[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 37 (Monday, February 27, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11991-12008]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-03743]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Community Development Financial Institutions Fund


Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) Inviting Applications for 
Financial Assistance (FA) Awards or Technical Assistance (TA) Grants 
Under the Community Development Financial Institutions Program (CDFI 
Program) Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 Funding Round

    Announcement Type: Announcement of funding opportunity.
    Funding Opportunity Number: CDFI-2017-FATA.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 21.020.
    Key Dates:

[[Page 11992]]



                  Table 1--FY 2017 CDFI Program Funding Round Critical Deadlines for Applicants
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                Time (eastern daylight time-
           Description                       Deadline                       EDT)              Submission method
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CDFI Certification Applications..  March 24, 2017.............  11:59 p.m. EDT.............  Electronically via
                                                                                              Award Management
                                                                                              Information System
                                                                                              (AMIS).
SF424 (Application for Federal     March 24, 2017.............  11:59 p.m. EDT.............  Electronically via
 Assistance).                                                                                 Grants.gov.
Last day to contact CDFI Program   April 26, 2017.............  5:00 p.m. EDT..............  Service Request via
 staff.                                                                                       Award Management
                                                                                              Information System
                                                                                              (AMIS) or CDFI
                                                                                              Fund Helpdesk: 202-
                                                                                              653-0421 or
                                                                                              [email protected].
CDFI Program Application for       April 28, 2017.............  11:59 p.m. EDT.............  Electronically via
 Financial Assistance (FA) or                                                                 Awards Management
 Technical Assistance (TA).                                                                   Information System
                                                                                              (AMIS).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Executive Summary: Through the CDFI Program, the CDFI Fund provides 
(i) FA awards of up to $2 million to Certified Community Development 
Financial Institutions (CDFIs) to build their financial capacity to 
lend to their Target Markets, and (ii) TA grants of up to $125,000 to 
build Certified, Certifiable, and Emerging CDFIs' organizational 
capacity to serve their Target Markets. All awards provided through 
this NOFA are subject to funding availability.

I. Program Description

    A. History: The CDFI Fund was established by the Riegle Community 
Development Banking and Financial Institutions Act of 1994 to promote 
economic revitalization and community development through investment in 
and assistance to CDFIs. Since its creation in 1994, the CDFI Fund has 
awarded more than $2.2 billion to CDFIs, community development 
organizations, and financial institutions through the Community 
Development Financial Institutions Program (CDFI Program), the Native 
American CDFI Assistance Program (NACA Program), the Bank Enterprise 
Award Program (BEA Program), the Capital Magnet Fund, and the Financial 
Education and Counseling Pilot Program. In addition, the CDFI Fund has 
allocated more than $50.5 billion in tax credit allocation authority 
through the New Markets Tax Credit Program (NMTC Program) and has 
obligated $1.1 billion in bond guarantees to Eligible CDFIs through the 
CDFI Bond Guarantee Program.
    B. Priorities: Through the CDFI Program's FA awards and TA grants, 
the CDFI Fund invests in and builds the capacity of for-profit and non-
profit community based lending organizations known as Community 
Development Financial Institutions, or CDFIs. These organizations, 
Certified as CDFIs by the CDFI Fund, serve rural and urban low-income 
people and communities across the nation that lack adequate access to 
affordable financial products and services.
    C. Authorizing Statutes and Regulations: The CDFI Program is 
authorized by the Riegle Community Development Banking and Financial 
Institutions Act of 1994 (Pub. L. 103-325, 12 U.S.C. 4701 et seq.). The 
regulations governing the CDFI Program are found at 12 CFR parts 1805 
and 1815 (the Regulations) and set forth evaluation criteria and other 
program requirements. The CDFI Fund encourages Applicants to review the 
Regulations; this NOFA; the Application; and the Uniform Administrative 
Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal 
Awards (2 CFR 200; 78 Federal Register 78590) (Uniform Administrative 
Requirements) for a complete understanding of the program. Capitalized 
terms in this NOFA are defined in the authorizing statute, the 
Regulations, this NOFA, the Application, or the Uniform Administrative 
Requirements. Details regarding Application content requirements are 
found in the Application and related materials.
    D. Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit 
Requirements for Federal Awards (2 CFR 200): The Uniform Administrative 
Requirements codify financial, administrative, procurement, and program 
management standards that Federal award agencies must follow. When 
evaluating award applications, awarding agencies must evaluate the 
risks to the program posed by each applicant, and each applicant's 
merits and eligibility. These requirements are designed to ensure that 
applicants for Federal assistance receive a fair and consistent review 
prior to an award decision. This review will assess items such as the 
Applicant's financial stability, quality of management systems, the 
soundness of its business plan, history of performance, ability to 
achieve measurable impacts through its products and services, and audit 
findings. In addition, the Uniform Administrative Requirements include 
guidance on audit requirements and other award compliance requirements 
for award Recipients.
    E. Funding Limitations: The CDFI Fund reserves the right to fund, 
in whole or in part, any, all, or none of the Applications submitted in 
response to this NOFA.

II. Federal Award Information

A. Funding Availability

    1. FY 2017 Funding Round: The CDFI Fund expects to award, through 
this NOFA, approximately $175 million as indicated in the following 
table:

                           Table 2--FY 2017 Funding Round Anticipated Category Amounts
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       Award amount                       Estimate
                                    Estimated   --------------------------  Estimated     average      Average
    Funding categories  (see      total amount                              number of      amount       amount
     definition in table 7)       to be awarded    Minimum      Maximum     awards for   awarded in   awarded in
                                   (millions)                                FY 2017      FY 2017      FY 2016
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FA: Category I/Small and/or                 $19     $125,000     $700,000           43     $442,000     $487,000
 Emerging CDFI Assistance
 (SECA)........................
FA: Category II/Core...........             130      500,000    2,000,000          174      707,000    1,382,000
TA.............................               4       10,000      125,000           35      114,000      118,000

[[Page 11993]]

 
Healthy Food Financing                       22      500,000    5,000,000           10    2,200,000    2,400,000
 Initiative--Financial
 Assistance (HFFI-FA) *........
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
    Total......................            $175  ...........  ...........          262  ...........  ...........
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* HFFI-FA appropriation will be allocated in one competitive round between the NACA and CDFI Program NOFAs.

    The CDFI Fund reserves the right to award more or less than the 
amounts cited above in each category, based upon available funding and 
other factors, as appropriate.
    2. Funding Availability for the FY 2017 Funding Round: Funds for 
the FY 2017 Funding Round are subject to change based on passage of a 
final FY 2017 budget; if Congress does not appropriate funds for the 
CDFI Program there will not be a FY 2017 Funding Round. If funds are 
appropriated, the amount of such funds may be greater or less than the 
amounts set forth above. The CDFI Fund reserves the right to contact 
applicants to seek additional information in the event that that final 
FY 2017 appropriations for the CDFI Program change any of the 
requirements of this NOFA. As of the date of this NOFA, the CDFI Fund 
is operating under a continuing funding resolution as enacted by the 
Further Continuing and Security Assistance Appropriations Act of 2017 
(Pub. L. 114-254).
    3. Anticipated Start Date and Period of Performance: The CDFI Fund 
anticipates the period of performance for the FY 2017 Funding Round 
will begin in late September 2017. Specifically, the period of 
performance for TA grants for certified CDFIs begins with the date of 
the notice of the award and includes an award Recipient's two full 
consecutive fiscal years after the date of the notice of the award, 
during which the Recipient must meet the performance goals set forth in 
the Assistance Agreement. The period of performance for TA grants for 
Certifiable CDFIs or Emerging CDFIs begins with the date of the notice 
of the award and includes an award Recipient's three full consecutive 
fiscal years after the date of the notice of the award, during which 
the Recipient must meet the performance goals set forth in the 
Assistance Agreement. The period of performance for FA awards begins 
with the date of the notice of the award and includes an award 
Recipient's three full consecutive fiscal years after the date of the 
notice of the award, during which time the Recipient must meet its 
performance goals.

B. Types of Awards

    Through the CDFI Program, the CDFI Fund provides two types of 
awards: Financial Assistance (FA) and Technical Assistance (TA) awards. 
An Applicant may submit an Application for a TA grant or an FA award, 
but not both.
    1. FA Awards: FA awards can be in the form of loans, grants, Equity 
Investments, deposits and credit union shares. The form of the FA award 
is based on the form of the matching funds that the Applicant includes 
in its Application, unless Congress waives the matching funds 
requirement. Matching funds are required for FA awards, must be from 
non-Federal sources, and cannot have been used as matching funds for 
any other Federal award. The CDFI Fund reserves the right, in its sole 
discretion, to provide an FA award in an amount other than that which 
the Applicant requests; however, the award amount will not exceed the 
Applicant's award request as stated in its Application.
    2. Healthy Food Financing Initiative--Financial Assistance (HFFI-
FA) Awards: HFFI-FA awards will be provided as a supplement to FA 
awards; therefore, only those Applicants that have been selected to 
receive an FA award through the CDFI Program FY 2017 Funding Round will 
be eligible to receive an HFFI-FA award. HFFI-FA awards can be in the 
form of loans, grants, Equity Investments, deposits and credit union 
shares. The form of the HFFI-FA award is based on the form of the 
matching funds that the Applicant includes in its Application, unless 
Congress waives the matching funds requirement. Matching funds are 
required for HFFI-FA awards, must be from non-Federal sources, and 
cannot have been used as matching funds for any other Federal award. 
The CDFI Fund reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to provide an 
HFFI-FA award in an amount other than that which the Applicant 
requests; however, the award amount will not exceed the Applicant's 
award request as stated in its Application.
    3. TA Grants: TA is provided in the form of grants. The CDFI Fund 
reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to provide a TA grant in an 
amount other than which the Applicant requests; however, the TA grant 
amount will not exceed the Applicant's request as stated in its 
Application and the applicable budget chart.

C. Eligible Activities

    1. FA Awards: FA and HFFI-FA award funds can be expended for 
activities serving Commercial Real Estate, Small Business, 
Microenterprise, Community Facilities, Consumer Financial Products, 
Consumer Financial Services, Commercial Financial Services, Affordable 
Housing, Intermediary Lending to Non-Profits and CDFIs, and other lines 
of business as deemed appropriate by the CDFI Fund in the following 
five categories: (i) Financial Products; (ii) Financial Services; (iii) 
Loan Loss Reserves; (iv) Development Services; and (v) Capital 
Reserves. FA awards can only be used for direct costs associated with 
an eligible activity; no indirect expenses are allowed. Up to 15 
percent of the FA award can be used for Direct Administrative Expenses 
associated with an eligible FA activity. For purposes of this NOFA, the 
five eligible activity categories are defined as follows:

[[Page 11994]]



