[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 78 (Thursday, April 23, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20167-20168]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-10773]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Housing Service
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Farm Service Agency
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 $1.7 million in competing Rural
Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) funds for fiscal year (FY) 1998.
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
1998 and award grants before September 1, 1998.
DATES: The deadline for receipt of a preapplication is June 15, 1998.
Preapplications received after that date will not be considered for FY
1998 funding.
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, SW., Washington, DC
20250-3250. Telephone (202) 720-8460.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Rural Technology and Cooperative
Development Grants (RTCDG) program is authorized by section 310B(f)
through (h) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7
U.S.C. 1932) and regulations are contained in 7 CFR part 4284, subpart
F. The Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (the 1996
Act) removed ``technology'' from RTCDG, thereby directing the focus of
the program specifically to cooperative development. The 1996 Act also
clarified that public bodies were not eligible applicants, and modified
application requirements and applicant selection criteria. The final
rule for the Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) program was
published August 7, 1997 (62 FR 42385-91). 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. RBS is
one of the successors of the Rural Development Administration pursuant
to the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994.
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
[[Page 20168]]
(8) Demonstrate that any cooperative development activity is
consistent with positive environmental stewardship.
Fiscal Year 1998 Preapplication Submission
Preapplications must include a clear statement of the goals and
objectives of the project and a plan which describes the proposed
project as required by the statute and 7 CFR part 4284, subpart F. 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 State Rural
Development Office as soon as possible, but no later than June 15,
1998. Preapplications received after June 15 will not be considered.
For ease of locating information, each preapplication must contain
a detailed Table of Contents containing page numbers for each component
of the preapplication. The preapplication must also contain 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.
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. It is anticipated that grant
awardees will be selected by September 1, 1998.
Dated: April 16, 1998.
Dayton Watkins,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Services.
[FR Doc. 98-10773 Filed 4-22-98; 8:45 am]
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