[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 2 (Monday, January 5, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 263-264]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-30866]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NATIONAL CREDIT UNION ADMINISTRATION


Office of Small Credit Unions (OSCUI) Grant Program Access for 
Credit Unions

AGENCY: National Credit Union Administration (NCUA).

ACTION: Notice of Funding Opportunity.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) is issuing a 
Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to invite eligible credit unions 
to submit applications for participation in the OSCUI Grant Program 
(a.k.a. Community Development Revolving Loan Fund (CDRLF)), subject to 
funding availability. The OSCUI Grant Program serves as a source of 
financial support, in the form of technical assistance grants, for 
credit unions serving predominantly low-income members. It also serves 
as a source of funding to help low-income designated credit unions 
(LICUs) respond to emergencies arising in their communities.

Table of Contents

A. Program Description
B. Federal Award Information
C. Eligibility Information
D. Application and Submission Information
E. Application Review Information
F. Federal Award Administration
G. Federal Awarding Agency

A. Program Description

    The purpose of the OSCUI Grant Program is to assist low-income 
designated credit unions (LICU) in providing basic financial services 
to their low-income members to stimulate economic activities in their 
communities. Through the OSCUI Grant Program, NCUA provides financial 
support in the form of technical assistance grants to LICUs. These 
funds help improve and expand the availability of financial services to 
these members. The OSCUI Grant Program also serves as a source of 
funding to help LICUs respond to emergencies. The Grant Program 
consists of Congressional appropriations that are administered by 
OSCUI, an office of the NCUA.
    From February 2, 2015 to March 3, 2015 OSCUI will accept 
applications from credit unions under the first 2015 grant round. The 
first grant round will include initiatives for Student Interns and 
Training for Staff and Volunteers.
    OSCUI intends to offer additional grant round funding throughout 
the year under this NOFO. Information about the OSCUI Grant Program, 
including more details regarding the first 2015 grant round, other 
funding initiatives, amount of funds available, funding priorities, 
permissible uses of funds, funding limits, deadlines and other 
pertinent details, are periodically published in NCUA Letters to Credit 
Unions, in the OSCUI e-newsletter and on the NCUA Web site at http://www.ncua.gov/Resources/OSCUI/Pages/Grants.aspx.
    Permissible Uses of Funds: NCUA will consider requests for funds 
consistent with the purpose of the OSCUI Grant Program. 12 CFR 705.1. 
Per Sec.  705.10 of the regulation permissible uses for the grant fund 
include: (i) Development of new products or services for members 
including new or expanded share draft or credit card programs; (ii) 
Partnership arrangements with community based service organizations or 
government agencies; (iii) Enhancement and support of credit union 
internal capacity to serve its members and better enable it to provide 
financial services to the community in which the credit union is 
located.
    NCUA will consider other proposed uses of funds that in its sole 
discretion it determines are consistent with the purpose of the OSCUI 
Grant Program, the requirements of the regulations, and this NOFO.
    Regulation: Part 705 of NCUA's regulations implements the OSCUI 
Grant and Loan Program. 12 CFR 705. A revised Part 705 was published on 
November 2, 2011. 76 FR 67583. Additional requirements are found at 12 
CFR parts 701 and 741. Applicants should review these regulations in 
addition to this NOFO. Each capitalized term in this NOFO is more fully 
defined in the regulations and grant guidelines. For the purposes of 
this NOFO, an Applicant is a Qualifying Credit Union that submits a 
complete Application to NCUA under the OSCUI Grant Program.

B. Federal Award Information

    OSCUI grants are made to LICUs that meet the requirements in the 
program regulation and this NOFO, subject to funds availability.
    Funds Availability: Congress appropriated $2 million to the OSCUI 
Grant Program for Fiscal Years 2015-2016. NCUA expects to award the 
entire amount appropriated under this NOFO. NCUA reserves the right to: 
(i) Award more or less than the amount appropriated; (ii) fund, in 
whole or in part, any, all, or none of the applications submitted in 
response to this NOFO; and (iii) reallocate funds from the amount that 
is anticipated to be available under this NOFO to other programs, 
particularly if NCUA determines that the number of awards

[[Page 264]]

made under this NOFO is fewer than projected.

C. Eligibility Information

    The regulations specify the requirements a credit union must meet 
in order to be eligible to apply for assistance under this NOFO. See 12 
CFR 705.
    1. Eligible Applicants: A credit union must have a Low-Income 
Credit Union (LICU) designation, or equivalent in the case of a 
Qualifying State-chartered Credit Union, in order to participate in the 
OSCUI Grant and Loan Program. Requirements for obtaining the 
designation are found at 12 CFR 701.34.