          Table 3--FA and HFFI-FA Eligible Activity Categories
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                          Eligible CDFI
     FA eligible activity        FA eligible activity      institution
                                      definition              types
------------------------------------------------------------------------
i. Financial Products.........  FA expended as loans,   All.
                                 Equity Investments
                                 and similar financing
                                 activities (as
                                 determined by the
                                 CDFI Fund) including
                                 the purchase of loans
                                 originated by
                                 certified CDFIs and
                                 the provision of loan
                                 guarantees; in the
                                 case of CDFI
                                 Intermediaries,
                                 Financial Products
                                 may also include
                                 loans to CDFIs and/or
                                 emerging CDFIs and
                                 deposits in Insured
                                 Credit Union CDFIs,
                                 emerging Insured
                                 Credit Union CDFIs,
                                 and/or State-Insured
                                 Credit Union CDFIs.
ii. Financial Services........  FA expended for         Insured
                                 providing checking,     Depository
                                 savings accounts,       Institutions
                                 check cashing, money    only.
                                 orders, certified      Not applicable
                                 checks, automated       for HFFI-FA
                                 teller machines,        Recipients.
                                 deposit taking, safe
                                 deposit box services,
                                 and other similar
                                 services.
iii. Loan Loss Reserves.......  FA set aside in the     All.
                                 form of cash
                                 reserves, or through
                                 accounting-based
                                 accrual reserves, to
                                 cover losses on
                                 loans, accounts, and
                                 notes receivable made
                                 in the Applicant's
                                 Target Market, or for
                                 related purposes that
                                 the CDFI Fund deems
                                 appropriate.
iv. Development Services......  FA expended for         All.
                                 activities undertaken
                                 by a CDFI, its
                                 Affiliate or
                                 contractor that
                                 promote community
                                 development and shall
                                 prepare or assist
                                 current or potential
                                 borrowers or
                                 investees to use the
                                 CDFI's Financial
                                 Products or Financial
                                 Services. For
                                 example, such
                                 activities include,
                                 financial or credit
                                 counseling;
                                 homeownership
                                 counseling; and
                                 business planning and
                                 management assistance.
v. Capital Reserves...........  FA set aside as         Insured
                                 reserves to support     Depository
                                 the Applicant's         Institutions
                                 ability to leverage     only.
                                 other capital, for
                                 such purposes as
                                 increasing its net
                                 assets or serving the
                                 financing needs of
                                 its Target Market, or
                                 for related purposes
                                 as the CDFI Fund
                                 deems appropriate.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2. TA Grants: TA grant funds can be expended for the following 
seven eligible activity categories: (i) Compensation--personnel 
services; (ii) Compensation--fringe benefits; (iii) Professional 
Service Costs; (iv) Travel Costs; (v) Training and Education Costs; 
(vi) Equipment and other capital expenditures; and (vii) Supplies. Each 
of the eligible activity categories will not be authorized for indirect 
costs or an associated indirect cost rate. For purposes of this NOFA, 
the seven eligible activity categories are defined as follows:

                Table 4--TA Eligible Activity Categories
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(i) Compensation--personnel         TA paid to cover salaries of the
 services.                           Applicant's personnel that are paid
                                     currently or accrued by the
                                     Applicant for work performed
                                     directly related to carrying out
                                     the purpose of the TA grant
                                     (including activities related to
                                     becoming certified as a CDFI),
                                     subject to the applicable
                                     provisions of the Uniform
                                     Administrative Requirements.
(ii) Compensation--fringe benefits  TA paid to cover costs of the
                                     Applicant's personnel employment
                                     (other than the employees'
                                     salaries) in proportion to the
                                     salary charged to the TA grant, to
                                     the extent that such payments are
                                     made under formally established and
                                     consistently applied organizational
                                     policies, subject to the applicable
                                     provisions of the Uniform
                                     Administrative Requirements.
(iii) Professional service costs..  TA used to pay for professional and
                                     consultant services rendered by
                                     persons who are members of a
                                     particular profession or possess a
                                     special skill, and who are not
                                     officers or employees of the
                                     Recipient, subject to the
                                     applicable provisions of the
                                     Uniform Administrative
                                     Requirements. Payment for a
                                     consultant's services may not
                                     exceed the daily equivalent of the
                                     current maximum rate paid to an
                                     Executive Schedule Level IV Federal
                                     employee.
(iv) Travel costs.................  TA used to pay expenses for
                                     transportation, lodging,
                                     subsistence, and related items
                                     incurred by the Applicant's
                                     personnel who are on travel status
                                     on business related to the TA
                                     grant, subject to the applicable
                                     provisions of the Uniform
                                     Administrative Requirements.
(v) Training and education costs..  TA used to pay the cost of training
                                     and education provided for employee
                                     development, subject to the
                                     applicable provisions of the
                                     Uniform Administrative
                                     Requirements.
(vi) Equipment....................  TA used to pay for tangible personal
                                     property, having a useful life of
                                     more than one year and a per-unit
                                     acquisition cost of at least
                                     $5,000, subject to the applicable
                                     provisions of the Uniform
                                     Administrative Requirements.
                                     Examples include office equipment,
                                     furnishings, and information
                                     technology equipment and systems.
(vii) Supplies....................  TA used to pay for tangible personal
                                     property with a per unit
                                     acquisition cost of less than
                                     $5,000, subject to the applicable
                                     provisions of the Uniform
                                     Administrative Requirements.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    3. HFFI-FA Award: HFFI-FA award funds can only be expended for 
eligible FA activities referenced in Table 3. The HFFI-FA investments 
must comply with the following guidelines:
    a. Recipient must deploy loans, equity investments, and similar 
financing activities, including the purchase of loans and the provision 
of loan guarantees for Healthy Food Retail Outlets and Healthy Food 
Non-Retail Outlets in its Target Market in an amount equal to or 
greater than 100% of the total HFFI Financial Assistance provided. 
Eligible financing activities to Healthy Food Retail Outlets and 
Healthy Food Non-Retail Outlets require that the majority of the HFFI-
supported loan or investment must be devoted to offering a range of 
Healthy Food choice, which may include, among other activities,

[[Page 11995]]

investments supporting an existing retail store or wholesale operation 
upgrading to offer an expanded range of Healthy Food choices, or 
supporting a nonprofit organization that expands the availability of 
Healthy Foods in underserved areas.
    b. Recipient must also demonstrate that it has deployed loans, 
equity investments, and similar financing activities, including the 
purchase of loans and the provision of loan guarantees to Healthy Food 
Retail Outlets located in Food Deserts in the Recipient's Target Market 
in an amount equal to 75% of the total HFFI Financial Assistance 
provided.
    c. Eligible financing activities to Healthy Food Retail Outlets 
require that the majority of the HFFI-supported loan or investment must 
be devoted to offering a range of Healthy Food choice, which may 
include, among other activities, investments supporting an existing 
retail store upgrading to offer an expanded range of Healthy Food 
choices.
Definitions
    Healthy Foods. Healthy Foods include nutrient-dense foods and 
beverages as set forth in the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans 
2015-2020 including whole fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fat free 
or low-fat dairy foods, lean meats and poultry (fresh, refrigerated, 
frozen or canned). Healthy Foods should have low or no added sugars, 
and be low-sodium, reduced sodium, or no-salt-added. (See USDA Dietary 
Guidelines: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/dietary-guidelines).
    Healthy Food Retail Outlets. Commercial sellers of Healthy Foods 
including, but not limited to, grocery stores, mobile food retailers, 
farmers markets, retail cooperatives, corner stores, bodegas stores 
that sell other food and non-food items along with a range of Healthy 
Foods. As those terms are determined and defined by the CDFI Fund in 
the Assistance Agreement and related compliance materials.
    Healthy Food Non-Retail Outlets. Wholesalers of Healthy Foods 
including, but not limited to, wholesale food outlets, wholesale 
cooperatives, or other non-retail food producers that supply for sale a 
range of Healthy Food options; entities that produce or distribute 
Healthy Foods for eventual retail sale, and entities that provide 
consumer education regarding the consumption of Healthy Foods. As those 
terms are determined and defined by the CDFI Fund in the Assistance 
Agreement and related compliance materials.
    Food Deserts. Distressed geographic areas where either a 
substantial number or share of residents has low access to a 
supermarket or large grocery store. For the purpose of satisfying the 
requirements of Goal 2, Measure 2, a Food Desert must either: (1) Be a 
census tract determined to be a Food Desert by the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (USDA), in its USDA Food Access Research Atlas; (2) be a 
census tract adjacent to a census tract determined to be a Food Desert 
by the USDA, in its USDA Food Access Research Atlas; which has a median 
family income less than or equal to 120 percent of the applicable Area 
Median Family Income; or (3) be a Geographic Unit as defined in 12 CFR 
part 1805.201(b)(3)(ii)(B), which (i) individually meets at least one 
of the criteria in 12 CFR part 1805.201(b)(3)(ii)(D), and (ii) has been 
identified as having low access to a supermarket or grocery store 
through a methodology that has been adopted for use by another 
governmental or philanthropic healthy food initiative.

III. Eligibility Information

    A. Eligible Applicants: For the purposes of this NOFA, the 
following tables set forth the eligibility criteria to be in contention 
to receive an award from the CDFI Fund, along with certain definitions 
of terms. There are four categories of Applicant eligibility criteria: 
(1) CDFI certification criteria (Table 5); (2) requirements that apply 
to all Applicants (Table 6); (3) requirements that apply to TA 
Applicants (Table 7); and (4) requirements that apply to FA Applicants 
(Table 8).

            Table 5--CDFI Certification Criteria Definitions
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Certified CDFI....................   An entity that the CDFI
                                     Fund has officially notified that
                                     it meets all CDFI certification
                                     requirements.
Certifiable CDFI..................   An entity that has
                                     submitted a CDFI Certification
                                     Application to the CDFI Fund
                                     demonstrating that it meets the
                                     CDFI certification requirements but
                                     which has not yet been officially
                                     certified. (See Table 11 for
                                     application submission deadlines.)
                                     The CDFI Fund will not
                                     enter into an Assistance Agreement
                                     or make an FA award payment unless
                                     and until an Applicant is a
                                     Certified CDFI.
                                     The CDFI Fund will enter
                                     into an Assistance Agreement if the
                                     Applicant was awarded a TA award
                                     regardless of the Applicant's
                                     certification status.
Emerging CDFI (TA Applicants).....   A non-Certified entity that
                                     has not submitted a CDFI
                                     Certification Application but
                                     demonstrates to the CDFI Fund in
                                     its Application that it has an
                                     acceptable plan to meet
                                     certification requirements by the
                                     end of its period of performance,
                                     or another date that the CDFI Fund
                                     selects.
                                     An Emerging CDFI that has
                                     prior award(s) will be held to the
                                     CDFI certification performance goal
                                     and measure(s) stated in its prior
                                     Assistance Agreement(s).
                                     Emerging CDFIs may only
                                     apply for TA grants; they are not
                                     eligible to apply for FA awards.
                                     Each Emerging CDFI selected
                                     to receive a TA grant will be
                                     required to become a Certified CDFI
                                     by a date specified in the
                                     Assistance Agreement.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


          Table 6--Eligibility Requirements for All Applicants
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Applicant.........................   Only the entity that will
                                     carry out the proposed award
                                     activities can apply for an award
                                     (i.e., the intended award
                                     Recipient).
                                     The information in the
                                     Application should only reflect the
                                     activities of the Applicant,
                                     including the presentation of
                                     financial and portfolio
                                     information. Do not include
                                     financial or portfolio information
                                     from parent companies, Affiliates,
                                     or Subsidiaries in the Application
                                     unless it relates to the provision
                                     of Development Services.
                                     An Applicant that applies
                                     on behalf of another organization
                                     will be rejected without further
                                     consideration, except for
                                     Depository Institution Holding
                                     Companies (see below).

