[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 22 (Thursday, February 1, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4729-4750]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-01998]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Community Development Financial Institutions Fund


Funding Opportunity Title: Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) 
Inviting Applications for Financial Assistance (FA) Awards or Technical 
Assistance (TA) Grants Under the Native American CDFI Assistance (NACA 
Program) Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Funding Round

    Announcement Type: Announcement of funding opportunity.
    Funding Opportunity Number: CDFI-2018-NACA.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 21.012.
    Key Dates:

                 Table 1--FY 2018 NACA Program Funding Round--Critical Deadlines for Applicants
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Description                     Deadline              Time (eastern time--ET)      Submission method
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Last day to contact             February 28, 2018...........  11:59 p.m..................  Service Request via
 Certification, Compliance                                                                  Award Management
 Monitoring and Evaluation                                                                  Information System
 (CCME) staff regarding CDFI                                                                (AMIS).
 Certification.
CDFI certification              March 2, 2018...............  11:59 p.m..................  Electronically via
 applications.                                                                              AMIS.
Create AMIS Account (New        March 2, 2018...............  11:59 p.m..................  AMIS.
 Applicants).
SF424 (Application for Federal  March 2, 2018...............  11:59 p.m..................  Electronically via
 Assistance).                                                                               Grants.gov.
Last day to contact NACA        April 2, 2018...............  5:00 p.m...................  Service Request via
 Program staff.                                                                             AMIS or CDFI Fund
                                                                                            Helpdesk: 202-653-
                                                                                            0421.
NACA Program Application for    April 4, 2018...............  11:59 p.m..................  AMIS.
 Financial Assistance (FA) or
 Technical Assistance (TA).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Executive Summary: Through the NACA Program, the Community 
Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund provides (i) FA awards 
of up to $1 million to Certified Community Development Financial 
Institutions (CDFIs) serving Native American, Alaska Native, or Native 
Hawaiian populations or Native American areas defined as Federally-
designated reservations, Hawaiian homelands, Alaska Native Villages and 
U.S. Census Bureau-designated Tribal Statistical Areas (collectively, 
``Native Communities'') to build their financial capacity to lend to 
their Target Markets, and (ii) TA grants of up to $150,000 to build 
Certified, Certifiable, and Emerging CDFIs' organizational capacity to 
serve their Target Markets and Sponsoring Entities ability to create 
Certified CDFIs that serve Native Communities. 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 $2.5 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 
guaranteed $1.36 billion in bonds for Eligible CDFIs through the CDFI 
Bond Guarantee Program.

[[Page 4730]]

    B. Priorities: Through the NACA 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 CDFIs. These 
organizations, certified as CDFIs by the CDFI Fund, serve Native 
Communities.
    C. Program Regulations: The regulations governing the NACA Program 
are found at 12 CFR parts 1805 and 1815 (the Regulations) and are used 
by the CDFI Fund to govern, in general, the NACA Program, setting 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) (the Uniform Requirements) for a complete 
understanding of the NACA Program. Capitalized terms in this NOFA are 
defined in the authorizing statute, the Regulations, this NOFA, the 
Application, or the Uniform 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 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 Requirements include guidance on 
audit requirements and other award compliance requirements for 
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. The CDFI Fund also reserves the right to 
reallocate funds from the amount that is anticipated to be available 
through this NOFA to other CDFI Fund initiatives that are designed to 
benefit Native American, Native Hawaiian, and Alaskan Native 
communities, particularly if the CDFI Fund determines that the number 
of awards made through this NOFA is fewer than projected.

II. Federal Award Information

    A. Funding Availability:
    1. FY 2018 Funding Round: The CDFI Fund expects to award, through 
this NOFA, approximately $15.5 million as indicated in the following 
table:

                                               Table 2--FY 2018 Funding Round Anticipated Category Amounts
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Estimated             Award amount              Estimated       Estimate
 Funding categories (see definition in Table 7 for TA or   total amount  --------------------------------    number of    average amount  Average amount
                     Table 8 for FA)                       to be awarded                                   awards for FY   awarded in FY   awarded in FY
                                                            (millions)        Minimum         Maximum          2018            2018            2017
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FA......................................................          $10.95        $150,000      $1,000,000              19        $577,000        $577,000
Persistent Poverty Counties--Financial Assistance (PPC-             1.55         100,000         300,000               8         195,000         195,000
 FA)....................................................
TA......................................................               3          10,000         150,000              20         147,000         147,000
                                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total (FA, PPC-FA, and TA)..........................            15.5  ..............  ..............              47  ..............  ..............
Disability Funds--Financial Assistance (DF-FA) *........             2.5         100,000         500,000              10         250,000             N/A
Healthy Food Financing Initiative--Financial Assistance               22         500,000       5,000,000              10       2,200,000       1,700,000
 (HFFI-FA) *............................................
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* DF-FA and 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 2018 Funding Round: Funds for 
the FY 2018 Funding Round are subject to change based on passage of a 
final FY 2018 budget; if Congress does not appropriate funds for the 
NACA Program there will not be an FY 2018 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 final FY 
2018 appropriations for the NACA 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 Extension of 
Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public Law 115-120) and 
Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Requirements Act, 2017 
(Pub. L.115-56).
    3. Anticipated Start Date and Period of Performance: The CDFI Fund 
anticipates the period of performance for the FY 2018 Funding Round 
will begin in late September 2018. Specifically, the period of 
performance for TA grants begins with the date of the notice of the 
award and includes either (i) an Emerging or Certifiable CDFI 
Recipient's three full consecutive fiscal years after the date of the 
notice of the award or (ii) a Certified CDFI Recipient's two full 
consecutive fiscal years after the date of the award announcement or 
(iii) a Sponsoring Entity award Recipient's four full years after the 
award announcement, 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 award 
announcement and includes a Recipient's three full consecutive fiscal 
years after the date of the notice of the award, during which time the 
Recipient must meet the performance goals set forth in the Assistance 
Agreement.
    B. Types of Awards: Through the NACA Program, the CDFI Fund 
provides two types of awards: Financial Assistance (FA) and Technical 
Assistance (TA) awards. An Applicant

[[Page 4731]]