D. Application and Submission Information

    1. Application Form: The application and related documents can be 
found on NCUA's Web site at www.ncua.gov/OSCUI/GrantsandLoans.
    2. Minimum Application Content: Each Applicant must complete and 
submit information regarding the applicant and requested funding. In 
addition, applicants will be required to certify applications prior to 
submission.
    (a) DUNS Number: Based on an Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
policy directive effective October 31, 2003, credit unions must have a 
Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number issued by Dun and 
Bradstreet (D&B) in order to be eligible to receive funding from the 
OSCUI Grant Program. NCUA will not consider an Application that does 
not include a valid DUNS number. Such an Application will be deemed 
incomplete and will be declined. Information on how to obtain a DUNS 
number may be found on D&B's Web site at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform 
or by calling D&B, toll-free, at 1-866-705-5711.
    (b) Employer Identification Number: Each Application must include a 
valid and current Employer Identification Number (EIN) issued by the 
U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS). NCUA will not consider an 
application that does not include a valid and current EIN. Such an 
Application will be deemed incomplete and will be declined. Information 
on how to obtain a EIN may be found on the IRS's Web site at 
www.irs.gov.
    (c) Submission of Application: Under this NOFO, Applications must 
be submitted online at http://www.cybergrants.com/ncua. An Applicant 
requesting a grant must complete an online grant application form which 
includes required responses. The required responses will address the 
proposed use of funds and how the credit union will assess the impact 
of the funding.
    3. Submission Dates and Times: There will be various application 
open periods from January 1, 2015 thru December 31, 2015 for different 
grant initiatives offered thoughout the year. For each initiative funds 
may be exhausted prior to the deadlines, at which time the programs/
funds will no longer be available.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: Not Applicable.
    5. Other Submission Requirments: Under this NOFO, Applications must 
be submitted online at http://www.cybergrants.com/ncua.
    a. Disclosure Agreement
    b. Mandatory Clauses

E. Application Review Information

    1. Review and Selection Process:
    (a) Eligibility and Completeness Review: NCUA will review each 
Application to determine whether it is complete and that the Applicant 
meets the eligibility requirements described in the Regulations, this 
NOFO, and the grant guidelines. An incomplete Application or one that 
does not meet the eligibility requirements will be declined without 
further consideration.
    (b) Substantive Review: After an Applicant is determined eligible 
and its Application is determined complete, NCUA will conduct a 
substantive review in accordance with the criteria and procedures 
described in the Regulations, this NOFO, and the grant guidelines. NCUA 
reserves the right to contact the Applicant during its review for the 
purpose of clarifying or confirming information contained in the 
Application. If so contacted, the Applicant must respond within the 
time specified by NCUA or NCUA, in its sole discretion, may decline the 
application without further consideration.
    (c) Evaluation and Scoring: The evaluation criteria for each 
initiative will be more fully described in the grant guidelines.
    (d) Input from Examiners: NCUA will not approve an award to a 
credit union for which its NCUA regional examining office or State 
Supervisory Agency (SSA), if applicable, indicates it has safety and 
soundness concerns. If the NCUA regional office or SSA identifies a 
safety and soundness concern, OSCUI, in conjunction with the regional 
office or SSA, will assess whether the condition of the Applicant is 
adequate to undertake the activities for which funding is requested, 
and the obligations of the loan and its conditions. NCUA, in its sole 
discretion, may defer decision on funding an Application until the 
credit union's safety and soundness conditions improve.
    (e) Award Selection: In general, NCUA will make its award 
selections based on a consistent scoring system where each applicant 
will receive an individual score. NCUA will consider the impact of the 
funding. When grant demand is high applications may be ranked based on 
the aforementioned in addition to factors listed in the grant 
guidelines.
    2. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates: See part D.3.

F. Federal Award Administration Information

    1. Notice of Award: NCUA will notify each Applicant of its funding 
decision. Notification will generally be by email. Applicants that are 
approved for funding will also receive instructions on how to proceed 
with the reimbursement request for disbursement of funds.
    2. Administration and National Policy Requirements: The specific 
terms and conditions governing a grant will be established in the grant 
guidelines for each initiative.
    3. Reporting: Each awarded credit union must submit a reimbursement 
request in order to receive the awarded funds. The reimbursement 
requirements are specific to each initiative. In general, the 
reimbursement request will require an explanation of the impact of 
funding and any success or failure to meet objectives for use of 
proceeds, outcome, or impact. NCUA, in its sole discretion, may modify 
these requirements.

G. Agency Contacts

    1. Methods of Contact: Further information can be found at: http://www.ncua.gov/Resources/OSCUI/Pages/GLMain.aspx. For questions email: 
National Credit Union Administration, Office of Small Credit Union 
Initiatives at [email protected].
    2. Information Technology Support: People who have visual or 
mobility impairments that prevent them from using NCUA's Web site 
should call (703) 518-6610 for guidance (this is not a toll free 
number).

    Authority: 12 U.S.C. 1756, 1757(5)(D), and (7)(I), 1766, 1782, 
1784, 1785 and 1786; 12 CFR 705.

    By the National Credit Union Administration Board on December 
29, 2014.
Jon Canerday,
Acting Secretary of the Board.
[FR Doc. 2014-30866 Filed 1-2-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7535-01-P