[[Page 11996]]

 
Application type and submission      Applicants must submit the
 overview through Grants.gov and     required application documents
 Awards Management Information       listed in Table 10.
 System (AMIS).                      The CDFI Fund will only
                                     accept Applications that use the
                                     official application templates
                                     provided on the Grants.gov and AMIS
                                     websites. Applications submitted
                                     with alternative or altered
                                     templates will not be considered.
                                     Applicants have a two-step
                                     process that requires the
                                     submission of application documents
                                     on two separate deadlines and
                                     locations: (1) Grants.gov and (2)
                                     AMIS.
                                       [cir] Grants.gov: Applicants must
                                        submit the Office of Management
                                        and Budget (OMB) Standard Form
                                        (SF) OMB SF-424, Application for
                                        Federal Assistance.
                                       [cir] AMIS: Applicants must
                                        submit all other required
                                        application materials.
                                       [cir] All Applicants must
                                        register in the Grants.gov and
                                        AMIS systems to successfully
                                        submit an application. The CDFI
                                        Fund strongly encourages
                                        applicants to register as early
                                        as possible.
                                     Grants.gov and the SF-424:
                                       [cir] The SF-424 must be
                                        submitted in Grants.gov on or
                                        before March 24, 2017, the
                                        deadline listed in Table 1 and
                                        Table 11. Applicants are
                                        strongly encouraged to submit
                                        their SF-424 as early as
                                        possible in the Grants.gov
                                        portal.
                                       [cir] The deadline for the
                                        Grants.gov submission is before
                                        the AMIS deadline.
                                       [cir] The SF-424 must be
                                        submitted under the CDFI Program
                                        Funding Opportunity Number.
                                       [cir] If the SF-424 is not
                                        accepted by Grants.gov by the
                                        deadline, the CDFI Fund will not
                                        review any material submitted in
                                        AMIS and the application will be
                                        deemed ineligible.
                                     AMIS:
                                       [cir] AMIS is an enterprise-wide
                                        information technology system
                                        that replaced the myCDFI Fund
                                        portal. Applicants will use AMIS
                                        to submit and store organization
                                        and application information with
                                        the CDFI Fund.
                                       [cir] Applicants are only allowed
                                        one CDFI Program Application
                                        submission in AMIS.
                                       [cir] Only the Authorized
                                        Representative or Application
                                        Point of Contact, included in
                                        the Application, can submit the
                                        Application in AMIS.
                                       [cir] All required application
                                        materials must be submitted in
                                        AMIS on or before the deadline
                                        specified in Tables 1 and 11.
Employer Identification Number       Applicants must have a
 (EIN).                              unique EIN assigned by the Internal
                                     Revenue Service (IRS).
                                     The CDFI Fund will reject
                                     an Application submitted with the
                                     EIN of a parent or Affiliate
                                     organization.
Dun & Bradstreet, (DUNS) number...   Pursuant to OMB guidance
                                     (68 FR 38402), an Applicant must
                                     apply using its unique DUNS number
                                     in Grants.gov.
                                     The CDFI Fund will reject
                                     an Application submitted with the
                                     DUNS number of a parent or
                                     Affiliate organization.
Awards Management Information        Each Applicant must
 System (AMIS).                      register as an organization in AMIS
                                     and submit all required application
                                     materials through the AMIS portal.
                                     The Authorized
                                     Representative and/or Application
                                     Point of Contact must be included
                                     as ``users'' in the Applicant's
                                     AMIS account.
                                     An Applicant that fails to
                                     properly register and update its
                                     AMIS account may miss important
                                     communication from the CDFI Fund or
                                     not be able to successfully submit
                                     an Application.
501(c)(4) status..................   Pursuant to 2 U.S.C. 1611,
                                     any 501(c)(4) organization that
                                     engages in lobbying activities is
                                     not eligible for the receipt of a
                                     CDFI or NACA Program award.
Compliance with Nondiscrimination    An Applicant may not be
 and Equal Opportunity Statutes,     eligible to receive an award if
 Regulations, and Executive Orders.  proceedings have been instituted
                                     against it in, by, or before any
                                     court, governmental agency, or
                                     administrative body, and a final
                                     determination within the last three
                                     years indicates the Applicant has
                                     violated any of the following laws
                                     but not limited to: Title VI of the
                                     Civil Rights Act of 1964, as
                                     amended (42 U.S.C. 2000d); Section
                                     504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
                                     1973 (29 U.S.C. 794); the Age
                                     Discrimination Act of 1975, (42
                                     U.S.C. 6101-6107), and Executive
                                     Order 13166, Improving Access to
                                     Services for Persons with Limited
                                     English Proficiency.
Depository Institution Holding       In the case where a CDFI
 Company Applicant.                  Depository Institution Holding
                                     Company Applicant intends to carry
                                     out the activities of an award
                                     through its Subsidiary CDFI Insured
                                     Depository Institution, the
                                     Application must be submitted by
                                     the CDFI Depository Institution
                                     Holding Company and reflect the
                                     activities and financial
                                     performance of the Subsidiary CDFI
                                     Insured Depository Institution.
                                     Authorized representatives
                                     of both the Depository Institution
                                     Holding Company and the Subsidiary
                                     CDFI Insured Depository Institution
                                     must certify that the information
                                     included in the Application
                                     represents that of the Subsidiary
                                     CDFI Insured Depository Institution
                                     and that the award funds will be
                                     used to support the Subsidiary CDFI
                                     Insured Depository Institution for
                                     the eligible activities outlined in
                                     the Application.
Insured CDFI--Insured Credit Union   To be eligible for an
 and Insured Depository              award, each Insured Depository
 Institution.                        Institution Applicant must have a
                                     CAMELS/CAMEL rating (rating for
                                     banks and credit unions,
                                     respectively), by its Federal
                                     regulator of at least ``4.''
                                     Organizations with CAMELS/
                                     CAMEL ratings of ``5'' will not be
                                     eligible for awards.
Use of award......................   All awards made through
                                     this NOFA must be used to support
                                     the Applicant's activities in at
                                     least one of the FA or TA Eligible
                                     Activity Categories (see Section
                                     II.C).
                                     Awards cannot be used to
                                     support the activities of, or
                                     otherwise be passed through,
                                     transferred, or co-awarded to,
                                     third-party entities, whether
                                     Affiliates, Subsidiaries, or others
                                     (except Depository Institution
                                     Holding Company Applicants.)
Requested award amount............   An Applicant must state its
                                     requested award amount in the
                                     Application in AMIS. An Application
                                     that does not include this amount
                                     will not be allowed to submit an
                                     Application.

[[Page 11997]]

 
Pending resolution of                The CDFI Fund will consider
 noncompliance.                      an Application submitted by an
                                     Applicant that has pending
                                     noncompliance issues of any of its
                                     previously executed award
                                     agreement(s), if the CDFI Fund has
                                     not yet made a final compliance
                                     determination.
Noncompliance status..............   The CDFI Fund will not
                                     consider an Application submitted
                                     by an Applicant that has a
                                     previously executed award
                                     agreement(s) if, as of the date of
                                     the Application, (i) the CDFI Fund
                                     has made a determination that such
                                     entity is noncompliant with a
                                     previously executed agreement and
                                     (ii) the CDFI Fund has provided
                                     written notification that such
                                     entity is ineligible to apply for
                                     or receive any future CDFI Fund
                                     awards or allocations. Such
                                     entities will be ineligible to
                                     submit an Application for such time
                                     period as specified by the CDFI
                                     Fund in writing.
                                     The CDFI Fund will not
                                     consider any Applicant that has
                                     defaulted on a CDFI Program loan
                                     within five years of the
                                     Application deadline.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


           Table 7--Eligibility Requirements for TA Applicants
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CDFI certification status.........  (1) Emerging CDFIs (see definitions
                                     in Table 5), or
                                    (2) Certifiable or Certified CDFIs
                                     (see Table 5) that meet the
                                     following criteria:
                                       (1) Have total assets * as of the
                                        end of the Applicant's most
                                        recent fiscal year end in the
                                        following amounts:
                                          Insured Depository
                                          Institutions and Depository
                                          Institution Holding Companies:
                                          Up to $250 million.
                                          Insured Credit Unions:
                                          Up to $10 million.
                                          Venture capital funds:
                                          Up to $10 million.
                                          Other CDFIs: Up to $5
                                          million or
                                       (2) Have begun operations ** on
                                        or after January 1, 2013.
                                    * ``Total assets'' is defined as the
                                     Total Assets as of Fiscal Year End
                                     Date stated in the Applicant's AMIS
                                     account and verified by internally
                                     prepared financial statements and/
                                     or audits.
                                    ** ``Have begun operations'' is
                                     defined as the financing activity
                                     start date indicated in the
                                     Applicant's AMIS account.
Matching funds....................   Matching funds
                                     documentation is not required for
                                     TA awards.
Limitation on Awards..............   An Emerging CDFI will be
                                     allowed to receive no more than
                                     three TA awards as an uncertified
                                     CDFI.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


           Table 8--Eligibility Requirements for FA Applicants
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CDFI certification status.........   Each FA Applicant must be a
                                     Certified CDFI prior to the
                                     announcement of award decisions.
                                     An Applicant that is in a
                                     cure period to remedy CDFI
                                     recertification deficiencies at the
                                     time of award announcements will
                                     not be eligible for an FA award
                                     under this NOFA.
Matching funds documentation......   All Applicants must submit
                                     acceptable documentation attesting
                                     that they have received or will
                                     receive matching funds. Applicants
                                     that do not submit the Matching
                                     Funds Excel Workbook documenting
                                     the source of their matching funds
                                     will not be evaluated.
                                     Awards will be limited to
                                     no more than two times the amount
                                     of In-Hand or Committed matching
                                     funds documentation provided at the
                                     time of Application.
                                     Awards will be obligated in
                                     like form to the matching funds
                                     provided at time of Application.
                                     See Table 9. Matching Funds
                                     ``Determination of Award Form'' for
                                     additional guidance.
                                     Award payments from the
                                     CDFI Fund will require eligible
                                     dollar-for-dollar In-Hand matching
                                     funds for the total payment amount.
                                     Recipients will not receive a
                                     payment until 100 percent of their
                                     matching funds are In-Hand.
                                     The CDFI Fund will reduce
                                     and de-obligate the remaining
                                     balance of any Award that does not
                                     demonstrate full dollar-for-dollar
                                     matching funds equal to the
                                     announced award amount by the end
                                     of the Matching Funds Window.
$5 Million funding cap............   The CDFI Fund is prohibited
                                     from obligating more than $5
                                     million in CDFI and NACA Program
                                     awards, in the aggregate, to any
                                     one organization and its
                                     Subsidiaries and Affiliates during
                                     any three-year period.
                                     For purposes of this NOFA
                                     and subject to final FY 2017
                                     appropriations language, the CDFI
                                     Fund will include CDFI and NACA
                                     Program final awards in the cap
                                     calculation that were provided to
                                     an Applicant (and/or its
                                     Subsidiaries or Affiliates) under
                                     the FY 2015, and 2016 funding
                                     rounds, as well as the requested FY
                                     2017 award, excluding HFFI-FA
                                     awards. The CDFI Fund will make the
                                     FY 2017 funding round award
                                     announcements after September 23,
                                     2017.
FA Category I (SECA)..............   To be an eligible SECA
                                     Applicant, an Applicant must meet
                                     the following criteria:
                                       (1) Be a Certified or Certifiable
                                        CDFI;
                                       (2) Request $700,000 or less in
                                        FA funds; AND EITHER
                                       (3) Have total assets * as of the
                                        end of the Applicant's most
                                        recent fiscal year end in the
                                        following amounts:
                                          Insured Depository
                                          Institutions and Depository
                                          Institution Holding Companies:
                                          Up to $250 million
                                          Insured Credit Unions:
                                          Up to $10 million
                                          Venture capital funds:
                                          Up to $10 million
                                          Other CDFIs: Up to $5
                                          million OR
                                       (4) Have begun operations ** on
                                        or after January 1, 2013.

