[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 26 (Tuesday, February 8, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7084-7094]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-02624]


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

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Housing Service

[Docket No. RHS-21-CF-0023]


Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) for Fiscal Year 
2022

AGENCY: Rural Housing Service, Department of Agriculture.

ACTION: Notice of solicitation of applications.

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

SUMMARY: The Rural Housing Service, a Rural Development agency of the 
United

[[Page 7085]]

States Department of Agriculture (USDA), announces the acceptance of 
applications under the Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) 
program for fiscal year (FY) 2022. These grants will be made to 
qualified intermediary organizations that will provide financial and 
technical assistance to recipients to develop their capacity and 
ability to undertake projects related to housing, community facilities, 
or community and economic development that will support the community. 
The NOSA is being issued prior to passage of a final appropriations act 
for FY 2022 to allow potential applicants time to submit applications 
for financial assistance under the program and to give the Agency time 
to process applications. Once the FY 2022 funding amount is determined, 
the Agency will publish it on its website at https://www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom/notices-solicitation-applications-nosas.

DATES: Completed applications must be submitted using one of the 
following methods:
     Paper: The Agency must receive a paper application by 4:00 
p.m. local time, April 25, 2022. Applicants intending to mail 
applications must provide sufficient time to permit delivery on or 
before the closing deadline date and time. Acceptance by the United 
States Postal Service or private mailer does not constitute delivery. 
Facsimile (FAX), electronic mail, and postage due applications will not 
be accepted. The application dates and times are firm. The Agency will 
not consider any application received after the deadline.
     Electronic: Electronic applications must be submitted via 
Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on April 19, 2022. The 
application dates and times are firm. The Agency will not consider any 
application received after the deadline.

ADDRESSES: Applicants wanting to apply for assistance may download the 
application documents and requirements as stated in this Notice from 
the RCDI website: https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/community-facilities/rural-community-development-initiative-grants.
    Application information for electronic submissions may be found at 
https://www.grants.gov/.
    Applicants may also request paper application packages from the 
Rural Development office in their state. A list of Rural Development 
State offices contacts can be found via https://www.rd.usda.gov/files/CF_State_Office_Contacts.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shirley J. Stevenson, Community 
Programs Specialist, Rural Development, United States Department of 
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20250, Phone: 
(202) 205-9685, Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority

    This solicitation is authorized pursuant by Congress in 1999 (Pub. 
L. 106-78), amended by the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 
2020 (Pub. L. 116-94), and funding continued under the enactment of the 
Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 (Pub. L. 116-260).

Rural Development: Key Priorities

    The Agency encourages applicants to consider projects that will 
advance the following key priorities:
     Assisting rural communities recover economically from the 
impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly disadvantaged 
communities;
     Ensuring all rural residents have equitable access to RD 
programs and benefits from RD funded projects; and
     Reducing climate pollution and increasing resilience to 
the impacts of climate change through economic support to rural 
communities.
    For further information, visit https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points.

Overview

    Federal Agency: Rural Housing Service (RHS).
    Funding Opportunity Title: Rural Community Development Initiative.
    Announcement Type: Notice of Solicitation of Applications (NOSA).
    Funding Amount: The NOSA is being issued prior to the passage of a 
final appropriations act for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022. Once the funding 
amount for this Program has been established by final appropriations 
act for FY 2022, the Agency will publish it on its website at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom/notices-solicitation-applications-nosas.
    Assistance Listing (AL) (Formerly the Catalog of Federal Domestic 
Assistance (CFDA)) Number: 10.446.
    Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-RD-HCFP-RCDI-2022.
    Due Dates: Applications must be submitted using one of the 
following methods:
     Paper: The deadline for receipt of a paper application is 
4 p.m. local time, April 25, 2022.
     Electronic: Electronic applications will be accepted via 
Grants.gov. The deadline for receipt of an electronic applications via 
Grants.gov is 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on April 19, 2022. The 
application dates and times are firm. The Agency will not consider any 
application received after the deadline. Applicants intending to mail 
applications must provide sufficient time to permit delivery on or 
before the closing deadline date and time. Acceptance by the United 
States Postal Service or private mailer does not constitute delivery. 
Facsimile (FAX), electronic mail and postage due applications will not 
be accepted. Prior to official submission of applications, applicants 
may request technical assistance or other application guidance from the 
Agency, as long as such requests are made prior to April 14, 2022. 
Technical assistance is not meant to be an analysis or assessment of 
the quality of the materials submitted, a substitute for agency review 
of completed applications, nor a determination of eligibility, if such 
determination requires in-depth analysis. The Agency will not solicit 
or consider scoring or eligibility information that is submitted after 
the application deadline. The Agency reserves the right to contact 
applicants to seek clarification information on materials contained in 
the submitted application.

