[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 169 (Tuesday, September 1, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46514-46515]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-22865]



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Part II





Department of the Treasury





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Community Development Financial Institutions Fund



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Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) Inviting Applications for the Bank 
Enterprise Award (BEA) Program; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 169 / Tuesday, September 1, 1998 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Community Development Financial Institutions Fund


Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) Inviting Applications for the 
Bank Enterprise Award (BEA) Program

AGENCY: Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, Department 
of the Treasury.

ACTION: Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) inviting applications.

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CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE: 21.021.

SUMMARY: The Community Development Banking and Financial Institutions 
Act of 1994 (12 U.S.C. 4701 et seq.) authorizes the Community 
Development Financial Institutions Fund (hereafter referred to as ``the 
Fund'') to provide incentives to insured depository institutions for 
the purposes of promoting investments in or other support to Community 
Development Financial Institutions (``CDFIs'') and facilitating 
increased lending and provision of financial and other services in 
economically distressed communities. Insured depository institutions 
and CDFIs are defined terms in an interim rule (12 CFR part 1806) 
published in the December 5, 1997 issue of the Federal Register, 
implementing and governing the Bank Enterprise Award (BEA) Program. The 
Fund reserves the right to award funds under this NOFA up to the 
maximum amount authorized by law. As of the date of this NOFA, the Fund 
intends to make available up to $25 million in BEA Program funds, 
subject to the availability of appropriated funds. The Fund reserves 
the right to award in excess of $25 million if it deems it appropriate, 
subject to the availability of appropriated funds. In connection with 
this NOFA the Fund is conducting workshops to disseminate information 
to organizations contemplating applying and other organizations 
interested in learning about the BEA Program. The schedule for the 
workshops is published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.

DATES: Applications may be submitted at any time after September 1, 
1998. The deadline for receipt of an application is 6 p.m. Eastern 
Standard Time on Tuesday, November 24, 1998. Applications received in 
the offices of the Fund after that date and time will not be accepted 
and will be returned to the sender. Any entity seeking certification as 
a CDFI (as described in 12 CFR 1805.200) for the purposes of 12 CFR 
part 1806 is strongly encouraged to submit the Application Form for 
Certification, the contents of which are described in 12 CFR 
1805.701(b)(1) through (8), by Tuesday, November 24, 1998. If an entity 
fails to submit such Application by this deadline, the Fund cannot 
guarantee that it will have sufficient time to complete a certification 
review for the purposes of the current funding round of the BEA 
Program. In addition, with respect to all requests for certification, 
the Fund reserves the right to request clarifying or technical 
information after reviewing materials submitted as described in 12 CFR 
1805.701(b)(1) through (8). If the entity seeking certification does 
not respond to such requests in a timely manner, the Fund cannot 
guarantee that it will have sufficient time to complete a certification 
review for the purposes of the current funding round of the BEA 
Program.

ADDRESSES: Applications shall be sent to: Awards Manager, Community 
Development Financial Institutions Fund, U.S. Department of the 
Treasury, 601 13th Street, NW., Suite 200 South, Washington, DC 20005. 
Applications sent by fax or electronic transfer will not be accepted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: All questions regarding this NOFA, the 
Application package, or program requirements should be directed to the 
Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, U.S. Department of 
the Treasury, 601 13th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20005, by telephone 
at (202) 622-8662, or by facsimile at (202) 622-7754. These are not 
toll free numbers. If you are requesting an application package, please 
allow at least two weeks for delivery.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    As part of a national strategy to facilitate revitalization and 
increase the availability of credit and investment capital in 
distressed communities, the Community Development Banking and Financial 
Institutions Act of 1994 (Act) authorizes a portion of funds 
appropriated to the Fund to be made available for distribution through 
the BEA Program. The BEA Program is largely based on the Bank 
Enterprise Act of 1991 although Congress significantly amended the 
program to facilitate greater coordination with other activities of the 
Fund. The BEA Program and the Community Development Financial 
Institutions Program (12 CFR part 1805) are intended to be 
complementary initiatives that support a wide range of community 
development activities and facilitate partnerships between traditional 
lenders and CDFIs. This NOFA invites applications from insured 
depository institutions for the purpose of promoting community 
development activities and revitalization.