[[Page 11998]]

 
                                    * ``Total assets'' is defined as the
                                     Total Assets of Fiscal Year End
                                     Date stated in the Applicant's AMIS
                                     account and verified by internally
                                     prepared financial statements and/
                                     or audits.
                                    ** ``Have begun operations'' is
                                     defined as the financing activity
                                     start date indicated in the
                                     Applicant's AMIS account.
FA Category II (Core).............   A Core Applicant must be
                                     either a Certified or Certifiable
                                     CDFI as defined in Table 5.
                                     An Applicant that meets the
                                     SECA requirements stated above,
                                     that requests more than $700,000 in
                                     award funds is categorized as an FA
                                     Category II (Core) Applicant,
                                     regardless of its total assets and/
                                     or years in operation.
FA Applicants with Community         A CDFI Applicant can apply
 Partners.                           for assistance jointly with a
                                     Community Partner. The CDFI
                                     Applicant would complete the CDFI
                                     Program Application for (FA) and
                                     would address the Community
                                     Partnership in its business plan
                                     and other sections of the
                                     Application as specified in the
                                     guidance materials.
                                     The CDFI Applicant must be
                                     either a Certified or Certifiable
                                     CDFI as defined in Table 5.
                                     An Application with a
                                     Community Partner must:
                                       [cir] Describe how the CDFI
                                        Applicant and Community Partner
                                        will each participate in
                                        carrying out the partnership and
                                        how the partnership will enhance
                                        activities serving the
                                        investment area or targeted
                                        population.
                                       [cir] Demonstrate that the
                                        Community Partnership activities
                                        are consistent with the
                                        strategic plan submitted by the
                                        CDFI-Applicant.
                                     Assistance provided upon
                                     approval of an Application with a
                                     Community Partner shall only be
                                     entrusted to the CDFI Applicant and
                                     shall not be used to fund any
                                     activity carried out directly by
                                     the Community Partner or an
                                     Affiliate or Subsidiary thereof.
HFFI-FA...........................   All HFFI-FA Applicants
                                     must:
                                       [cir] Submit a CDFI or NACA
                                        Program FA Application;
                                       [cir] Meet all FA award
                                        eligibility requirements;
                                       [cir] Submit the HFFI-FA
                                        Application; and
                                       [cir] Provide an HFFI-FA award
                                        request amount in AMIS.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    B. Matching Funds Requirements: In order to receive an FA award, an 
Applicant must provide evidence of eligible dollar-for-dollar matching 
funds and attest that it can provide acceptable documentation upon the 
CDFI Fund's request. An Applicant that uses Retained Earnings or Equity 
Investments must provide documentation of eligible dollar-for-dollar 
matching funds at the time of application submission. The CDFI Fund 
will review summary matching funds information, attestations, and 
matching funds documentation, if applicable, prior to award payment and 
will pay funds based upon eligible In-Hand matching funds (see Table 9 
for the definition of In-Hand). The CDFI Fund encourages Applicants to 
review the Regulations at 12 CFR 1805.500, the Uniform Administrative 
Requirements, and the matching funds guidance materials available on 
the CDFI Fund's Web site. Table 9 provides a summary of the matching 
funds requirements; additional details are set forth in the Application 
materials.

                  Table 9--Matching Funds Requirements
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Matching funds requirements by      The following Applicants must
 application type.                   provide evidence of acceptable
                                     matching funds:
                                        Category I/SECA FA
                                        Applicants (upon request) *;
                                        Category II/Core FA
                                        Applicants; and
                                        HFFI-FA Applicants.
                                        (upon request) *
                                    TA Applicants are not required to
                                     provide matching funds.
                                    * The matching funds requirement for
                                     HFFI-FA and SECA FA applicants was
                                     waived in the appropriations bill
                                     for FY 2016 and the final FY 2017
                                     appropriations are still pending.
                                     HFFI-FA and SECA FA applicants are
                                     not required to submit matching
                                     funds for their award requests at
                                     the time of application. However,
                                     the CDFI Fund reserves the right to
                                     request matching funds from HFFI-FA
                                     and SECA FA applicants if matching
                                     funds are not waived in the final
                                     FY 2017 CDFI Program appropriation.
Amount of required match..........  Applicants must provide evidence of
                                     eligible, In-Hand, dollar-for-
                                     dollar, non-Federal matching funds
                                     for every FA award dollar to be
                                     paid by the CDFI Fund. If awarded,
                                     Applicants that did not demonstrate
                                     100 percent In-Hand matching funds
                                     at the time of Application may
                                     experience a longer payment
                                     timeline.
Determination of award form.......  FA awards will be made in comparable
                                     form and value to the eligible In-
                                     Hand and/or Committed matching
                                     funds documentation submitted by
                                     the Applicant.
                                     For example, if an FA
                                     Applicant provides documentation of
                                     eligible loan matching funds for
                                     $200,000 and $400,000 of its
                                     matching funds in the form of
                                     grant, the CDFI Fund will obligate
                                     $200,000 of the FA award as a loan
                                     and $400,000 as a grant.
                                     After awards have been
                                     announced, Award Recipients may
                                     request the CDFI Fund's permission
                                     to change the form of their award
                                     from loan to grant (by producing
                                     eligible grant matching funds), but
                                     will only be eligible to receive a
                                     grant equal to the federal credit
                                     subsidy amount associated with the
                                     original loan. Applicants will also
                                     experience delays in payments if
                                     requested award form changes are
                                     approved by the CDFI Fund.
Matching Funds Window definition..   The Applicant must receive
                                     eligible In-Hand matching funds
                                     between January 1, 2015 and January
                                     15, 2018.
                                     An Award Recipient must
                                     provide the CDFI Fund with all
                                     documentation demonstrating the
                                     receipt of In-Hand matching funds
                                     by January 31, 2018.

[[Page 11999]]

 
Matching funds and form of award..   Recipients will be approved
                                     for a maximum award size of two
                                     times the total amount of eligible
                                     In-Hand and/or Committed matching
                                     funds included in the Application,
                                     so long as they do not exceed the
                                     award amount limit.
                                     The form of the matching
                                     funds documented in the Application
                                     determines the form of the award.
In-Hand matching funds definition.   Matching funds are In-Hand
                                     when the Applicant receives payment
                                     for the matching funds from the
                                     matching funds source and has
                                     acceptable documentation that can
                                     be provided to the CDFI Fund upon
                                     request. Acceptable In-Hand
                                     documentation must show the source,
                                     form (e.g., grant, loan, deposit,
                                     and Equity Investment), amount
                                     received, and the date the funds
                                     came into physical possession of
                                     the Applicant.
                                     The following
                                     documentation, depending on the
                                     matching funds type, must be
                                     available to be provided to the
                                     CDFI Fund upon request:
                                        Loan--the loan agreement
                                        and/or promissory note;
                                        grant--the grant letter
                                        or agreement for all grants;
                                        equity investment--the
                                        stock certificate and
                                        shareholder agreement;
                                        retained earnings--
                                        audits or call reports from
                                        regulating entity;
                                        third party in-kind
                                        contribution--evidence of
                                        receipt of contribution and
                                        valuation;
                                        deposits--certificates
                                        of deposit agreement;
                                        secondary capital--
                                        secondary capital agreement and
                                        disclosure and acknowledgement
                                        statement; AND
                                        clearly legible
                                        documentation that demonstrates
                                        actual receipt of the matching
                                        funds including the date of the
                                        transaction and the amount, such
                                        as a copy of a check or a wire
                                        transfer statement.
                                     Applicants must provide
                                     information on their In-Hand
                                     matching funds in the Matching
                                     Funds Breakout Table Excel Workbook
                                     (refer to Table 10--Required
                                     Application Documents) which must
                                     be submitted at the time of
                                     Application.
                                     Although Applicants are not
                                     required to provide further
                                     documentation for In-Hand matching
                                     funds at the time of Application
                                     submission, except for Retained
                                     Earnings and Equity Investments,
                                     they must be able to provide
                                     documentation to the CDFI Fund upon
                                     request.
Committed matching funds             Matching funds are
 definition.                         Committed when the Applicant has
                                     entered into or received a legally
                                     binding commitment from the
                                     matching funds source showing the
                                     matching funds will be disbursed to
                                     the Applicant at a future date.
                                     The Applicant must be able
                                     to provide the CDFI Fund, upon
                                     request, acceptable written
                                     documentation showing the source,
                                     form, and amount of the Committed
                                     matching funds (including, in the
                                     case of a loan, the terms thereof),
                                     as well as the anticipated payment
                                     date of the Committed funds.
                                     Applicants must provide
                                     information on their Committed
                                     matching funds in the Matching
                                     Funds Breakout Table Excel Workbook
                                     (refer to Table 10--Required
                                     Application Documents) which must
                                     be submitted at the time of
                                     Application.
                                     Although Applicants are not
                                     required to provide further
                                     documentation for Committed
                                     matching funds at the time of
                                     Application submission, except for
                                     Retained Earnings, it must be able
                                     to provide documentation to the
                                     CDFI Fund upon request.
Limitations on matching funds.....   Matching funds must be from
                                     non-Federal sources.
                                     Applicants cannot proffer
                                     matching funds that were accepted
                                     as matching funds for a prior FA
                                     award under the CDFI Program, NACA
                                     Program, or under another Federal
                                     grant or award program.
                                     Matching funds must comply
                                     with Regulations at 12 C.F.R.
                                     1805.500 et seq.
                                     Matching funds must be
                                     attributable to at least one of the
                                     five eligible FA activities (see
                                     Section II.C).
Rights of the CDFI Fund...........   The CDFI Fund reserves the
                                     right to contact the matching funds
                                     source to discuss the matching
                                     funds and the documentation that
                                     the Applicant provided if required
                                     or requested.
                                     The CDFI Fund may grant an
                                     extension of the Matching Funds
                                     Window (defined in Table 9), on a
                                     case-by-case basis, if the CDFI
                                     Fund deems it appropriate.
                                     The CDFI Fund reserves the
                                     right to rescind all or a portion
                                     of an FA award and re-allocate the
                                     rescinded award amount to other
                                     qualified Applicant(s), if an Award
                                     Recipient fails to provide evidence
                                     of In-Hand Matching Funds totaling
                                     its award amount obtained during
                                     the Matching Funds Window.
Matching funds in the form of        Third party in-kind
 third-party in-kind contributions.  contributions are non-cash
                                     contributions (i.e., property or
                                     services) provided by non-Federal
                                     third parties to the Applicant.
                                     Third party in-kind
                                     contributions will be considered to
                                     be in the form of a grant for
                                     matching funds purposes.
                                     Third party in-kind
                                     contributions may be in the form of
                                     real property, equipment, supplies,
                                     and other expendable property, and
                                     the value of goods and services
                                     directly benefiting the eligible
                                     activities.
                                     For third-party in-kind
                                     contributions, the fair market
                                     value of goods and services must be
                                     documented as the grant match.
                                     Applicants will be
                                     responsible for documenting the
                                     value of all in-kind contributions
                                     as described in the Uniform
                                     Administrative Requirements.
Matching funds in the form of a      An FA award made in the
 loan.                               form of a loan will have the
                                     following standardized terms:
                                     A 13-year term with semi-
                                     annual interest-only payments due
                                     in years 1 through 10, and fully
                                     amortizing payments due each year
                                     in years 11 through 13; and
                                     A fixed interest rate of
                                     1.9 percent, which was calculated
                                     by the CDFI Fund based on the U.S.
                                     Department of the Treasury's 10-
                                     year Treasury note.
                                     The Applicant's matching
                                     funds loan(s) must:

[[Page 12000]]