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. Persistent Poverty Counties--Financial Assistance (PPC-FA) 
Awards: PPC-FA awards will be provided as a supplement to FA awards; 
therefore, only those Applicants that are selected to receive an FA 
award through the NACA Program FY 2018 Funding Round will be eligible 
to receive a PPC-FA award. PPC-FA awards can be in the form of loans, 
grants, Equity Investment, deposits and credit union shares. The form 
of the PPC-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 PPC-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 a PPC-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.
    The PPC-FA award is evaluated independently from the FA award and 
will not affect the FA award evaluation or amount.
    3. Disability Funds--Financial Assistance (DF-FA) Awards: DF-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 NACA Program FY 2018 Funding Round will be eligible to receive a 
DF-FA award. DF-FA awards can be in the form of loans, grants, Equity 
Investments, deposits and credit union shares. The form of the DF-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 DF-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 a DF-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. The DF-FA award 
is evaluated independently from the FA award and will not affect the FA 
award evaluation or amount.
    4. 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 NACA Program FY 2018 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. The HFFI-FA award is 
evaluated independently from the FA award and will not affect the FA 
award evaluation or amount.
    5. 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.
    C. Eligible Activities:
    1. FA Awards: FA, PPC-FA, DF-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 Recipients must meet Performance Goals, which will be 
derived from projections and attestations provided by the Applicant in 
its application, to achieve one or more of the following FA Objectives: 
(i) Increase Volume of Financial Products or Financial Services in an 
Eligible Market(s) or in the Applicant's approved Target Market; (ii) 
Serve New Geographic Area or Areas; (iii) Provide New Financial 
Products in an Eligible Market(s) or in the Applicant's approved Target 
Market, New Financial Services in an Eligible Market(s) or in the 
Applicant's approved Target Market, or New Development Services in an 
Eligible Market(s) or in the Applicant's approved Target Market; and 
(iv) Serve New Targeted Population or Populations. At the end of each 
year of the period of performance, fifty (50) percent or more of the 
Financial Products closed by NACA Recipients must be in Native 
Communities. 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. ``Direct Administrative 
Expenses'' shall mean Direct Costs, as described in section 2 CFR 
200.413 of the Uniform Requirements, which are incurred by the 
Recipient to carry out the Financial Assistance. Direct Costs incurred 
to provide Development Services or Financial Services do not constitute 
Direct Administrative Expenses. The Recipient must comply, as 
applicable, with the Buy American Act of 1933, 41 U.S.C. 8301-8303, 
with respect to any Direct Costs. For purposes of this NOFA, the five 
eligible activity categories are defined as follows:

[[Page 4732]]



  Table 3--FA, PPC-FA, DF-FA, and HFFI-FA Eligible Activity Categories
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 FA eligible activity
                                  definition--all FA
                                  eligible activities     Eligible CDFI
     FA eligible activity       must be in an eligible     institution
                                     market or the            types
                                 applicant's approved
                                     target market
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
                                 For HFFI-FA, however,
                                 the purchase of loans
                                 originated by
                                 certified CDFIs is
                                 not an Eligible
                                 Activity.
ii. Financial Services........  FA expended for         Insured
                                 providing checking,     Depository
                                 savings accounts,       Institutions
                                 check cashing, money    and Depository
                                 orders, certified       Institution
                                 checks, deposit         Holding Company
                                 taking, safe deposit    only.
                                 box services, and      Not applicable
                                 other similar           for HFFI-FA
                                 services.               Recipients.
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 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     and Depository
                                 other capital, for      Institution
                                 such purposes as        Holding Company
                                 increasing its net      only.
                                 assets or provide      Not applicable
                                 financing, or for       for DF-FA.
                                 related purposes as
                                 the CDFI Fund deems
                                 appropriate.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Eligible Market is defined as (i) a geographic area meeting the 
requirements set forth in 12 CFR 1805.201(b)(3)(ii), or (ii) 
individuals that are Low-Income or are African American, Hispanic or 
American Indian, Native Hawaiians residing in Hawaii, Native Alaskans 
residing in Alaska, and Other Pacific Islanders residing in American 
Samoa, Guam or the Northern Mariana Islands.
    2. DF-FA Award: DF-FA award funds can only be expended for eligible 
FA activities referenced in Table 3 to directly or indirectly benefit 
individuals with disabilities. The DF-FA Recipient must close Financial 
Products for the primary purpose of directly or indirectly benefiting 
people with disabilities in an amount equal to or greater than 85 
percent of the total DF-FA provided. Such financing activities have a 
primary purpose of directly or indirectly benefiting individuals with 
disabilities where the majority of the DF-FA supported loans or 
investments benefit individuals with disabilities. Eligible DF-FA 
financing activities may include, among other activities, loans to 
develop or purchase affordable, accessible, and safe housing; loans to 
provide or facilitate employment opportunities; and loans to purchase 
assistive technology.
    For the purposes of DF-FA, a person with a Disability is: A person 
who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one 
or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of 
such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having 
such an impairment, as defined by the American Disabilities Act (ADA) 
at https://www.ada.gov/cguide.htm.
    3. 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. The Recipient must comply, 
as applicable, with the Buy American Act of 1933, 41 U.S.C. 8301-8303, 
with respect to any Direct Costs. For purposes of this NOFA, the seven 
eligible activity categories are defined as follows:

  Table 4--TA Eligible Activity Categories as Subject to the Applicable
                 Provisions of the Uniform Requirements
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(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).
                                    Any work performed directly but
                                     unrelated to the purposes of the TA
                                     grant cannot be paid as
                                     Compensation through a TA grant.
                                     For example, the salaries for
                                     building maintenance would not
                                     carry out the purpose of a TA grant
                                     and would be deemed unallowable.
(ii) Compensation--fringe benefits  TA paid to cover costs of the
                                     Applicant's personnel employment
                                     (other than the employees'
                                     salaries). The costs of fringe
                                     benefits are allowable provided
                                     that the benefits are reasonable
                                     and are required by law, non-
                                     Federal entity-employee agreement,
                                     or an established policy of the non-
                                     Federal entity and consistently
                                     applied organizational policies.

[[Page 4733]]

 
(iii) Professional service costs..  TA used to pay for professional and
                                     consultant services (e.g., such as
                                     strategic and marketing plan
                                     development), rendered by persons
                                     who are members of a particular
                                     profession or possess a special
                                     skill (e.g., credit analysis,
                                     portfolio management), and who are
                                     not officers or employees of the
                                     Recipient. Payment for a
                                     consultant's services may not
                                     exceed the current maximum of the
                                     daily equivalent rate paid to an
                                     Executive Schedule Level IV Federal
                                     employee. Professional and
                                     consultant services must build the
                                     capacity of the CDFI. For example,
                                     professional services that provide
                                     direct development services to the
                                     customers does not build the
                                     capacity of the CDFI to provide
                                     those services and would not be
                                     eligible.
(iv) Travel costs.................  TA used to pay expenses for
                                     transportation, lodging,
                                     subsistence, and related items
                                     incurred by the Applicant's
                                     personnel (does not include
                                     consultants or board members) who
                                     are on travel status on business
                                     related to the TA grant. Any
                                     payments for travel expenses
                                     incurred by the Applicant's
                                     personnel but unrelated to carrying
                                     out the purpose of the TA grant
                                     would be deemed unallowable. As
                                     such, documentation must be
                                     maintained that justifies the
                                     travel as necessary to the TA
                                     grant.
(v) Training and education costs..  TA used to pay the cost of training
                                     and education provided for employee
                                     development. TA can only be used to
                                     pay for training costs incurred by
                                     the Applicant's personnel (does not
                                     include consultants or board
                                     members).
(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. For example, items such as
                                     office furnishings and information
                                     technology systems are allowable as
                                     Equipment costs. The Recipient must
                                     comply, as applicable, with the Buy
                                     American Act of 1933, 41 U.S.C.
                                     8301-8303 with respect to the
                                     purchase of Equipment.
(vii) Supplies....................  TA used to pay for tangible personal
                                     property with a per unit
                                     acquisition cost of less than
                                     $5,000. For example, a desktop
                                     computer costing $1,000 is
                                     allowable as a Supply cost. The
                                     Recipient must comply, as
                                     applicable, with the Buy American
                                     Act of 1933, 41 U.S.C. 8301-8303
                                     with respect to the purchase of
                                     Supplies.
(viii) Unallowable Costs..........  The following costs are unallowable
                                     and cannot be paid for with a TA
                                     grant (but not limited to per the
                                     UAR):
                                        Selling or marketing
                                        products or services of the non-
                                        federal entity that are not
                                        directly related to building the
                                        capacity of the CDFI;
                                       Advertising media, including
                                        printing of materials, the cost
                                        of displays, demonstrations, and
                                        exhibits that are not directly
                                        related to building the capacity
                                        of the CDFI;
                                          Promotional items and
                                          memorabilia;
 