Items in the Supplementary Information

I. Program Description
II. Federal Award Information
III. Definitions
IV. Eligibility Information
V. Application and Submission Information
VI. Application Review Information
VII. Federal Awarding Administration Information
VIII. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts
IX. Other Information

I. Program Description

    Congress first authorized the RCDI in 1999 pursuant to the 
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and 
Related Agencies Appropriations Act 2000 (Pub. L. 106-78), as amended 
by the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (Pub. L. 116-94), 
and funding continued under the enactment of the Continuing 
Appropriations Act, 2021 (Pub. L. 116-260). The program is designed to 
assist qualified private organizations, nonprofit organizations, and 
public (including tribal) intermediary organizations, proposing to 
carry out financial and technical assistance programs to improve 
housing, community facilities, and community and economic development 
projects in rural areas. The RCDI program requires the intermediary 
(grantee) to provide a program of financial and technical

[[Page 7086]]

assistance to recipients. The recipients will, in turn, provide 
programs to their communities (beneficiaries).

II. Federal Award Information

    The Agency will publish the amount of funding received for FY 2022 
on its website at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom/notices-solicitation-applications-nosas.
    Qualified private organizations, nonprofit organizations and public 
(including tribal) intermediary organizations proposing to carry out 
financial and technical assistance programs will be eligible to receive 
grant funding.
    The intermediary will be required to provide matching funds in an 
amount at least equal to the RCDI grant. In-kind contributions cannot 
be used as matching funds. Partnerships with other federal, state, 
local, private, and nonprofit entities are encouraged.
    The respective minimum and maximum grant amounts per intermediary 
are $50,000 and $250,000, respectively. The intermediary must provide a 
program of financial and technical assistance to recipients to develop 
their capacity and ability to undertake projects related to housing, 
community facilities, or community and economic development that will 
support the community.
    Grant funds must be utilized within three years from date of the 
award.
    A grantee that has an outstanding RCDI grant over three years old, 
as of the application due date in this Notice, is not eligible to apply 
for this round of funding.
    The intermediary must provide a program of financial and technical 
assistance to one or more of the following: A private, nonprofit 
community-based housing and development organization, a low- income 
rural community or a federally recognized Tribe. An intermediary 
proposing to serve one or more Federally recognized tribes must include 
a resolution of support with its application from the Tribes it 
proposes to serve. If the resolution of support is not submitted for 
each Tribe, the Tribe will be considered ineligible as a recipient. 
This requirement is being added to ensure collaboration during the 
application process between intermediaries and all Tribes that they 
propose to serve.

