if different),
   c. County where located,
   d. Number of congressional district where recipient is located,
   e. Contact person's name and telephone number, and
   f. Documentation on the population composition of the service area of the recipient.
7. Submit evidence the recipient entity is eligible.
   a. Nonprofits--provide a valid letter from the IRS, confirming certificate from the Secretary of State, or other valid documentation of nonprofit status.
   b. Low-income community--provide a copy of the 2000 census data to verify the population and 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 from www.census.gov. The specific instructions to retrieve data from this site are detailed under the ``Evaluation Criteria'' for ``Population'' and ``Income.''
   c. Federally recognized tribes--provide the page listing their name from the current Federal Register list of tribal entities published on July 12, 2002, volume 67, number 134, page 46328.
8. Each of the ``Evaluation Criteria'' must be addressed specifically and individually by category. Present these criteria in narrative form. Documentation must be limited to three pages per criterion with the exception of attachments for ``Population'' and ``Income.''
9. A timeline identifying specific activities and proposed dates for completion.
10. A detailed project budget that includes the RCDI grant amount and matching funds for the duration of the grant. This should be a line-item budget, by category. Categories such as salaries, administrative, other, and indirect costs must be clearly defined. Supporting documentation listing the components of these categories must be included.
11. Form SF-424 (Click here to download), ``Application for Federal Assistance.'' (Do not complete Form SF-424A, ``Budget Information.'' A separate line-item budget should be presented as described in No. 10 of this section.) The budget should be dated: Year 1, year 2, year 3. The indirect cost will be addressed in accordance with OMB Circulars A-87, A-122, and A-133.
12. Form SF-424B (Click here to download), ``Assurances--Non-Construction Programs.''
13. Form AD-1047 (Click here to download), ``Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters--Primary Covered Transactions.''
14. Form AD-1048 (Click here to download), ``Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion--Lower Tier Covered Transactions.''
15. Form AD-1049 (Click here to download), ``Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace Requirements.''
16. Certification of Non-Lobbying Activities. (Click here to download)
17. Standard Form LLL (Click here to download), ``Disclosure of Lobbying Activities,'' if applicable.
18. Form RD 400-1 (Click here to download), ``Equal Opportunity Agreement,'' for the applicant and each recipient.
19. Form RD 400-4 (Click here to download), ``Assurance Agreement,'' for the applicant and each recipient.
20. Identify and report any association or relationship with Rural Development employees. (Click here to download)

Where & When To Submit

The original application package must be submitted to:

William Kenney
Rural Housing Service, STOP 0787
1400 Independence Ave. SW.
Washington, DC 20250-0787

And, a copy of the application must be submitted to the Rural Development State Office where the applicant is located. Click here to find your State Office. Applications sent electronically or by facsimile will not be accepted.

The Deadline for receipt of an application is 4 p.m. EST October 28, 2003.

For more information:

Federal Register Notice
USDA Rural Development Online

If you have any questions or comments please contact Legislative Research Analyst Chil-Sook Hwang by fax: 202-347-1091 or by phone: 1-888-4GRANGE, ext 109. Thank you for your grassroots participation in the National Grange Legislative program.

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