                                          Advertising and public
                                          relations designed solely to
                                          promote the non-Federal entity
                                          that are not directly related
                                          to building the capacity of
                                          the CDFI;
                                          Facilities acquisition/
                                          development costs;
                                          Fees, including fees
                                          paid to brokers, promoters,
                                          organizers, management
                                          consultants, attorneys,
                                          accountants, or investment
                                          counselor;
                                          Memberships in country
                                          clubs or organizations whose
                                          primary purpose is lobbying;
                                          Audit costs for audits
                                          either: (1) Required under the
                                          Single Audit Act but have not
                                          been conducted or have been
                                          conducted but not in
                                          accordance with the Single
                                          Audit Act requirements; or (2)
                                          for a non-Federal entity that
                                          is exempted from having an
                                          audit conducted in the Single
                                          Audit act.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    4. 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 close Financial Products for Healthy Food Retail 
Outlets and Healthy Food Non-Retail Outlets in its Target Market in an 
amount equal to or greater than 100 percent 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 loan or investment be devoted to offering a range of 
Healthy Food choice, which may include, among other activities, 
investments supporting an existing retail store or wholesale operation 
upgrade 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 demonstrate that it has closed Financial Products 
to Healthy Food Retail Outlets located in Food Deserts in the 
Recipient's Target Market in an amount equal to 75 percent of the total 
HFFI Financial Assistance provided.

Definitions

    Healthy Foods. Healthy Foods include unprepared 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

[[Page 4734]]

or share of residents has low access to a supermarket or large grocery 
store. For the purpose of satisfying this requirement, 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.
    5. PPC-FA Award: PPC-FA award funds can only be expended for 
eligible FA activities referenced in Table 3. The PPC-FA Recipient must 
close Financial Products to an Eligible Market or in the Applicant's 
approved Target Market in a Persistent Poverty Counties (PPC) in an 
amount equal to or greater than 100 percent of the total PPC Financial 
Assistance provided.
    The specific counties that meet the criteria for ``persistent 
poverty'' can be found at: https://www.cdfifund.gov/Documents/Persistent%20Poverty%20Counties%20CDFI%20Fund%20July6-2017.xlsx.

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 12 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 is 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 CDFI
                                     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.
                                     Emerging CDFI selected to
                                     receive a TA grant will be required
                                     to become a Certified CDFI by a
                                     date specified in the Assistance
                                     Agreement.
Sponsoring Entity.................   Sponsoring Entities include
                                     any legal organization that
                                     primarily serves Native Community
                                     with ``primary'' meaning, at least
                                     50 percent of its activities are
                                     directed toward the Native
                                     Community.
                                     An eligible organization
                                     that proposes to create a separate
                                     legal organization that will become
                                     a Certified CDFI serving Native
                                     Communities.
                                     Sponsoring Entities may
                                     only apply for TA grants; they are
                                     not eligible to apply for FA
                                     awards.
                                     Each Sponsoring Entity
                                     selected to receive a TA grant will
                                     be required to create and certify
                                     an Emerging CDFI by the dates
                                     specified in the Assistance
                                     Agreement.
Definition of Native Other          The CDFI Fund uses the following
 Targeted Population as Target       definitions, set forth in the
 Market.                             Office of Management and Budget
                                     (OMB) Notice, Revisions to the
                                     Standards for the Classification of
                                     Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity
                                     (October 30, 1997), as amended and
                                     supplemented:
                                     American Indian, Native
                                     American, or Alaska Native: A
                                     person having origins in any of the
                                     original peoples of North and South
                                     America (including Central America)
                                     and who maintains tribal
                                     affiliation or community
                                     attachment; and
                                     Native Hawaiian (living in
                                     Hawaii): A person having origins in
                                     any of the original peoples of
                                     Hawaii.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


          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 Recipient,
                                     other than Depository Institution
                                     Holding Companies (see below) and
                                     Sponsoring Entities). Recipients
                                     cannot create a new legal entity to
                                     carry out the proposed award
                                     activities (except for Sponsoring
                                     Entities).
                                     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, other than
                                     Depository Institution Holding
                                     Companies (see below).
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) The SF-424 in
                                     Grants.gov and (2) all other
                                     required application materials in
                                     AMIS.

[[Page 4735]]

 
                                     Grants.gov and the SF-424:
                                       [cir] Grants.gov: Applicants must
                                        submit the Office of Management
                                        and Budget (OMB) Standard Form
                                        (SF) OMB SF-424, Application for
                                        Federal Assistance.
                                       [cir] All Applicants must
                                        register in the Grants.gov
                                        system to successfully submit an
                                        application. The Grants.gov
                                        registration process can take 30
                                        days or more to complete. The
                                        CDFI Fund strongly encourages
                                        applicants to register as early
                                        as possible.
                                       [cir] The CDFI Fund will not
                                        extend the SF-424 (or AMIS)
                                        application deadline for any
                                        Applicant that started the
                                        Grants.gov registration process
                                        on, before, or after the date of
                                        the publication of this NOFA,
                                        but did not complete it by the
                                        deadline except in the case of a
                                        Federal government
                                        administrative or technological
                                        error that directly resulted in
                                        a late submission of the SF-424.
                                       [cir] The SF-424 must be
                                        submitted in Grants.gov on or
                                        before March 2, 2018, the
                                        deadline listed in Table 1 and
                                        Table 12. 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 NACA 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 and all other required
                                     application materials:
                                       [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 NACA Program Application
                                        submission in AMIS.
                                       [cir] Each Application in AMIS
                                        must be signed by an Authorized
                                        Representative.
                                       [cir] Applicants must ensure that
                                        the Authorized Representative is
                                        authorized to sign legal
                                        documents on behalf of the
                                        organization; consultants
                                        working on behalf of the
                                        organization cannot be
                                        designated as Authorized
                                        Representatives.
                                       [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 12.
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.
System for Award Management (SAM).   SAM is a web-based,
                                     government-wide application that
                                     collects, validates, stores, and
                                     disseminates business information
                                     about the federal government's
                                     trading partners in support of the
                                     contract awards, grants, and
                                     electronic payment processes.
                                     Applicants must register in
                                     SAM as part of the Grants.gov
                                     registration process.
                                     Applicants must have a DUNS
                                     number and an EIN number in order
                                     to register in SAM.
                                     Applicants must be
                                     registered in SAM before they can
                                     submit an SF-424 in Grants.gov.
AMIS Accounts.....................   Each Applicant must
                                     register as an organization in AMIS
                                     and submit all required application
                                     materials through the AMIS portal.
                                     The Application of any
                                     organization that does not properly
                                     register in AMIS by the deadline
                                     set forth in Table 1-FY 2018 NACA
                                     Program Funding Round Critical
                                     Deadlines for Applicants will be
                                     rejected without further
                                     consideration.
                                     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 ``3''.
                                     Organizations with CAMELS/
                                     CAMEL ratings of ``4 or 5'' will
                                     not be eligible for awards.
                                     The CDFI Fund will also
                                     evaluate materials concerns
                                     identified by the Appropriate
                                     Federal Banking Agency in
                                     determining eligibility of Insured
                                     Depository Institution Applicants.
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).