III. Program Definitions

    Agency--The Rural Housing Service or its successor.
    Beneficiary--Entities or individuals that receive benefits from 
assistance provided by the recipient.
    Capacity--The ability of a recipient to implement housing, 
community facilities, or community and economic development projects.
    Conflict of interest--A situation in which a person or entity has 
competing personal, professional, or financial interests that make it 
difficult for the person or business to act impartially. Regarding use 
of both grant and matching funds, Federal procurement standards 
prohibit transactions that involve a real or apparent conflict of 
interest for owners, employees, officers, agents, or their immediate 
family members having a financial or other interest in the outcome of 
the project; or that restrict open and free competition for 
unrestrained trade. Specifically, project funds may not be used for 
services or goods going to, or coming from, a person or entity with a 
real or apparent conflict of interest, including, but not limited to, 
owner(s) and their immediate family members. An example of conflict of 
interest occurs when the grantee's employees, board of directors, or 
the immediate family of either, have the appearance of a professional 
or personal financial interest in the recipients receiving the benefits 
or services of the grant.
    Federally recognized Tribes--Tribal entities recognized and 
eligible for funding and services from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 
based on the most recent notice in the Federal Register published by 
the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Tribes that received federal 
recognition after the most recent publication. Tribally Designated 
Housing Entities are eligible RCDI recipients.
    Financial assistance--Funds, not to exceed $10,000 per award, used 
by the intermediary to purchase supplies and equipment to build the 
recipient's capacity.
    Funds--The RCDI grant and matching funds that have been provided by 
the Grantee.
    Intermediary--A qualified private organization, nonprofit 
organization (including faith-based and community organizations and 
philanthropic organizations), or public (including tribal) organization 
that provides financial and technical assistance to multiple 
recipients.
    Low-income rural community--An authority, district, economic 
development authority, regional council, federally recognized Tribe, or 
unit of government representing an incorporated city, town, village, 
county, township, parish, Indian reservation or borough whose income is 
at or below 80 percent of either the state or national Median Household 
Income as measured by the 2010 Census.
    Matching funds--Cash or confirmed funding commitments. Matching 
funds must be at least equal to the grant amount and committed for a 
period of not less than the grant performance period.
    Recipient--The entity that receives the financial and technical 
assistance from the intermediary. The recipient must be a nonprofit 
community-based housing and development organization, a low-income 
rural community or a federally recognized Tribe.
    Rural and rural area--Any area other than (i) a city or town that 
has a population of greater than 50,000 inhabitants and (ii) the 
urbanized area contiguous and adjacent to such city or town.
    Technical assistance--Skilled help in improving the recipient's 
abilities in the areas of housing, community facilities, or community 
and economic development.

IV. Eligibility Information

    Applicants must meet all of the following eligibility requirements 
by the application deadline. Applications which fail to meet any of 
these requirements by the application deadline will be deemed 
ineligible, will not be evaluated further, and will not receive a 
Federal award.

A. Eligible Applicants

    1. Qualified private organizations, nonprofit organizations 
(including faith- based organizations in accordance with 7 CFR part 16, 
and community organizations and philanthropic foundations), and public 
(including tribal) intermediary organizations are eligible applicants. 
Definitions that describe eligible organizations and other key terms 
are listed below.
    2. The recipient must be a nonprofit community-based housing and 
development organization, low-income rural community, or federally 
recognized Tribe based on the RCDI definitions of these groups.
    3. Private nonprofit, faith, or community-based organizations must 
provide a certificate of incorporation and a certificate of good 
standing from the Secretary of State of the State of incorporation, or 
other similar and valid documentation of current nonprofit status. For 
low-income rural community recipients, the Agency requires evidence 
that the entity is a public body and census data verifying that the 
median household income of the community where the office receiving the 
financial and technical assistance is located is at, or below, 80 
percent of the State or national median household income, whichever is 
higher. For Federally

[[Page 7087]]

recognized tribes, the Agency needs the page listing their name from 
the current Federal Register list of tribal entities recognized and 
eligible for funding services (see the definition of Federally 
recognized tribes in this Notice for details on this list). An 
intermediary proposing to serve one or more Federally recognized Tribes 
must include a resolution of support with its application from the 
Tribes it proposes to serve. If the resolution of support is not 
submitted for each Tribe, the Tribe will be considered ineligible as a 
recipient. This requirement is being added to ensure collaboration 
during the application process between intermediaries and all Tribes 
that they propose to serve.
    4. In prior Fiscal Years any corporation that had been convicted of 
a felony criminal violation under any Federal law within the preceding 
24 months or that had any unpaid Federal tax liability that had been 
assessed, for which all judicial and administrative remedies had been 
exhausted or lapsed, and that was not being paid in a timely manner 
pursuant to an agreement with the authority responsible for collecting 
the tax liability, has not been eligible for financial assistance 
provided with full-year appropriated funds in accordance with prior 
appropriations acts unless a Federal agency had considered suspension 
or debarment of the corporation and made a determination that this 
further action was not necessary to protect the interests of the 
Government. It is possible that a similar provision will be included in 
the FY appropriations act for FY 2022, once enacted.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