 
                                       i. Have a minimum of a 3-year
                                        term (loans presented as
                                        matching funds with less than a
                                        3-year term will not qualify as
                                        eligible match); and
                                       ii. be from a non-Federal source.
Severe Constraints Waiver.........   Not more than 25 percent of
                                     the total funds available for
                                     obligation under this funding round
                                     may be matched under the Severe
                                     Constraints Waiver.
                                     In the case of an Applicant
                                     demonstrating severe constraints on
                                     available sources of matching
                                     funds, the CDFI Fund, in its sole
                                     discretion, may permit such
                                     Applicant to comply with the
                                     matching funds requirements by
                                     reducing such requirements by up to
                                     50 percent.
                                     In order to be considered
                                     eligible for a Severe Constraints
                                     Waiver, an Applicant must meet all
                                     of the SECA eligibility criteria
                                     described in Table 8. Instructions
                                     for requesting a Severe Constraints
                                     Waiver will be made available if
                                     required.
Ineligible matching funds.........   If the CDFI Fund determines
                                     that any portion of the Applicant's
                                     matching funds is ineligible, the
                                     CDFI Fund will permit the Applicant
                                     to offer documentation of
                                     alternative matching funds as a
                                     substitute for the ineligible
                                     matching funds.
                                     In such instances:
                                       i. The Applicant must provide
                                        acceptable evidence of the
                                        alternative matching funds
                                        within the period of time
                                        specified by the CDFI Fund, and
                                       ii. the alternative matching
                                        funds will not increase the
                                        total amount of FA requested.
Use of matching funds from a prior  If an Applicant offers matching
 CDFI Program Recipient.             funds documentation from an
                                     organization that was a prior
                                     Recipient under the CDFI Program or
                                     NACA Program, the Applicant must be
                                     able to prove to the CDFI Fund's
                                     satisfaction that such funds do not
                                     consist, in whole or in part, of
                                     CDFI Program funds, NACA Program
                                     funds, or other Federal funds.
Matching funds in the form of        Retained earnings are
 retained earnings.                  eligible for use as matching funds
                                     when the CDFI Fund calculates an
                                     amount equal to:
                                       i. The increase in retained
                                        earnings that occurred over any
                                        one of the Applicant's fiscal
                                        years within the Matching Funds
                                        Window, adjusted to remove
                                        revenue and expenses derived
                                        from Federal sources and
                                        matching funds used for an
                                        award; or
                                       ii. the annual average of such
                                        increases that occurred over any
                                        three consecutive fiscal years
                                        of the Applicant with at least
                                        one of the fiscal years
                                        occurring within the Matching
                                        Funds Window, adjusted to remove
                                        revenue and expenses derived
                                        from Federal sources and
                                        matching funds used for an
                                        award; or
                                       iii. any combination of (i) and
                                        (ii) above that does not include
                                        matching funds used for an
                                        award.
                                     Retained earnings will be
                                     matched with an FA award in the
                                     form of a grant.
Special rule for Insured Credit      An Insured Credit Union's
 Unions and Insured Depository       and Insured Depository
 Institutions.                       Institution's retained earnings are
                                     eligible for use as matching funds
                                     when the CDFI Fund calculates an
                                     amount equal to:
                                       i. The increase in retained
                                        earnings that occurred over any
                                        one of the Applicant's fiscal
                                        years within the Matching Funds
                                        Window, adjusted to remove
                                        revenue from Federal sources and
                                        matching funds used for an
                                        award; or
                                       ii. the annual average of such
                                        increases that occurred over any
                                        three consecutive fiscal years
                                        of the Applicant with at least
                                        one of the fiscal years
                                        occurring within the Matching
                                        Funds Window, adjusted to remove
                                        revenue and expenses derived
                                        from Federal sources and
                                        matching funds used for an
                                        award; or
                                       iii. the entire retained earnings
                                        that have been accumulated since
                                        the inception of the Applicant,
                                        as provided in the Regulations.
                                     If option (iii) is used for
                                     Insured Credit Unions, the
                                     Applicant must increase its member
                                     and/or non-member shares and/or
                                     total loans outstanding by an
                                     amount equal to the amount of
                                     retained earnings committed as
                                     matching funds.
                                        This increase will be
                                        measured on a quarterly basis
                                        from March 31, 2017; must occur
                                        by the end of Year 1 of the
                                        Recipient's Performance Period,
                                        as set forth in its Assistance
                                        Agreement; and will be based on
                                        amounts reported in the
                                        Applicant's National Credit
                                        Union Administration (NCUA) form
                                        5300 Call Report.
                                        The CDFI Fund will
                                        assess the likelihood of this
                                        increase during the Application
                                        review process.
                                        An award will not be
                                        made to any Applicant that has
                                        not demonstrated in the relevant
                                        NCUA form 5300 Call Reports that
                                        it has increased shares and/or
                                        total loans outstanding by at
                                        least 25 percent of the
                                        requested FA award amount
                                        between December 31, 2015, and
                                        December 31, 2016.
                                        The matching funds are
                                        not In-Hand until the Recipient
                                        has increased its member and/or
                                        non-member shares, deposits and/
                                        or total loans outstanding by
                                        the amount of retained earnings
                                        since inception used as matching
                                        funds within the time period
                                        specified.
                                     If option (iii) is used for
                                     Insured Depository Institutions or
                                     Depository Institution Holding
                                     Companies, the Applicant or its
                                     Subsidiary Insured Depository
                                     Institution (in the case of a
                                     Depository Institution Holding
                                     Company) must increase deposits and/
                                     or total loans outstanding by an
                                     amount equal to the amount of
                                     retained earnings committed as
                                     matching funds. Please note that
                                     Depository Institution Holding
                                     Company Applicants must use the
                                     call reports of the CDFI Subsidiary
                                     Insured Depository Institution that
                                     the requested FA award will
                                     support.
                                        This increase will be
                                        measured on a quarterly basis
                                        from March 31, 2017; must occur
                                        by the end of Year 1 of the
                                        Recipient's Performance Period,
                                        as set forth in its Assistance
                                        Agreement; and will be based on
                                        amounts reported in the Bank
                                        Call Report.
                                        The CDFI Fund will
                                        assess the likelihood of this
                                        increase during the Application
                                        review process.

[[Page 12001]]

 
                                        An award will not be
                                        made to any Applicant that has
                                        not demonstrated in the relevant
                                        call reports that it has
                                        increased deposits and/or total
                                        loans outstanding by at least 25
                                        percent of the requested FA
                                        award amount between December
                                        31, 2015, and December 31, 2016.
                                        The matching funds are
                                        not In-Hand until the Recipient
                                        has increased its deposits and/
                                        or total loans outstanding by
                                        the amount of retained earnings
                                        since inception used as matching
                                        funds within the time period
                                        specified.
                                        All regulated Applicants
                                        utilizing the part (iii) Since
                                        Inception rule should refer to
                                        the Retained Earnings Guidance
                                        included in the Matching Funds
                                        Breakout Table Excel Workbook
                                        found on the CDFI Fund Web site.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

IV. Application and Submission Information

    A. Address to Request an Application Package: Application materials 
can be found on the CDFI Fund's Web site at www.cdfifund.gov/cdfi. 
Applicants may request a paper version of any Application material by 
contacting the CDFI Fund Help Desk at [email protected].
    B. Content and Form of Application Submission: All Applications 
must be prepared using the English language and calculations must be 
made in U.S. dollars. The following table lists the required 
Application documents for the FY 2017 Funding Round. The CDFI Fund 
reserves the right to request and review other pertinent or public 
information that has not been specifically requested in this NOFA or 
the Application. Information submitted by the Applicant that the CDFI 
Fund has not specifically requested will not be reviewed or considered 
as part of the Application. Information submitted must accurately 
reflect the Applicant's activities. Financial data, portfolio, and 
activity information provided in the Application should only include 
the Applicant's activities.

                Table 10--Required Application Documents
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Submission
     Application documents          Applicant type           format
------------------------------------------------------------------------
SF-424........................  All Applicants........  Fillable PDF in
                                                         Grants.gov.
CDFI Program Application        All Applicants........  AMIS.
 Components:
     Funding
     Application Detail.
     Data, Charts, and
     Narrative sections as
     listed in AMIS and
     outlined in Application
     materials.
HFFI-FA Application             HFFI-FA Applicants--    AMIS.
 Components:                     Must create new
 Funding Application     funding application.
 Detail
     Narratives.......
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Attachments to the Application: Add to ``Related Attachments'' related
                           list in application
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Matching Funds Breakout Table   FA Core Applicants....  Excel in AMIS.
 Excel Workbook.
Key Staff Resumes.............  All Applicants........  PDF or Word
                                                         document in
                                                         AMIS.
Organizational Chart..........  All Applicants........  PDF in AMIS.
Audited Financial Statements..  FA Applicants: Loan     PDF in AMIS.
                                 funds and other non-
                                 Insured Depository
                                 Institutions.
Management Letters............  FA Applicants: Loan     PDF in AMIS.
                                 funds and other non-
                                 Insured Depository
                                 Institutions, TA
                                 Applicants: If
                                 available.
Unaudited Financial Statements  TA Applicants: Loan     PDF in AMIS.
 (if Audited Financial           funds and other non-
 Statements are not available).  Insured Depository
                                 Institutions.
Call Reports..................  FA and TA Applicants:   PDF in AMIS.
                                 Insured Depository
                                 Institutions only.
Current Year to Date--December  FA and TA Applicants:   PDF in AMIS.
 31, 2016 Unaudited Financial    Loan funds and other
 Statements.                     non-Insured
                                 Depository
                                 Institutions.
Additional Documents As         All Applicants, if      PDF or Word
 Applicable:                     applicable.             document in
Community Partnership                                    AMIS.
 Agreement
    501(c)(4) Questionnaire
     Explanation
    Environmental Review Form
     Explanation
    Retained Earnings or
     Equity Investment
     Matching Funds
     Documentation
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    C. Application Submission: The CDFI Fund has a two-step process 
that requires the submission of application documents on separate 
deadlines and locations. The SF-424 must be submitted through 
Grants.gov and all other application documents through the AMIS portal. 
The CDFI Fund will not accept Applications via email, mail, facsimile, 
or other forms of communication, except in extremely rare circumstances 
that have been pre-approved by the CDFI Fund. Applicants are only 
required to submit the OMB SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance 
form in Grants.gov as all other application information (listed in 
Table 10) will be submitted through AMIS. The deadline for submitting 
the SF 424 is listed in Tables 1 and 11. All other application 
information must be submitted in AMIS and only the Authorized 
Representative or Application Point of Contact can submit the 
application.
    Applicants are encouraged to submit the SF-424 as early as possible 
through

[[Page 12002]]

Grants.gov to provide time to resolve any submission problems. 
Applicants should contact Grants.gov directly with questions related to 
the registration or submission process as the CDFI Fund does not 
maintain the Grants.gov system.
    The CDFI Fund strongly encourages Applicants to start the 
Grants.gov registration process as soon as possible (refer to the 
following link: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html) as it 
may take several weeks to complete. An Applicant that has previously 
registered with Grants.gov must verify that its registration is current 
and active.
    D. Dun & Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS): Pursuant to 
the Uniform Administrative Requirements, each Applicant must provide as 
part of its Application submission, a Dun and Bradstreet Universal 
Numbering System (DUNS) number. Applicants without a DUNS number will 
not be able to register and submit an Application in the Grants.gov 
system. Please allow sufficient time for Dun & Bradstreet to respond to 
inquiries and/or requests for DUNS numbers.
    E. System for Award Management (SAM): Any entity applying for 
Federal grants or other forms of Federal financial assistance through 
Grants.gov must be registered in SAM before submitting its Application. 
The SAM registration process can take several weeks to complete. 
Applicants that have previously completed the SAM registration process 
must verify that their SAM accounts are current and active. Each 
Applicant must continue to maintain an active SAM registration with 
current information at all times during which it has an active Federal 
award or an Application under consideration by a Federal awarding 
agency. The CDFI Fund will not consider any Applicant that fails to 
properly register or activate its SAM account and, as a result, is 
unable to submit its Application by the Application deadline. 
Applicants must contact SAM directly with questions related to 
registration or SAM account changes as the CDFI Fund does not maintain 
this system. For more information about SAM, please visit https://www.sam.gov.
    F. Submission Dates and Times:
    1. Submission Deadlines: The following table provides the critical 
deadlines for the FY 2017 Funding Round.