[[Page 4736]]

 
                                     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
                                     without the CDFI Fund's prior
                                     written consent (other than
                                     Depository Institution Holding
                                     Company Applicants).
                                     The Recipient of any award
                                     made through this NOFA must comply,
                                     as applicable, with the Buy
                                     American Act of 1933, 41 U.S.C.
                                     8301-8303, with respect to any
                                     Direct Costs.
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.
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 NACA Program loan
                                     within five years of the
                                     Application deadline.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


           Table 7--Eligibility Requirements for TA Applicants
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CDFI certification status.........  Certified, Certifiable, Emerging
                                     CDFIs, or Sponsoring Entities (see
                                     definitions in Table 5).
Matching funds....................   Matching funds
                                     documentation is not required for
                                     TA awards.
Limitation on Awards..............   An Emerging CDFI serving
                                     Native Communities will be allowed
                                     to receive no more than three TA
                                     awards as an uncertified CDFI.
                                     A Sponsoring Entity is only
                                     eligible to apply for an award if
                                     (i) it does not have an active
                                     prior award or (ii) the
                                     certification goal in its active
                                     award's Assistance Agreement has
                                     been satisfied and it proposes to
                                     create another CDFI that will serve
                                     one or more Native Communities.
Proposed Activities...............   Applicants must propose to
                                     directly undertake eligible
                                     activities with TA awards. For
                                     example, an uncertified CDFI
                                     Applicant must propose to become
                                     certified as part of its
                                     application and a Certified CDFI
                                     Applicant must propose activities
                                     that build its capacity to serve
                                     its Target Market or an Eligible
                                     Market.
                                     With the exception of
                                     Sponsoring Entities, Applicants may
                                     not propose to use a TA award to
                                     create a separate legal entity to
                                     become a certified CDFI or
                                     otherwise carryout the TA award
                                     activities.
Target Market.....................   TA Applicants must
                                     demonstrate that the Certified,
                                     Certifiable, Emerging CDFI, or the
                                     CDFI to be created by the
                                     Sponsoring Entity will primarily
                                     serve one or more Native Community
                                     as its Target Market.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


           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.
                                     The CDFI Fund will consider
                                     an Application submitted by an
                                     Applicant that has pending
                                     noncompliance issues with its
                                     Annual Certification Report, if the
                                     CDFI Fund has not yet made a final
                                     compliance determination.
Activities in Native Communities..   For consideration under
                                     this NOFA, each FA Applicant must:
                                       [cir] Demonstrate that at least
                                        50 percent of its past
                                        activities were in one or more
                                        Native Communities; and
                                       [cir] describe how it will target
                                        its lending/investing activities
                                        to one or more Native
                                        Communities.
Target Market.....................   For consideration under
                                     this NOFA, an FA Applicant's
                                     certification Target Market must
                                     have one or more of the following
                                     characteristics:
                                       [cir] For qualifying with an
                                        investment area Target Market,
                                        the Applicant must demonstrate
                                        that the investment area
                                        approved for certification is
                                        also a geographic area of
                                        Federally-designated
                                        reservations, Hawaiian
                                        homelands, Alaska Native
                                        Villages and U.S. Census Bureau
                                        designated Tribal Statistical
                                        Areas; and/or
                                       [cir] For qualifying with an
                                        Other Targeted Population (OTP)
                                        Target Market, the applicant's
                                        Target Market approved for
                                        certification must be an OTP of
                                        Native Americans or American
                                        Indians, including Alaska
                                        Natives living in Alaska and
                                        Native Hawaiians living in
                                        Hawaii.
                                     Any FA Applicant whose
                                     certification Target Market does
                                     not meet either of the conditions
                                     above will not be eligible for an
                                     FA award under this NOFA.
Community collaboration...........   All FA Applicants must
                                     demonstrate strong community
                                     collaboration with Native
                                     Communities.
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.

[[Page 4737]]

 
$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 2018
                                     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 2016 and 2017 funding
                                     rounds, as well as the requested FY
                                     2018 award, excluding DF-FA and
                                     HFFI-FA awards. The CDFI Fund will
                                     make the FY 2018 funding round
                                     award announcements after September
                                     10, 2018.
FA Applicants with Community         A NACA Applicant can apply
 Partners.                           for assistance jointly with a
                                     Community Partner. The NACA
                                     Applicant would complete the NACA
                                     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 NACA 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 NACA
                                        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
                                        NACA Applicant.
                                     Assistance provided upon
                                     approval of an Application with a
                                     Community Partner shall only be
                                     entrusted to the NACA Applicant and
                                     shall not be used to fund any
                                     activity carried out directly by
                                     the Community Partner or an
                                     Affiliate or Subsidiary thereof.
PPC-FA............................   All PPC-FA Applicants must:
                                       [cir] Submit a CDFI or NACA
                                        Program FA Application;
                                       [cir] Meet all NACA FA award
                                        eligibility requirements; and
                                       [cir] Provide a PPC-FA award
                                        request amount in AMIS.
DF-FA.............................   All DF-FA Applicants must:
                                       [cir] Submit a CDFI or NACA
                                        Program FA Application;
                                       [cir] Meet all NACA FA award
                                        eligibility requirements;
                                       [cir] Submit the DF-FA
                                        Application; and
                                       [cir] Provide a DF-FA award
                                        request amount in AMIS.
HFFI-FA...........................   All HFFI-FA Applicants
                                     must:
                                       [cir] Submit a CDFI or NACA
                                        Program FA Application;
                                       [cir] Meet all NACA FA award
                                        eligibility requirements;
                                       [cir] Submit the HFFI-FA
                                        Application; and
                                       [cir] Provide a 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 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 Requirements, and the 
matching funds guidance materials available on the CDFI Fund's website. 
Table 9 provides a summary of the matching funds requirements; 
additional details are set forth in the Application materials.

                  Table 9--Matching Funds Requirements
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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;
                                        equity investment--the
                                        stock certificate, documentation
                                        of total equity outstanding, and
                                        shareholder agreement;
                                        retained earnings--
                                        Retained Earnings Calculator and
                                        audited financial statements or
                                        call reports from regulating
                                        entity for each fiscal year
                                        reported in Retained Earnings
                                        Calculator;
                                        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.