    Matching funds are required to be provided in an amount that, at a 
minimum, is equal to the amount of the grant.
    If this matching fund requirement is not met, the application will 
be deemed ineligible. See Section V, Application and Submission 
Information, for required pre-award and post award matching funds 
documentation submission.
    Matching funds must be in the form of cash or confirmed funding 
commitments that, at a minimum, are equal to the grant amount. Matching 
funds must also be committed for a period of not less than the grant 
performance period. These funds can only be used for eligible RCDI 
activities and must be used to support the overall purpose of the RCDI 
program.
    In-kind contributions such as salaries, donated time and effort, 
real and nonexpendable personal property, and goods and services cannot 
be used as matching funds.
    Grant funds and matching funds must be used in equal proportions. 
This does not mean funds have to be used equally by line item.
    The request for advance or reimbursement and supporting 
documentation must show that RCDI fund usage does not exceed the 
cumulative amount of matching funds used.
    Grant funds will be disbursed pursuant to relevant provisions of 2 
CFR parts 200 and 400. See Section V, Application and Submission 
Information, for matching funds documentation and pre-award 
requirements.
    The intermediary is responsible for demonstrating that matching 
funds are available and committed for a period of not less than the 
grant performance period to the RCDI proposal. Matching funds may be 
provided by the intermediary or a third party. Other Federal funds may 
be used as matching funds if authorized by statute and the purpose of 
the funds is an eligible RCDI purpose.
    RCDI funds will be disbursed on an advance or reimbursement basis. 
Matching funds cannot be expended prior to execution of the RCDI Grant 
Agreement.
    Applicants must provide matching funds in an amount at least equal 
to the amount of the Federal grant. Successful applications will be 
selected by the Agency for funding and will be awarded from funds 
appropriated for the RCDI program.

C. Other Program Requirements

    1. The recipient and beneficiary, but not the intermediary, must be 
located in an eligible rural area. The physical location of the 
recipient's office that will be receiving the financial and technical 
assistance must be in an eligible rural area. If the recipient is a 
low-income community, the median household income of the area where the 
office is located must be at or below 80 percent of the State or 
national median household income, whichever is higher. The applicable 
Rural Development State Office can assist in determining the 
eligibility of an area.
    A listing of Rural Development State Office contacts can be found 
at the following link: https://www.rd.usda.gov/files/CF_State_Office_Contacts.pdf. A map showing eligible rural areas can be 
found at the following link: https://eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov/eligibility/welcomeAction.do?pageAction=RBSmenu.
    2. RCDI grantees that have an outstanding grant over 3 years old, 
as of the application due date in this Notice, will not be eligible to 
apply for this round of funding. Grant and matching funds must be 
utilized in a timely manner to ensure that the goals and objectives of 
the program are met.
    3. Individuals cannot be recipients.
    4. The intermediary must provide a program of financial and 
technical assistance to the recipient.
    5. The intermediary organization must have been legally organized 
for a minimum of three years and have at least three years prior 
experience working with private nonprofit community-based housing and 
development organizations, low-income rural communities, or tribal 
organizations in the areas of housing, community facilities, or 
community and economic development.
    6. Proposals must be structured to utilize the grant funds within 3 
years from the date of the award.
    7. Each applicant, whether individually or jointly, may only submit 
one application for RCDI funds under this Notice. This restriction does 
not preclude the applicant from providing matching funds for other 
applications.
    8. Recipients can benefit from more than one RCDI application; 
however, after grant selections are made, the recipient can only 
benefit from multiple RCDI grants if the type of financial and 
technical assistance the recipient will receive is not duplicative. The 
services described in multiple RCDI grant applications must have 
separate and identifiable accounts for compliance purposes.
    9. The intermediary and the recipient cannot be the same entity. 
The recipient can be a related entity to the intermediary, if it meets 
the definition of a recipient, provided the relationship does not 
create a Conflict of Interest that cannot be resolved to Rural 
Development's satisfaction.
    10. If the recipient is a low-income rural community, identify the 
unit of government to which the financial and technical assistance will 
be provided (e.g., town council or village board). The financial and 
technical assistance must be provided to the organized unit of 
government representing that community, not the community at large.
    11. An intermediary proposing to serve one or more Federally 
recognized tribes must include a resolution of support with its 
application from the Tribes it proposes to serve. If the resolution of 
support is not submitted for each Tribe, the Tribe will be considered 
ineligible as a recipient. This requirement is being added to ensure