                        Table 11--FY 2017 Funding Round Critical Deadlines for Applicants
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Description                       Deadline                    Time (EDT)           Submission method
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CDFI Certification Applications..  March 24, 2017.............  11:59 p.m. EDT.............  Electronically via
                                                                                              Award Management
                                                                                              Information System
                                                                                              (AMIS).
SF-424 (Application for Federal    March 24, 2017.............  11:59 p.m. EDT.............  Electronically via
 Assistance).                                                                                 Grants.gov.
Last day to contact CDFI Program   April 26, 2017.............  5:00 p.m. EDT..............  Service Request via
 staff.                                                                                       Award Management
                                                                                              Information System
                                                                                              (AMIS) or CDFI
                                                                                              Fund Helpdesk: 202-
                                                                                              653-0421 or
                                                                                              [email protected].
CDFI Program Application for       April 28, 2017.............  11:59 p.m. EDT.............  Electronically via
 Financial Assistance (FA) or                                                                 Awards Management
 Technical Assistance (TA).                                                                   Information System
                                                                                              (AMIS).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2. Confirmation of Application Submission in Grants.gov and AMIS: 
Applicants are required to submit the OMB SF-424, Application for 
Federal Assistance through the Grants.gov system, under the CDFI 
Program Funding Opportunity Number. All other required application 
materials must be submitted through the AMIS Web site. Application 
materials submitted through both systems are due by the applicable 
deadlines. Applicants must submit the SF-424 on an earlier deadline 
from the other required application materials in AMIS. If the SF-424 is 
not successfully accepted by Grants.gov by the deadline, the CDFI Fund 
will not review any of the material submitted in AMIS and the 
Application will be deemed ineligible.
    a. Grants.gov Submission Information: Each Applicant will receive 
an email from Grants.gov immediately after submitting the SF-424 
confirming that the submission has entered the Grants.gov system. This 
email will contain a tracking number for the submitted SF-424. Within 
48 hours, the Applicant will receive a second email, which will 
indicate if the submitted SF-424 was either successfully validated or 
rejected with errors. However, Applicants should not rely on the email 
notification from Grants.gov to confirm that their SF-424 was 
validated. Applicants are strongly encouraged to use the tracking 
number provided in the first email to closely monitor the status of 
their SF-424 by contacting the helpdesk at Grants.gov directly. The 
Application material submitted in AMIS is not officially accepted by 
the CDFI Fund until Grants.gov has validated the SF-424.
    b. Award Management Information System (AMIS) Submission 
Information: AMIS is a web-based portal where Applicants will directly 
enter their application information and add required attachments listed 
in Table 10. AMIS will verify that the Applicant provided the minimum 
information required to submit an Application. Applicants are 
responsible for the quality and accuracy of the information and 
attachments included in the Application submitted in AMIS. The CDFI 
Fund strongly encourages the Applicant to allow sufficient time to 
confirm the Application content, review the material submitted, and 
remedy any issues prior to the Application deadline. Only the 
Authorized Representative or an Application Point of Contact can submit 
the Application. Applicants can only submit one Application. Upon 
submission, the Application will be locked and cannot be resubmitted, 
edited, or modified in any way. The CDFI Fund will not unlock or allow 
multiple Application submissions.
    3. Late Submission: The CDFI Fund will not accept an Application 
submitted after the Application deadline except where the submission 
delay was a direct result of a Federal government administrative or 
technological error. In such case, the Applicant must submit a written 
request for acceptance of late Application submission and include 
documentation of the error no later than two business days after the 
Application deadline. The CDFI Fund will not respond to request for 
acceptance of late Application submissions after that time period. 
Applicants must submit late Application submission requests to the CDFI 
Fund via an AMIS service request to the CDFI Program with a subject 
line of ``Late Application Submission Request.''

[[Page 12003]]

    G. Funding Restrictions: FA, HFFI-FA and TA awards are limited by 
the following:
    1. FA awards:
    a. An award Recipient shall use FA funds only for the eligible 
activities described in Section II.(C)(1) of this NOFA and its 
Assistance Agreement.
    b. A Recipient may not distribute FA funds to an Affiliate, 
Subsidiary, or any other entity, without the CDFI Fund's prior written 
approval.
    c. FA funds shall only be paid to the Recipient.
    d. The CDFI Fund, in its sole discretion, may pay FA funds in 
amounts, or under terms and conditions, which are different from those 
requested by an Applicant.
    2. HFFI-FA awards:
    a. An award Recipient shall use HFFI-FA funds only for the eligible 
activities described in Section II.(C)(1) of this NOFA and its 
Assistance Agreement.
    b. A Recipient may not distribute HFFI-FA funds to an Affiliate, 
Subsidiary, or any other entity, without the CDFI Fund's prior written 
approval.
    c. HFFI-FA funds shall only be paid to the Recipient.
    d. The CDFI Fund, in its sole discretion, may pay HFFI-FA funds in 
amounts, or under terms and conditions, which are different from those 
requested by an Applicant.
    3. TA grants:
    a. An award Recipient shall use TA funds only for the eligible 
activities described in Section II.(C)(2) of this NOFA and its 
Assistance Agreement.
    b. A Recipient may not distribute TA funds to an Affiliate, 
Subsidiary or any other entity, without the CDFI Fund's prior written 
consent.
    c. TA funds shall only be paid to the Recipient.
    d. The CDFI Fund, in its sole discretion, may pay TA funds in 
amounts, or under terms and conditions, which are different from those 
requested by an Applicant.

V. Application Review Information

    A. Criteria: If the Applicant has submitted an eligible 
Application, the CDFI Fund will conduct a substantive review in 
accordance with the criteria and procedures described in the 
Regulations, this NOFA, the Application guidance, and the Uniform 
Administrative Requirements. The CDFI Fund reserves the right to 
contact the Applicant by telephone, email, or mail for the sole purpose 
of clarifying or confirming Application information. If contacted, the 
Applicant must respond within the time period communicated by the CDFI 
Fund or run the risk that its Application will be rejected. The CDFI 
Fund will review the FA, HFFI-FA, and TA Applications according the 
below process.
    1. Financial Assistance (FA) Application Scoring, Award Selection, 
Review, and Selection Process: The CDFI Fund will evaluate each 
Application using a five step review process illustrated in the 
sections below. Applicants that meet the minimum criteria will advance 
to the next step in the review process. Applicants applying as a 
Community Partnership must describe partnership in the Application per 
requirements set forth in Table 8 and will be evaluated per the review 
process described below.
    a. Step 1: Eligibility Review: The CDFI Fund will evaluate each 
Application to determine its eligibility status per Section III. 
Eligibility Information of this NOFA.
    b. Step 2: Financial Analysis: An external non-CDFI Fund reviewer 
will evaluate the financial health and viability of each Application 
using the financial information provided in the Application. The 
Reviewer will evaluate the Financial Analysis Components listed in 
Table 12 and assign a score on a scale of one (1) to five (5), which 
will be used to calculate a Total Financial Composite Score on a scale 
of one (1) to five (5), with one (1) being the highest rating. All 
Applications will be reviewed in accordance with standard reviewer 
evaluation materials for the financial analysis described in 
supplemental guidance located on the CDFI Fund's Web site. Applications 
will be grouped based on the Total Financial Composite Score. 
Applicants must receive a Total Financial Composite Score of one (1), 
two (2), or three (3) to advance to Step 3. Applicants that receive a 
Total Financial Composite Score of four (4) or five (5) will be 
evaluated and scored by a second external, non-Federal reviewer. 
Applicants that receive a Total Financial Composite Score of four (4) 
or five (5) will not advance to Step 3. In instances an Applicant 
receives an initial score of four (4) or five (5) and a second score of 
one (1), two (2), or three (3), the two reviewers will discuss their 
evaluations and decide on one final Total Financial Composite Score.

                            Table 12--Step 2: FA Financial Analysis Scoring Criteria
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Financial analysis component            Possible scores           High score       Score needed to advance
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Capital Adequacy..................  1, 2, 3, 4, or 5.............               1  N/A.
Asset Quality.....................  1, 2, 3, 4, or 5.............               1  N/A.
Earnings..........................  1, 2, 3, 4, or 5.............               1  N/A.
Capital Liquidity.................  1, 2, 3, 4, or 5.............               1  N/A.
Operating Liquidity...............  1, 2, 3, 4, or 5.............               1  N/A.
Total Financial Composite Score...  1, 2, 3, 4, or 5.............               1  1, 2, or 3.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    c. Step 3: Business Plan Review: Applicants that proceed to Step 3 
will be evaluated on the soundness of each Applicant's comprehensive 
business plan. The two external non-CDFI Fund Reviewers conducting the 
Step 3 evaluation will be different than those that conduct the Step 2 
evaluation. Reviewers will evaluate the Application sections listed in 
Table 13. All Applications will be reviewed in accordance with standard 
reviewer evaluation materials for the business plan review. 
Applications will be ranked based on Total Business Plan Scores, in 
descending order. In order to advance to Step 4, Applicants must 
receive a Total Business Plan Score within the top 60 percent of the 
applicant pool. In the case of tied Total Business Plan Scores that 
would prevent an Applicant from moving to Step 4, Applicants will be 
ranked according to their Step 2 Total Financial Composite Score and 
standard anomaly procedures.

[[Page 12004]]



                           Table 13--Step 3: FA Business Plan Review Scoring Criteria
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       FA application sections                   Possible score                   Score needed to advance
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Executive Summary...................  Not Scored.........................  N/A.
Business Strategy...................  7..................................  N/A.
Products and Services...............  7..................................  N/A.
Market and Competitive Analysis.....  7..................................  N/A.
Management and Staffing.............  7..................................  N/A.
Financial Position..................  7..................................  N/A.
Growth and Financial Projections....  7..................................  N/A.
Total Business Plan Score...........  49.................................  Within Top 60 percent of all Step 3
                                                                            Scores.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    d. Step 4: Policy Objective Review: For Applicants that advance to 
Step 4, the CDFI Fund internal reviewers will evaluate each Application 
to determine its ability to meet policy objectives of the CDFI Fund 
authorizing statute. The policy objectives considered in this 
evaluation are listed in Table 14 below. Each Applicant will be 
evaluated in each of the categories, which will result in a Total 
Policy Objective Review Score on a scale of one (1) to five (5), with 
one (1) being the highest score. Applicants are then grouped according 
to Total Policy Objective Review Scores.
    In Step 4, the CDFI Fund also conducts a due diligence review for 
Applications that includes an analysis of programmatic risk factors 
including, but not limited to: History of performance in managing 
Federal awards (including timeliness of reporting and compliance); 
reports and findings from audits; and the Applicant's ability to 
effectively implement Federal requirements, which could impact the 
Total Policy Objective Review Score.