[[Page 4738]]

 
                                     Although Applicants are not
                                     required to provide further
                                     documentation for In-Hand matching
                                     funds at the time of Application
                                     submission, other than for Retained
                                     Earnings and Equity Investments,
                                     they must be able to provide
                                     documentation to the CDFI Fund upon
                                     request.
Matching funds requirements by      The following Applicants must
 application type.                   provide evidence of acceptable
                                     matching funds:
                                     NACA FA Applicants applying
                                     for FA, PPC-FA, and DF-FA
                                    (upon request) *; and
                                     HFFI-FA Applicants (upon
                                     request).*
                                    TA Applicants are not required to
                                     provide matching funds.
                                    * The matching funds requirement for
                                     HFFI-FA and NACA FA applicants was
                                     waived in the appropriations bill
                                     for FY 2017 and the final FY 2018
                                     appropriations are still pending.
                                     HFFI-FA and NACA 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 NACA FA applicants if matching
                                     funds are not waived in the final
                                     FY 2018 NACA 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 do 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 eligible grant
                                     matching funds of $400,000, 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, 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 form of award changes are
                                     approved by the CDFI Fund.
Matching Funds Window definition..   The Applicant must receive
                                     eligible In-Hand matching funds
                                     between January 1, 2016 and January
                                     15, 2019.
                                     A Recipient must provide
                                     the CDFI Fund with all
                                     documentation demonstrating the
                                     receipt of In-Hand matching funds
                                     by January 31, 2019.
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
                                     maximum award amount.
                                     The form of the matching
                                     funds documented in the Application
                                     determines the form of the award.
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.
                                     The Applicant 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 the Applicant is
                                     not required to provide further
                                     documentation for Committed
                                     matching funds at the time of
                                     Application submission, other than
                                     for Retained Earnings, they 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 NACA Program, NACA
                                     Program, or under another Federal
                                     grant or award program.
                                     Matching funds must comply
                                     with Regulations at 12 CFR 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 a
                                     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
                                     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:
                                    i. 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
                                       ii. A fixed interest rate of 2.24
                                        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 4739]]

 
                                       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.........   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 NACA FA eligibility criteria
                                     described in Table 8. Instructions
                                     for requesting a Severe Constraints
                                     Waiver will be made available if
                                     required.
                                     No more than 25 percent of
                                     the total funds available for
                                     obligation under this funding round
                                     may be matched under the Severe
                                     Constraints Waiver.
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.
                                     Depository Institution
                                     Holding Company Applicants must
                                     provide call reports for the
                                     Depository Institution Holding
                                     Company in order to verify their
                                     retained earnings, even if the
                                     requested FA award will support its
                                     subsidiary bank.
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, 2018; 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, 2016, and
                                        December 31, 2017.
                                        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. 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, 2018; 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.
                                        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, 2016, and December 31, 2017.

[[Page 4740]]

 
                                        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's website.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

IV. Application and Submission Information

    A. Address To Request an Application Package: Application materials 
can be found on the CDFI Fund's website at www.cdfifund.gov/native. 
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 2018 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
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Active AMIS Account...........  All Applicants........  AMIS.
SF-424........................  All Applicants........  Fillable PDF in
                                                         Grants.gov.
NACA Program Application        All Applicants........  AMIS.
 Components:.
     Funding
     Application Detail.
     Data, Charts, and
     Narrative sections as
     listed in AMIS and
     outlined in Application
     materials.
DF-FA Application Components:.  DF-FA Applicants......  AMIS.
     Requested             --Must submit
     Disability Funds--             narrative document
     Financial Assistance           to FA Application
     Amount Narratives *.           in AMIS.
    * DF-FA Narrative will be
     provided after FA
     Application submission if
     DF-FA funding request is
     specified in AMIS.
HFFI-FA Application             HFFI-FA Applicants....  AMIS.
 Components:.
     Funding               --Must create new
     Application Detail.            funding
                                    application.
     Narratives.......
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     ATTACHMENTS TO THE APPLICATION:
       Add to ``Related Attachments'' related list in application
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
 For the Applicant's Three       funds, venture
 Most Recent Historic Fiscal     capital funds, and
 Years.                          other non-Insured
                                 Depository
                                 Institutions.
Management Letters for the      FA Applicants: Loan     PDF in AMIS.
 Applicant's Most Recent         funds, venture
 Historic Fiscal Year.           capital funds, and
                                 other non-Insured
                                 Depository
                                 Institutions, TA
                                 Applicants: If
                                 available.

[[Page 4741]]

 
The Management Letter is
 prepared by the Applicant's
 auditor and is a
 communication on internal
 control over financial
 reporting, compliance, and
 other matters. The Management
 Letter contains the auditor's
 findings regarding the
 Applicant's accounting
 policies and procedures,
 internal controls, and
 operating policies, including
 any material weaknesses,
 significant deficiencies, and
 other matters identified
 during auditing. The
 Management Letter may include
 suggestions for improving on
 identified weaknesses and
 deficiencies and/or best
 practice suggestions for
 items that may not be
 considered to be weaknesses
 or deficiencies. The
 Management Letter may also
 include items that are not
 required to be disclosed in
 the annual Audited Financial
 Statements. The Management
 Letter is distinct from the
 auditor's Opinion Letter,
 which is required by
 Generally Accepted Accounting
 Principles (GAAP). Management
 Letters are not required by
 GAAP, and are sometimes
 provided by the auditor as a
 separate letter from the
 Audit itself.
Statement(s) in Lieu of         FA Applicants: Loan     PDF in AMIS.
 Management Letter for           funds and other non-
 Applicant's Most Recent         Insured Depository
 Historic Fiscal Year Issued     Institutions, TA
 from Board Treasurer or other   Applicants: If
 Board member using template     available.
 provided in application
 materials.
(required only if Management
 Letters are not available for
 Audited Financial Statements).
Unaudited Financial Statements  TA Applicants: Loan     PDF in AMIS.
 for Applicant's Three Most      funds, venture
 Recent Historic Years (if       capital funds, and
 Audited Financial Statements    other non-Insured
 are not available).             Depository
                                 Institutions.
Current Year to Date--December  FA and TA Applicants:   PDF in AMIS.
 31, 2017 Unaudited Financial    Loan funds, venture
 Statements.                     capital funds, and
                                 other non-Insured
                                 Depository
                                 Institutions.
Community Partnership           FA Applicants, if       PDF or Word
 Agreement.                      applicable.             document in
                                                         AMIS.
Matching Funds Breakout Table   CDFI Program FA Core    Excel in AMIS.
 Excel Workbook.                 Applicants (the CDFI
                                 Fund reserves the
                                 right to request
                                 matching funds from
                                 HFFI-FA and NACA FA
                                 applicants if
                                 matching funds are
                                 not waived in the
                                 final FY 2018 NACA
                                 Program
                                 appropriation).
Call Reports for each fiscal    CDFI Program FA Core    PDF in AMIS.
 year reported in the Retained   Applicants: Insured
 Earnings Calculator.            Depository
                                 Institutions that are
                                 using Retained
                                 Earnings as matching
                                 funds only (the CDFI
                                 Fund reserves the
                                 right to request this
                                 information from HFFI-
                                 FA and NACA FA
                                 applicants if
                                 matching funds are
                                 not waived in the
                                 final FY 2018 NACA
                                 Program
                                 appropriation).
Equity Investment Matching      CDFI Program FA Core    PDF or Word
 Funds Documentation.            Applicants: For-        document in
                                 profit CDFIs that are   AMIS.
                                 using an Equity
                                 Investment(s) as
                                 matching funds only
                                 (the CDFI Fund
                                 reserves the right to
                                 request this
                                 information from HFFI-
                                 FA and NACA FA
                                 applicants if
                                 matching funds are
                                 not waived in the
                                 final FY 2018 NACA
                                 Program
                                 appropriation).
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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. 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 Applicants must register in the Grants.gov system to 
successfully submit the SF-424. The Grants.gov registration process can 
take 30 days or longer to complete and 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). Since the Grants.gov registration process 
requires Applicants to have DUNS and EIN numbers, Applicants without 
these required numbers should allow for additional time to complete the 
Grants.gov registration process. The CDFI Fund will not extend the 
application deadline to any Applicant that started the Grants.gov 
registration process but did not complete it by the deadline. An 
Applicant that has previously registered with Grants.gov must verify 
that its registration is current and active. 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. Each Application