II. Eligibility

    The Act specifies that eligible applicants must be insured 
depository institutions as defined in 12 U.S.C. 1813(c)(2).

III. Designation of Distressed Community

    In accordance with 12 CFR 1806.200(d), in the case of applicants 
carrying out Qualified Activities requiring the designation of a 
Distressed Community (as defined in 12 CFR 1806.103(r)), the Fund will 
provide prospective Applicants with data and other information to help 
identify areas eligible to be Distressed Communities. The Fund requires 
all applicants to contact the BEA Help Desk at (202) 622-8662 to obtain 
such necessary data and information.

IV. Designation Factors

    The interim rule published in the December 5, 1997, issue of the 
Federal Register (12 CFR part 1806) describes the process for selecting 
applicants to receive assistance and for determining award amounts. The 
rating and selection process will give priority to applicants in the 
following priority of categories: Equity Investments in CDFIs serving 
Distressed Communities, Equity Investments in CDFIs not serving 
Distressed Communities, CDFI Support Activities, and Development and 
Services Activities (as such activities are defined in the interim 
rule). Assistance amounts will be calculated based on increases in 
Qualified Activities that occur during a 6-month Assessment Period in 
excess of activities that occurred during a 6-month Baseline Period. In 
general, estimated award amounts for applicants making Equity 
Investments in CDFIs will be equal to 15 percent of the projected 
increase in such activities. An applicant may choose to accept less 
than the maximum amount of assistance in order to increase the ranking 
of its application. Estimated award amounts for CDFI applicants for 
carrying out CDFI Support Activities will be equal to 33 percent of the 
projected increase in such activities. Estimated award amounts for non-
CDFI applicants for carrying out CDFI Support Activities will be equal 
to 11 percent of the projected increase in such activities.
    The interim rule establishes the ranking and selection process. For 
an

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applicant pursuing Development and Service Activities, a multi-step 
procedure is outlined in the interim rule that will be used to 
calculate the estimated award amount. In general, if an applicant is a 
CDFI, such estimated award amount will be equal to 15 percent of the 
total score calculated in the multi-step procedure. If an applicant is 
not a CDFI, such estimated award amount will be equal to 5 percent of 
the total score calculated in the multi-step procedure. In ranking and 
funding such applicants within each category, the Fund will apply 
criteria contained in the interim rule. The Fund, in its sole 
discretion, may adjust the estimated award amount that an applicant may 
receive prior to the end of the Assessment Period. The Fund may, in its 
sole discretion, establish any limitations on the maximum amount that 
may be awarded to an applicant. The Fund reserves the right to limit 
the amount of an award to any Awardee if the Fund deems appropriate.

V. Baseline Period and Assessment Period Dates

    As part of its application, an applicant shall report the Qualified 
Activities that it actually carried out during a 6-month Baseline 
Period. Such Baseline Period will begin on January 1, 1998, and end on 
June 30, 1998. An applicant shall also project the Qualified Activities 
that it expects to carry out during a 6-month Assessment Period. Such 
Assessment Period will begin on January 1, 1999, and end on June 30, 
1999. Applicants selected to participate in the Program during the 
Assessment Period will be required to submit to the Fund a Final Report 
(Part II of the Application) of Qualified Activities actually carried 
out during the Assessment Period. The deadline for receipt of the Final 
Report is 6 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on July 27, 1999. Final Reports 
received in the offices of the Fund after that date and time will not 
be accepted and will be returned to the sender. The Fund will evaluate 
the performance of applicants in carrying out projected activities to 
determine actual award amounts.

    Authority: 12 U.S.C. 1834a, 4703, 4703 note, 4713; 12 CFR part 
1806.

    Dated: August 20, 1998.
Ellen Lazar,
Director, Community Development Financial Institutions Fund.
[FR Doc. 98-22865 Filed 8-31-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810-70-P