                               Table 14--Step 4: FA Policy Review Scoring Criteria
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Section                      Possible scores          High score        Score needed to advance
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Economic Distress................  1, 2, 3, 4, or 5............               1  N/A.
Economic Opportunities...........  1, 2, 3, 4, or 5............               1  N/A.
Partnerships.....................  1, 2, 3, 4, or 5............               1  N/A.
Total Policy Objective Review      1, 2, 3, 4, or 5............               1  All Scores Advance.
 Score.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    e. Step 5: Award Amount Determination: The CDFI Fund determines an 
award amount for each Application based on the Step 4 Total Policy 
Objective Review Score, the Applicant's request amount, and on certain 
variables, including but not limited to: An Applicant's deployment 
track record, minimum award size, and funding availability. Award 
amounts may be reduced from the requested award amount as a result of 
this analysis. Lastly, the CDFI Fund may consider the geographic 
diversity of Applicants when making its funding decisions.
    2. Healthy Food Financing Initiative-FA (HFFI-FA) Application 
Scoring, Award Selection, Review, and Selection Process: Two external 
non-CDFI Fund reviewers will evaluate each HFFI-FA Application whose 
associated FA application that progress to Step 4 of the FA Application 
review process. Reviewers will evaluate the Application sections listed 
in Table 15 and assign a Total HFFI-FA Score up to 25 points. All 
Applications will be reviewed in accordance with standard reviewer 
evaluation materials. Applications will be ranked based on total 
scores, in descending order. Applicants that fail to receive an FA 
award will not be considered for an HFFI-FA award.
    The CDFI Fund conducts additional levels of due diligence for 
Applications that are in scoring contention for an award. This due 
diligence includes an analysis of programmatic and financial risk 
factors including, but not limited to: Financial stability, quality of 
management systems and ability to meet award management standards, 
history of performance in managing Federal awards (including timeliness 
of reporting and compliance), reports and findings from audits, and the 
Applicant's ability to effectively implement Federal requirements. 
Award amounts may be reduced from the requested award amount as a 
result of this analysis. The CDFI Fund may reduce awards sizes from 
requested amounts based on certain variables, including an Applicant's 
loan disbursement activity, total portfolio outstanding, and similar 
factors. Lastly, the CDFI Fund may consider the geographic diversity of 
Applicants when making its funding decisions.

          Table 15--Step 3 HFFI-FA Application Scoring Criteria
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            HFFI-FA
              HFFI-FA narrative sections                   applicants
                                                            (points)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
HFFI Target Market Profile...........................                  4
Healthy Food Financial Products......................                  5
Healthy Food Development Services....................                  2
Projected HFFI-FA Activities.........................                  7
HFFI Track Record, Management Capacity for Providing                   7
 Healthy Food Financing, Healthy Food Financing
 Outcomes............................................
                                                      ------------------
    Total HFFI-FA Score..............................                 25
------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 12005]]

    3. Technical Assistance (TA) Application Scoring, Award Selection, 
Review, and Selection Process: The CDFI Fund will evaluate each 
Application to determine its eligibility status per Section III. 
Eligibility Information of this NOFA. If the Application meets the 
eligibility criteria, the CDFI Fund will evaluate each TA Application 
using standard scoring criteria in the Business Plan Review (Table 16). 
An Applicant must receive a minimum 60 points of the Total TA Business 
Plan Score for the TA components in order to be considered for an 
award. Emerging CDFI or Certifiable CDFI Applicants must achieve a 
minimum score of 35 points in Section I to be considered for an award 
and reviewed in Section II.
    An Applicant that is a Certified CDFI will be rated on the 
demonstrated need for TA funding to build the CDFI's capacity, further 
the Applicant's strategic goals, and achieve impact within the 
Applicant's Target Market. An Applicant that is an Emerging CDFI or 
Certifiable CDFI will be rated on the Applicant's demonstrated 
capability and plan to achieve CDFI certification within three years, 
or if a prior awardee, the certification performance goal and measure 
stated in its prior Assistance Agreement. An Applicant that is an 
Emerging CDFI and Certifiable CDFI will also be rated on its 
demonstrated need for TA funding to build the CDFI's capacity and 
further its strategic goals.
    The CDFI Fund will score each part of the TA Business Plan Review 
as indicated in Table 16.

           Table 16--TA Business Plan Review Scoring Criteria
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Emerging CDFI or
      TA application sections        certifiable CDFI    Certified CDFI
                                         (points)           (points)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section I:
    Primary Mission...............                 15                N/A
    Financing Entity..............                 15                N/A
    Target Market.................                 15                N/A
    Accountability................                 15                N/A
    Development Services..........                 15                N/A
Section II:
    Organization Overview.........                  5                 20
    Management and Staff..........                  5                 20
    Community Coordination........                  5                 20
    Financial Performance.........                  5                 20
    Organizational Impact.........                  5                 20
                                   -------------------------------------
        Total TA Business Plan                    100                100
         Score....................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Each TA Application will be evaluated by one internal CDFI Fund 
reviewer. Internal reviewers must complete the CDFI Fund's conflict of 
interest process. The CDFI Fund's application conflict of interest 
policy is located on the CDFI Fund's Web site. All Applications will be 
reviewed in accordance with CDFI Fund standard reviewer evaluation 
materials for the Business Plan Review. Applications will be ranked 
based on Total TA Business Plan Score, in descending order. In the case 
of tied scores that would prohibit the Application from progressing to 
the next level of review, Certified Applicants will be ranked first 
according to each Organization Overview score and Emerging CDFI and 
Certifiable CDFI Applicants will be ranked first according to the total 
Section I score.
    The CDFI Fund conducts additional levels of due diligence for 
Applications that are in scoring contention for an award. This due 
diligence includes an analysis of programmatic and financial risk 
factors including, but not limited to: Financial stability, history of 
performance in managing Federal awards (including timeliness of 
reporting and compliance), reports and findings from audits, and the 
Applicant's ability to effectively implement Federal requirements. 
Award amounts may be reduced as a result of this analysis, the 
eligibility of an Applicant's funding request and similar factors. 
Lastly, the CDFI Fund may consider the geographic diversity of 
Applicants when making its funding decisions.
    4. Insured Depository Institutions: The CDFI Fund will consider 
safety and soundness information from the Appropriate Federal or State 
Banking Agency. If the Applicant is a CDFI Depository Institution 
Holding Company, the CDFI Fund will consider information provided by 
the Appropriate Federal or State Banking Agencies about both the CDFI 
Depository Institution Holding Company and the Subsidiary CDFI 
Certified Insured Depository Institution that will expend and carry out 
the award. If the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency or Appropriate 
State Agency identifies safety and soundness concerns, the CDFI Fund 
will assess whether the concerns cause or will cause the Applicant to 
be incapable of undertaking the activities for which funding has been 
requested.
    5. Non-Regulated Institutions: In accordance with the CDFI 
Program's authorizing statute and regulations, the CDFI Fund must 
ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that recipients that are 
non-regulated CDFIs are financially and managerially sound and maintain 
appropriate internal controls (12 U.S.C. 4707(f)(1)(A) and 12 CFR 
1805.800(b)). Further, the CDFI Fund must determine that an Applicant's 
capacity to operate as a CDFI and its continued viability will not be 
dependent upon assistance from the CDFI Fund (12 U.S.C. 4704(b)(2)(A)). 
If it is determined the Applicant is incapable of meeting these 
requirements, the CDFI Fund reserves the right to deem the Applicant 
ineligible or terminate the award.
    B. Anticipated Award Announcement: The CDFI Fund anticipates making 
CDFI Program award announcements after September 23, 2017 and before 
September 30, 2017.
    C. Application Rejection: The CDFI Fund reserves the right to 
reject an Application if information (including administrative error) 
comes to the CDFI Fund's attention that either: Adversely affects an 
Applicant's eligibility for an award; adversely affects the Recipient's 
certification as a CDFI (to the extent that the award is conditional 
upon CDFI certification); adversely affects the CDFI

[[Page 12006]]

Fund's evaluation or scoring of an Application; or indicates fraud or 
mismanagement on the Applicant's part. If the CDFI Fund determines any 
portion of the Application is incorrect in a material respect, the CDFI 
Fund reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to reject the 
Application. The CDFI Fund reserves the right to change its eligibility 
and evaluation criteria and procedures, if the CDFI Fund deems it 
appropriate. If the changes materially affect the CDFI Fund's award 
decisions, the CDFI Fund will provide information about the changes 
through its Web site. The CDFI Fund's award decisions are final and 
there is no right to appeal the decisions.
    D. External Non-CDFI Fund Reviewers: All external non-CDFI Fund 
reviewers are selected based on criteria that includes a professional 
background in community and economic development finance and experience 
reviewing the financial statements of all CDFI institution types. 
Reviewers must complete the CDFI Fund's conflict of interest process 
and be approved by the CDFI Fund. The CDFI Fund's application reader 
conflict of interest policy is located on the CDFI Fund's Web site.

VI. Federal Award Administration Information

    A. Award Notification: Each successful Applicant will receive an 
email ``notice of award'' notification from the CDFI Fund stating that 
its Application has been approved for an award. Each Applicant not 
selected for an award will receive an email stating that a debriefing 
notice has been provided in its AMIS account.
    B. Assistance Agreement: Each Applicant selected to receive an 
award must enter into an Assistance Agreement with the CDFI Fund in 
order to receive a payment(s). The Assistance Agreement will set forth 
the award's terms and conditions, including but not be limited to the: 
(i) Award amount; (ii) award type; (iii) award uses; (iv) eligible use 
of funds; (v) performance goals and measures; and (vi) reporting 
requirements. FA Assistance Agreements have three-year periods of 
performance; TA Assistance Agreements have two-year periods of 
performance for Certified CDFIs and three-year periods of performance 
for Emerging CDFIs or Certifiable CDFIs.
    1. Certificate of Good Standing: All FA and TA Recipients that are 
not Insured Depository Institutions will be required to provide the 
CDFI Fund with a certificate of good standing from the secretary of 
state for the Recipient's State of incorporation prior to closing. This 
certificate can often be acquired online on the secretary of state Web 
site for the Recipient's State of incorporation and must generally be 
dated within 180 days before the date the Recipient executes the 
Assistance Agreement. Due to potential backlogs in State government 
offices, Applicants are advised to submit requests for certificates of 
good standing no later than 60 days after they submit their 
Applications.
    2. Closing: Pursuant to the Assistance Agreement, there will be an 
initial closing at which point the Assistance Agreement and related 
documents will be properly executed and delivered, and an initial 
payment of FA or TA may be made. FA Recipients that are subject to the 
matching funds requirement will not receive a payment until 100 percent 
of their matching funds are In-Hand. The first payment is the estimated 
amount of award that the Recipient states in its Application that it 
will use for eligible FA or TA activities in the first 12 months after 
the award. The CDFI Fund reserves the right to increase the first 
payment amount on any award to ensure that any subsequent payments are 
greater than $25,000 for FA and $5,000 for TA awards.
    The CDFI Fund will minimize the time between the Recipient 
incurring costs for eligible activities and award payment in accordance 
with the Uniform Administrative Requirements. The advanced payments for 
eligible activities will occur no more than one year in advance of the 
Recipient incurring costs for the eligible activities. Following the 
initial closing, there may be subsequent closings involving additional 
award payments. Any documents in addition to the Assistant Agreement 
that are connected with such subsequent closings and payments shall be 
properly executed and timely delivered by the Recipient to the CDFI 
Fund.
    3. Requirements Prior to Entering into an Assistance Agreement: If, 
prior to entering into an Assistance Agreement, information (including 
administrative error) comes to the CDFI Fund's attention that: 
Adversely affects the Recipient's eligibility for an award; adversely 
affects the Recipient's certification as a CDFI (to the extent that the 
award is conditional upon CDFI certification); adversely affects the 
CDFI Fund's evaluation of the Application; indicates that the Recipient 
is not in compliance with any requirement listed the Uniform 
Administrative Requirements; or indicates fraud or mismanagement on the 
Recipient's part, the CDFI Fund may, in its discretion and without 
advance notice to the Recipient, terminate the award or take such other 
actions as it deems appropriate. The CDFI Fund reserves the right, in 
its sole discretion, to rescind an award if the Recipient fails to 
return the Assistance Agreement, signed by the authorized 
representative of the Recipient, and/or provide the CDFI Fund with any 
other requested documentation, within the CDFI Fund's deadlines.
    In addition, the CDFI Fund reserves the right, in its sole 
discretion, to terminate and rescind the Assistance Agreement and the 
award made under this NOFA pending the criteria described in the 
following table:

    Table 17--Requirements Prior to Executing an Assistance Agreement
------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Requirement                           Criteria
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Failure to meet reporting            If a Recipient received a
 requirements.                       prior award under any CDFI Fund
                                     program and is not current with the
                                     reporting requirements in the
                                     previously executed agreement(s),
                                     the CDFI Fund can delay entering
                                     into an Assistance Agreement or
                                     disbursing an award until reporting
                                     requirements are met.
                                     If such a Recipient is
                                     unable to meet the requirement
                                     within the timeframe specified, the
                                     CDFI Fund may terminate and rescind
                                     the Assistance Agreement and the
                                     award made under this NOFA.
                                     The automated systems the
                                     CDFI Fund uses only acknowledge a
                                     report's receipt, not a
                                     determination of meeting reporting
                                     requirements.
Failure to maintain CDFI             An FA Recipient must be a
 Certification.                      Certified CDFI prior to entering
                                     into an Assistance Agreement.
                                     If an FA Recipient fails to
                                     maintain CDFI Certification, the
                                     CDFI Fund will terminate and
                                     rescind the Assistance Agreement
                                     and the award made under this NOFA.