[[Page 4742]]

must be signed by a designated Authorized Representative in AMIS before 
it can be submitted. Applicants must ensure that an Authorized 
Representative is authorized to sign legal documents on behalf of the 
organization. Consultants working on behalf of the organization cannot 
be designated as Authorized Representatives. Only a designated 
Authorized Representative or Application Point of Contact, included in 
the Application, may submit the Application in AMIS. If an Authorized 
Representative or Application Point of Contact does not submit the 
application, the application will be deemed ineligible.
    D. Dun & Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS): Pursuant to 
the Uniform 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. 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. 
Registration in SAM is required as part of the Grants.gov registration 
process. The SAM registration process can take two weeks or longer to 
complete. Applicants without DUNS and/or EIN numbers should allow for 
additional time as an Applicant cannot register in SAM without those 
required numbers. 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 the SF-424 in Grants.gov or Application in 
AMIS by the applicable Application deadlines. These restrictions also 
apply to organizations that have not yet received a DUNS or EIN number. 
Applicants must contact SAM directly with questions related to 
registration or SAM account changes as the CDFI Fund does not maintain 
this system and has no ability to make changes or correct errors of any 
kind. For more information about SAM, visit https://www.sam.gov.

                               Table 11_Grants.gov Registration Timeline Summary
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   Step                               Agency                Estimated minimum time to complete
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Obtain a DUNS number.....................  Dun & Bradstreet............  One (1) Week .*
Obtain an EIN Number.....................  Internal Revenue Service      Two (2) Weeks .*
                                            (IRS).
Register in SAM.gov......................  System for Award Management   Two (2) Weeks .*
                                            (SAM.gov).
Register in Grants.gov...................  Grants.gov..................  One (1) Week .* *
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Applicants are advised that the stated durations are estimates only and represent minimum timeframes. Actual
  timeframes may take longer. The CDFI Fund will not consider any Applicant that fails to properly register or
  activate its SAM account, has not yet received a DUNS or EIN number, and/or fails to properly register in
  Grants.gov.
* * This estimate assumes an Applicant has a DUNS number, an EIN number, and is already registered in SAM.gov.

    F. Submission Dates and Times:
    1. Submission Deadlines: The following table provides the critical 
deadlines for the FY 2018 Funding Round.

                        Table 12--FY 2018 Funding Round Critical Deadlines for Applicants
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Description                     Deadline                Time (ET)             Submission method
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Last day to contact Certification,   February 28, 2018.....  11:59 p.m.............  Service Request via AMIS.
 Compliance Monitoring and
 Evaluation (CCME) staff regarding
 CDFI Certification.
CDFI certification applications....  March 2, 2018.........  11:59 p.m.............  Electronically via AMIS
Create AMIS Account (New             March 2, 2018.........  ......................  AMIS.
 Applicants).
SF424 (Application for Federal       March 2, 2018.........  11:59 p.m.............  Electronically via
 Assistance).                                                                         Grants.gov.
Last day to contact NACA Program     April 2, 2018.........  5:00 p.m..............  Service Request via AMIS
 staff.                                                                              Or CDFI Fund Helpdesk: 202-
                                                                                      653-0421.
NACA Program Application for FA or   April 4, 2018.........  11:59 p.m.............  Electronically via AMIS.
 TA.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 NACA 
Program Funding Opportunity Number. All other required application 
materials must be submitted through the AMIS website. 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

[[Page 4743]]

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. AMIS Submission Information: AMIS is a web-based portal where 
Applicants will directly enter their application information and add 
the 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. 
Each Application must be signed by an Authorized Representative in AMIS 
before it can be submitted. Applicants must ensure that an Authorized 
Representative is authorized to sign legal documents on behalf of the 
organization. Consultants working on behalf of the organization may not 
be designated as Authorized Representatives. Only an Authorized 
Representative or an Application Point of Contact can submit the 
Application. If an Authorized Representative or Application Point of 
Contact does not submit the application, the application will be deemed 
ineligible. 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 if 
the SF-424 is not submitted and accepted by Grants.gov by the deadline. 
Additionally, the CDFI Fund will not accept an Application if it is not 
signed by an Authorized Representative and submitted in AMIS by the 
deadline. In either case, the CDFI Fund will not review any material 
submitted, and the Application will be deemed ineligible.
    However, in cases where a Federal government administrative or 
technological error directly resulted in a late submission of the SF-
424 or the Application, Applicants are provided two opportunities to 
submit a written request for acceptance of late submissions. The CDFI 
Fund does not consider a delay in any Federal government process to 
constitute a Federal government administrative or technological error. 
The CDFI Fund will not consider a late submission of the SF-424 or the 
Application that was a direct result of a delay in a Federal Government 
process, unless such delay was the result of a Federal government 
administrative or technological error.
    a. SF-424 Late Submission: In cases where a Federal government 
administrative or technological error directly resulted in a late 
submission of the SF-424, the Applicant must submit a written request 
for acceptance of late SF-424 submission and include documentation of 
the error no later than two business days after the SF-424 deadline. 
The CDFI Fund will not respond to request for acceptance of late SF-424 
submissions after that time period. Applicants must submit late SF-424 
submission requests to the CDFI Fund via an AMIS service request to the 
CDFI Program with a subject line of ``Late SF-424 Submission Request.''
    b. Application Late Submission: In cases where a Federal government 
administrative or technological error directly resulted in a late 
submission of the Application in AMIS, 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 NACA Program with a 
subject line of ``Late Application Submission Request.''
    G. Funding Restrictions: FA, PPC-FA, DF-FA, HFFI-FA and TA awards 
are limited by the following:
    1. FA awards:
    a. A 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.
    e. The Recipient must comply, as applicable, with the Buy American 
Act of 1933, 41 U.S.C. 8301-8303, with respect to any Direct Costs.
    2. PPC-FA awards:
    a. A Recipient shall use PPC-FA funds only for the eligible 
activities described in Section II.(C)(5) of this NOFA and its 
Assistance Agreement.
    b. A Recipient may not distribute PPC-FA funds to an Affiliate, 
Subsidiary, or any other entity, without the CDFI Fund's prior written 
approval.
    c. PPC-FA funds shall only be paid to the Recipient.
    d. The CDFI Fund, in its sole discretion, may pay PPC-FA funds in 
amounts, or under terms and conditions, which are different from those 
requested by an Applicant.
    e. The Recipient must comply, as applicable, with the Buy American 
Act of 1933, 41 U.S.C. 8301-8303, with respect to any Direct Costs.
    3. DF-FA awards:
    a. A Recipient shall use DF-FA 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 DF-FA funds to an Affiliate, 
Subsidiary, or any other entity, without the CDFI Fund's prior written 
approval.
    c. DF-FA funds shall only be paid to the Recipient.
    d. The CDFI Fund, in its sole discretion, may pay DF-FA funds in 
amounts, or under terms and conditions, which are different from those 
requested by an Applicant.
    e. The Recipient must comply, as applicable, with the Buy American 
Act of 1933, 41 U.S.C. 8301-8303, with respect to any Direct Costs.
    2. HFFI-FA awards:
    a. A Recipient shall use HFFI-FA funds only for the eligible 
activities described in Section II.(C)(4) 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.
    e. The Recipient must comply, as applicable, with the Buy American 
Act of 1933, 41 U.S.C. 8301-8303, with respect to any Direct Costs.
    3. TA grants:
    a. A Recipient shall use TA funds only for the eligible activities 
described in Section II.(C)(3) of this NOFA and its Assistance 
Agreement.
    b. A Sponsoring Entity award Recipient must create, as a legal 
entity, the Emerging CDFI no later than the end of the first year of 
the period of performance, whereupon the Sponsoring Entity must request 
the CDFI Fund to amend the Assistance