[[Page 12007]]

 
Pending resolution of                The CDFI Fund will delay
 noncompliance.                      entering into an Assistance
                                     Agreement with a Recipient that has
                                     pending noncompliance issues of any
                                     of its previously executed award
                                     agreement(s), if the CDFI Fund has
                                     not yet made a final compliance
                                     determination.
                                     If the Recipient is unable
                                     to satisfactorily resolve the
                                     compliance issues, the CDFI Fund
                                     may terminate and rescind the
                                     Assistance Agreement and the award
                                     made under this NOFA.
Noncompliance status..............   If, at any time prior to
                                     entering into an Assistance
                                     Agreement, the CDFI Fund determines
                                     that a Recipient is noncompliant
                                     with a previously executed
                                     agreement and the CDFI Fund has
                                     provided written notification that
                                     the Recipient is ineligible to
                                     apply for or receive any future
                                     awards or allocations for a time
                                     period specified by the CDFI Fund
                                     in writing. The CDFI Fund can delay
                                     entering into an Assistance
                                     Agreement, until the Recipient has
                                     cured the default by taking actions
                                     the CDFI Fund has specified within
                                     the specified timeframe. If the
                                     Recipient is unable to meet the
                                     cure requirement within the
                                     specified timeframe, the CDFI Fund
                                     may terminate and rescind the
                                     Assistance Agreement and the award
                                     made under this NOFA.
Compliance with Federal civil        If prior to entering into
 rights requirements.                an Assistance Agreement under this
                                     NOFA, the Recipient receives a
                                     final determination, made within
                                     the last three years, in any
                                     proceeding instituted against the
                                     Recipient in, by, or before any
                                     court, governmental, or
                                     administrative body or agency,
                                     declaring that the Recipient has
                                     violated the following laws: Title
                                     VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,
                                     as amended (42 U.S.C. 2000d);
                                     Section 504 of the Rehabilitation
                                     Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794); the
                                     Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (42
                                     U.S.C. 6101-6107), and Executive
                                     Order 13166, Improving Access to
                                     Services for Persons with Limited
                                     English Proficiency, the CDFI Fund
                                     will terminate and rescind the
                                     Assistance Agreement and the award
                                     made under this NOFA.
Do Not Pay........................   The Do Not Pay Business
                                     Center was developed to support
                                     Federal agencies in their efforts
                                     to reduce the number of improper
                                     payments made through programs
                                     funded by the Federal government.
                                     The CDFI Fund reserves the
                                     right, in its sole discretion, to
                                     rescind an award if the Recipient
                                     is identified as an ineligible
                                     recipient on the Do Not Pay
                                     database.
Safety and soundness..............   If it is determined the
                                     Recipient is or will be incapable
                                     of meeting its award obligations,
                                     the CDFI Fund will deem the
                                     Recipient to be ineligible or
                                     require it to improve safety and
                                     soundness conditions prior to
                                     entering into an Assistance
                                     Agreement.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    C. Reporting:
    1. Reporting requirements: On an annual basis for the period of 
performance, the CDFI Fund may collect information from each Recipient 
including, but not limited to, an Annual Report with the following 
components:

                 Table 18--Annual Reporting Requirements
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Financial Report (Financial         The Financial Report will be
 Statements and Related Auditor's    reviewed by the CDFI Fund to
 and Accountant's Review Reports,    determine the Recipient's financial
 if applicable).                     and managerial soundness.
Single Audit (if applicable) (or    If a Recipient is required to
 similar report).                    complete a Single Audit Report, it
                                     should be submitted to the Federal
                                     Audit Clearinghouse (see 2 CFR
                                     subpart F-Audit Requirements in the
                                     Uniform Administrative
                                     Requirements).
                                    For-profit Recipients will be
                                     required to complete and submit a
                                     similar report directly to the CDFI
                                     Fund.
Institution Level Report (ILR)....  The ILR is a report used to collect
                                     compliance and performance data
                                     from CDFI Fund award Recipients.
                                     The ILR is submitted through the
                                     Community Investment Impact System
                                     (CIIS) and captures organizational
                                     information, financial position,
                                     lending and investing activities,
                                     community development outputs, and
                                     development services.
Transaction Level Report (TLR)....  The TLR is a report used to collect
                                     compliance and performance data
                                     from CDFI Fund award Recipients.
                                     The TLR is submitted through the
                                     CIIS and captures data on each
                                     individual loan and investment in
                                     the award Recipient's portfolio.
                                     For CDFI Depository
                                     Institution Holding Company award
                                     Recipients, the TLR captures data
                                     on the individual loans and
                                     investments by its CDFI Subsidiary
                                     Insured Depository Institution's
                                     portfolio.
                                     TLR is not required for TA
                                     Recipients.
Federal Financial Report/OMB        If the Recipient receives a TA
 Standard Form 425.                  award, it must submit the Federal
                                     Financial Report/OMB Standard Form
                                     425 via AMIS.
Uses of Funds Report..............  If the Recipient receives an FA or
                                     TA award, it must submit the Uses
                                     of Funds Report via AMIS.
Shareholders Report...............  If the Assistance is in the form of
                                     an Equity Investment, the Recipient
                                     must submit shareholder information
                                     to the CDFI Fund showing the class,
                                     series, and number of shares and
                                     valuation of capital stock held or
                                     to be held by each shareholder. The
                                     Shareholder Report must be
                                     submitted for as long as the CDFI
                                     Fund is an equity holder.
Financial Assistance Objectives     If the Recipient receives an FA
 Report (or similar report).         award, it must submit information
                                     on the status of complying with the
                                     FA Objectives and Impacts.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 12008]]

    Each Recipient is responsible for the timely and complete 
submission of the Annual Reporting requirements. The CDFI Fund reserves 
the right to contact the Recipient and additional entities or 
signatories to the Assistance Agreement to request additional 
information and documentation. The CDFI Fund will use such information 
to monitor each Recipient's compliance with the requirements in the 
Assistance Agreement and to assess the impact of the CDFI Program. The 
CDFI Fund reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to modify these 
reporting requirements, including increasing the scope and frequency of 
reporting, if it determines it to be appropriate and necessary; 
however, such reporting requirements will be modified only after notice 
to Recipients.
    2. Financial Management and Accounting: The CDFI Fund will require 
Recipients to maintain financial management and accounting systems that 
comply with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions 
of the Federal award. These systems must be sufficient to permit the 
preparation of reports required by general and program specific terms 
and conditions, including the tracing of funds to a level of 
expenditures adequate to establish that such funds have been used 
according to the Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and 
conditions of the Federal award.
    The cost principles used by Recipients must be consistent with 
Federal cost principles and support the accumulation of costs as 
required by the principles, and must provide for adequate documentation 
to support costs charged to the CDFI Program award. In addition, the 
CDFI Fund will require Recipients to: Maintain effective internal 
controls; comply with applicable statutes, regulations, and the 
Assistance Agreement; evaluate and monitor compliance; take action when 
not in compliance; and safeguard personally identifiable information.

VII. Agency Contacts

    A. The CDFI Fund will respond to questions concerning this NOFA and 
the Application between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Eastern 
Daylight Savings Time, starting on the date that the NOFA is published 
through the date listed in Table 1 and Table 11. The CDFI Fund will 
post on its Web site responses to reoccurring questions received about 
this Application. Other information regarding the CDFI Fund and its 
programs may be obtained from the CDFI Fund's Web site at http://www.cdfifund.gov. Table 19 lists CDFI Fund contact information:

                      Table 19--Contact Information
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   Telephone number
        Type of question            (not toll free)     Email addresses
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CDFI Program....................  202-653-0421,       [email protected]
                                   option 1.           s.gov
Certification, Compliance         202-653-0423......  [email protected]
 Monitoring, and Evaluation.                           v
AMIS--IT Help Desk..............  202-653-0422......  [email protected]
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    B. Information Technology Support: For IT Assistance, submit an 
AMIS Service Request (Record Type of ``General Inquiry''). In the 
Service Request form, select the appropriate program, then select 
``AMIS Technical Problem'' as the Type. People who have visual or 
mobility impairments that prevent them from using the CDFI Fund's Web 
site should call (202) 653-0422 for assistance (this is not a toll free 
number).
    C. Communication with the CDFI Fund: The CDFI Fund will use contact 
information in AMIS to communicate with Applicants and Recipients. It 
is imperative, therefore, that Applicants, Recipients, Subsidiaries, 
Affiliates, and signatories maintain accurate contact information in 
their accounts. This includes information such as contact names 
(especially for the authorized representative) listed in this NOFA's 
application materials, email addresses, fax and phone numbers, and 
office locations.
    D. Civil Rights and Diversity: Any person who is eligible to 
receive benefits or services from the CDFI Fund or Recipients under any 
of its programs is entitled to those benefits or services without being 
subject to prohibited discrimination. The Department of the Treasury's 
Office of Civil Rights and Diversity enforces various Federal statutes 
and regulations that prohibit discrimination in financially assisted 
and conducted programs and activities of the CDFI Fund. If a person 
believes that s/he has been subjected to discrimination and/or reprisal 
because of membership in a protected group, s/he may file a complaint 
with: Associate Chief Human Capital Officer, Office of Civil Rights, 
and Diversity, 1500 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20220 or 
(202) 622-1160 (not a toll-free number).

VIII. Other Information

    A. Paperwork Reduction Act: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 
U.S.C. chapter 35), an agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection 
of information, and an individual is not required to respond to a 
collection of information, unless it displays a valid OMB control 
number. If applicable, the CDFI Fund may inform Applicants that they do 
not need to provide certain Application information otherwise required. 
Pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act, the CDFI Program, and NACA 
Program Application has been assigned the following control number: 
1559-0021.
    B. Application Information Sessions: The CDFI Fund may conduct 
webinars or host information sessions for organizations that are 
considering applying to, or are interested in learning about, the CDFI 
Fund's programs. For further information, please visit the CDFI Fund's 
Web site at http://www.cdfifund.gov.

    Authority: 12 U.S.C. 4701, et seq.; 12 CFR parts 1805 and 1815; 
2 CFR part 200.

Mary Ann Donovan,
Director, Community Development Financial Institutions Fund.
[FR Doc. 2017-03743 Filed 2-24-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810-70-P