[[Page 4744]]

Agreement and add the Emerging CDFI as a co-Recipient thereto, with the 
Sponsoring Entity, thereby transferring any and all remaining balances 
and/or assets derived from the TA award to the Emerging CDFI.
    c. A Recipient may not distribute TA funds to an Affiliate, 
Subsidiary or any other entity, without the CDFI Fund's prior written 
consent.
    d. TA funds shall only be paid to the Recipient.
    e. 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.
    f. The Recipient must comply, as applicable, with the Buy American 
Act of 1933, 41 U.S.C. 8301-8303, with respect to any Direct Costs.

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 
Requirements. The CDFI Fund reserves the right to contact the Applicant 
by telephone, email, or mail for the purpose of clarifying or 
confirming Application information. If contacted, the Applicant must 
respond within the time period communicated by the CDFI Fund or risk 
that its Application will be rejected. The CDFI Fund will review the 
FA, DF-FA, PPC-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 
pursuant to the requirements set forth in Table 8 and will be evaluated 
in accordance with 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 and Compliance Evaluation: Step 2 
contains two main components: Financial health analysis and compliance 
risk evaluation. The CDFI Fund will evaluate the financial health and 
viability of each Application using financial information provided by 
the Applicant. The CDFI Fund will also evaluate the compliance risk of 
each Application using information provided in the Application.
    For the financial health analysis, each Application will receive a 
Total Financial Composite Score on a scale of one (1) to five (5), with 
one (1) being the highest rating. The Total Financial Composite Score 
is based on the analysis of twenty-four (24) financial indicators. 
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 an initial Total Financial Composite Score of four (4) or five 
(5) will be re-evaluated and re-scored by CDFI Fund staff. If the Total 
Financial Composite Score remains four (4) or five (5) after CDFI Fund 
staff review, the Applicant will not advance to Step 3.
    For the compliance analysis, the CDFI Fund will evaluate the 
compliance risk of each Application using information provided in the 
Application. Each Application will receive a Total Compliance Composite 
Score on a scale of one (1) to five (5), with one (1) being the highest 
rating. Applicants must receive a Total Compliance Composite Score of 
one (1), two (2), or three (3) to advance to Step 3. Applicants that 
receive an initial Total Compliance Composite Score of four (4) or five 
(5) will be re-evaluated and re-scored by CDFI Fund Staff. If the Total 
Compliance Composite Score remains four (4) or five (5) after CDFI 
Staff review, the Applicant will not advance to Step 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. Two external non-CDFI Fund Reviewers will conduct the 
Step 3 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 that is either (1) equal to 
receiving a point score equivalent to a ``Good'' out of a ranking scale 
in descending order of Excellent, Good, Fair, Limited or Poor, in each 
section listed in Table 13 or (2) within the top 70 percent of the NACA 
FA applicant pool, whichever is greater. In the case of tied Total 
Business Plan Scores that would prevent an Applicant from moving to 
Step 4, all Applicants with the same score will progress to Step 4.

       Table 13--Step 3: FA Business Plan Review Scoring Criteria
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       Score needed to
   FA application sections       Possible score            advance
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Executive Summary...........  Not Scored..........  N/A.
Business Strategy...........  12..................  N/A.
Market and Competitive        7...................  N/A.
 Analysis.
Products and Services.......  12..................  N/A.
Management and Track Record.  12..................  N/A.
Growth and Projections......  7...................  N/A.
                             -------------------------------------------
    Total Business Plan       50..................  NACA FA Applicants:
     Score.                                          Within Top 70
                                                     percent of all NACA
                                                     Applicant Step 3
                                                     Scores.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    d. Step 4: Policy Objective Review: 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. 
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

[[Page 4745]]

Review Score. Each Applicant will be evaluated in each of the 
categories, which will result in a Total Policy Objective Review 
Composite 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.

                               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        1, 2, 3, 4, or 5..............               1  All Scores Advance.
     Review Composite 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 
associated with a FA application that progresses 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 a HFFI-FA award.
    The CDFI Fund conducts additional levels of due diligence for 
Applications that are in scoring contention for an HFFI-FA 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
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    3. Persistent Poverty Counties--Financial Assistance (PPC-FA) 
Application Scoring, Award Selection, Review, and Selection Process: 
Application requests for PPC-FA awards are not scored. A CDFI Fund 
internal reviewer will evaluate the PPC-FA request of each associated 
FA Applicant that has advanced to the Step 4 review process. PPC-FA 
award amounts will be determined based on the total number of eligible 
Applicants and funding availability, the Applicant's requested amount, 
and on certain variables, including but not limited to, an Applicant's 
deployment track record, historical track record of deployment in 
Persistent Poverty Counties for Applicants that have received prior 
awards from the CDFI Fund, minimum award size, and funding 
availability.
    4. Disability Funds-Financial Assistance (DF-FA) Application 
Scoring, Award Selection, Review, and Selection Process: A CDFI Fund 
internal reviewer will evaluate each DF-FA Application associated with 
a FA application progresses to Step 4 of the FA Application review 
process. The reviewer will evaluate the Application and assign a Total 
DF-FA Score on a scale of one (1) to five (5), with one (1) being the 
highest score. Applicants are then grouped according to Total DF-FA 
Score. All Applications will be reviewed in accordance with standard 
reviewer evaluation materials. Applicants that fail to receive an FA 
award will not be considered for a DF-FA award. Award amounts will be 
determined on the basis of the Total DF-FA Score, the Applicant's 
requested amount, and on certain variables, including but not limited 
to, an Applicant's deployment track record, minimum award size, and 
funding availability. The CDFI Fund will make awards to the highest 
scoring applicants first. Award amounts may be reduced from the 
requested award amount as a result of this analysis. The DF-FA award is 
evaluated independently from the FA award and will not affect the FA 
award evaluation or size.

[[Page 4746]]



           Table 16--Step 3 DF-FA Application Scoring Criteria
------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Section                  Possible scores     High score
------------------------------------------------------------------------
DF-FA Narrative Questions...........    1, 2, 3, 4, or 5               1
                                     -----------------------------------
    Total DF-FA Score...............    1, 2, 3, 4, or 5               1
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    5. Technical Assistance (TA) Application Scoring, Award Selection, 
Review, and Selection Process: The CDFI Fund will evaluate each 
Application to determine its eligibility pursuant to 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 17). 
An Applicant must receive a minimum Total TA Business Plan Score of 50 
points for the TA components in order to be considered for an award. 
Sponsoring Entity, Emerging CDFI or Certifiable CDFI Applicants must 
achieve a minimum score of 35 points in Section I to be considered for 
an award and to be reviewed in Section II.
    An Applicant that is a Certified CDFI will be evaluated 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 evaluated 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 evaluated on its 
demonstrated need for TA funding to build the CDFI's capacity and 
further its strategic goals. An Applicant that is a Sponsoring Entity 
will be rated on the Applicant's demonstrated capability to create a 
separate legal entity within one year that will achieve CDFI 
certification within four years. An Applicant that is a Sponsoring 
Entity 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 17.

           Table 17--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 website. 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, 
Certifiable CDFI, and Sponsoring Entity 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. The 
CDFI Fund will also evaluate the Applicant's ability to meet 
certification criteria of being a legal entity and a non-government 
entity. Award amounts may be reduced as a result of this analysis in 
addition to consideration of 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.
    6. 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

[[Page 4747]]

award. If the Appropriate Federal or 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.
    7. Non-Regulated Institutions: In accordance with the NACA 
Program's authorizing statute and regulations, the CDFI Fund must 
ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that recipients which 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 
the NACA Program award announcements after September 10, 2018 and 
before September 30, 2018.
    C. Application Rejection: The CDFI Fund reserves the right to 
reject an Application if information (including administrative errors) 
comes to the CDFI Fund's attention that: 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 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 website. 
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 
website.

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, three-year periods of performance for 
Emerging CDFIs or Certifiable CDFIs, and four-year periods of 
performance for Sponsoring Entity TA Recipients. Upon creation of the 
Emerging CDFI, the Sponsoring Entity will request the CDFI Fund to 
amend the Assistance Agreement and add the Emerging CDFI as a party 
thereto; the Emerging CDFI, as co-awardee, must comply with all of the 
requirements in the Assistance Agreement, including all program goals 
and measures.
    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 jurisdiction of formation prior to closing. 
This certificate can often be acquired online on the secretary of state 
website for the Recipient's jurisdiction of formation and must 
generally be dated within 180 days prior to 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 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 documentation in addition to the Assistant Agreement that 
is 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 errors) 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 
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:

[[Page 4748]]



    Table 18--Requirements Prior To Executing an Assistance Agreement
------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Requirement                            Criteria
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Failure to meet reporting       If a Recipient received a prior
 requirements.                  award under any CDFI Fund program and is
                                not current with the reporting
                                requirements of the previously executed
                                agreement(s), the CDFI Fund may 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 and it 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.
Pending resolution of           The CDFI Fund will delay
 noncompliance.                 entering into an Assistance Agreement
                                with a Recipient that has pending
                                noncompliance issues with any of its
                                previously executed CDFI 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 any
                                previously executed CDFI award
                                agreement(s) 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 may 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 an
 rights requirements.           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.Sec.   2000d); Section 504 of the
                                Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C.
                                Sec.   794); the Age Discrimination Act
                                of 1975, (42 U.S.C. Sec.  Sec.   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 in
                                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 19--Annual Reporting Requirements
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Financial Statement Audit      A Non-profit Recipient must submit a
 Report (Non-profit             Financial Statement Audit (FSA) report
 Recipient).                    in AMIS, along with the Recipient's
                                statement of financial condition audited
                                or reviewed by an independent certified
                                public accountant, if any are prepared.
                               Under no circumstances should this be
                                construed as the CDFI Fund requiring the
                                Recipient to conduct or arrange for
                                additional audits not otherwise required
                                under Uniform Requirements or otherwise
                                prepared at the request of the Recipient
                                or parties other than the CDFI Fund.
Financial Statement Audit      For-profit Recipients must submit a
 Report (For-Profit             Financial Statement Audit report in
 Recipient).                    AMIS, along with a statement of
                                financial condition audited or reviewed
                                by an independent certified public
                                accountant.
Single Audit Report (if        If a Recipient is required to complete a
 applicable) (or similar        Single Audit Report, it should be
 report).                       submitted to the Federal Audit
                                Clearinghouse (see 2 C.F.R. Subpart F-
                                Audit Requirements in the Uniform
                                Requirements) and AMIS (optional). For-
                                profit Recipients are required to
                                complete and submit a similar report
                                directly to the CDFI Fund.
Institution Level Report       The ILR is a report used to collect
 (ILR).                         compliance and performance data from
                                CDFI Fund Recipients. The ILR is
                                submitted through AMIS and captures
                                organizational information, financial
                                position, lending and investing
                                activities, community development
                                outputs, and development services.
                                A CDFI Subsidiary Insured
                                Depository Institution that receives a
                                transfer of any portion of an FA award
                                from a CDFI Depository Institution
                                Holding Company Recipient must also
                                submit an ILR.
Transaction Level Report       The TLR is a report used to collect
 (TLR).                         compliance and performance data from
                                CDFI Fund Recipients. The TLR is
                                submitted through AMIS and captures data
                                on each individual loan and investment
                                in the Recipient's portfolio.
                                A CDFI Subsidiary Insured
                                Depository Institutions that receives a
                                transfer of any portion of an FA award
                                from a CDFI Depository Institution
                                Holding Company Recipient must also
                                submit a TLR.
                                The TLR is not required for TA
                                Recipients.

[[Page 4749]]

 
Federal Financial Report/OMB   If the Recipient receives a TA award, it
 Standard Form 425.             must submit the Federal Financial Report/
                                 OMB Standard Form 425 via AMIS.
Uses of Award Report.........  If the Recipient receives an FA or TA
                                award, it must submit the Uses of Award
                                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,
                                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.
Performance Progress Report..  If the Recipient receives an FA or TA
                                award, it must submit information on the
                                status of compliance with the
                                performance goals and measures via AMIS.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Each Recipient is responsible for the timely and complete 
submission of the Annual Reporting requirements. Sponsoring Entities 
with co-awardees will be informed of any reporting shifts at the time 
the Emerging CDFI is adjoined to the Agreement. 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 NACA 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 NACA 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 
Time, starting on the date that the NOFA is published through the date 
listed in Table 1 and Table 12. The CDFI Fund strongly recommends 
applicants submit questions to the CDFI Fund via an AMIS service 
request to the NACA Program, Certification, Compliance Monitoring and 
Evaluation, or IT Help Desk. The CDFI Fund will post on its website 
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 website at http://www.cdfifund.gov. Table 
20 lists CDFI Fund contact information:

                                          Table 20--Contact Information
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 Telephone number (not
           Type of question                Preferred method            toll free)            Email addresses
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NACA Program.........................  Service Request via      202-653-0421, option 1.  [email protected]
                                        AMIS.                                             .
CCME.................................  Service Request via      202-653-0423...........  [email protected].
                                        AMIS.
AMIS--IT Help Desk...................  Service Request via      202-653-0422...........  [email protected].
                                        AMIS.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 
website 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 the 
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

[[Page 4750]]

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. The DF-FA questions have been assigned the following control 
number: 1559-New.
    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, visit the CDFI Fund's website 
at http://www.cdfifund.gov.

    Authority: 2 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. 2018-01998 Filed 1-31-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810-70-P