[[Page 7088]]

collaboration during the application process between intermediaries and 
all Tribes that they propose to serve.

D. Eligible Grant Purposes

    Fund uses must be consistent with the RCDI purpose. Eligible 
purposes of grant funds include, but are not limited to, the following:
    1. Provide technical assistance to develop recipients' capacity and 
ability to undertake projects related to housing, community facilities, 
or community and economic development, (e.g., the intermediary hires a 
staff person to provide technical assistance to the recipient or the 
recipient hires a staff person, under the supervision of the 
intermediary, to carry out the technical assistance provided by the 
intermediary).
    2. Develop the capacity of recipients to conduct community 
development programs, (e.g., homeownership education or training for 
business entrepreneurs).
    3. Develop the capacity of recipients to conduct development 
initiatives, (e.g., programs that support micro-enterprise and 
sustainable development).
    4. Develop the capacity of recipients to increase their leveraging 
ability and access to alternative funding sources by providing training 
and staffing.
    5. Develop the capacity of recipients to provide the technical 
assistance component for essential community facilities projects.
    6. Assist recipients in completing pre- development requirements 
for housing, community facilities, or community and economic 
development projects by providing resources for professional services, 
(e.g., architectural, engineering, or legal).
    7. Improve recipient's organizational capacity by providing 
training and resource material on developing strategic plans, board 
operations, management, financial systems, and information technology.
    8. Purchase of computers, software, and printers, limited to 
$10,000 per award, at the recipient level when directly related to the 
technical assistance program being undertaken by the intermediary.
    9. Provide funds to recipients for training-related travel costs 
and training expenses related to RCDI.

E. Ineligible Fund Uses

    The following is a list of ineligible uses of grant funds:

    1. Pass-through grants, and any funds provided to the recipient 
in a lump sum that are not reimbursements.
    2. Funding a revolving loan fund (RLF).
    3. Construction (in any form).
    4. Salaries for positions involved in construction, renovations, 
rehabilitation, and any oversight of these types of activities.
    5. Intermediary preparation of strategic plans for recipients.
    6. Funding prostitution, gambling, or any illegal activities.
    7. Grants to individuals.
    8. Funding a grant where there may be a conflict of interest, or 
an appearance of a conflict of interest, involving any action by the 
Agency.
    9. Paying obligations incurred before the beginning date without 
prior Agency approval or after the ending date of the grant 
agreement.
    10. Purchasing real estate.
    11. Improvement or renovation of the grantee's or recipient's 
office space or for the repair or maintenance of privately-owned 
vehicles.
    12. Any purpose prohibited in 2 CFR part 200 or 400.
    13. Using funds for recipient's general operating costs.
    14. Using grant or matching funds for Individual Development 
Accounts.
    15. Purchasing vehicles.

F. Program Examples and Restrictions

    The following are examples of eligible and ineligible purposes 
under the RCDI program. (These examples are illustrative and are not 
meant to limit the activities proposed in the application. Activities 
that meet the objectives of the RCDI program and meet the criteria 
outlined in this Notice will be considered eligible.)
    1. The intermediary must work directly with the recipient, not the 
ultimate beneficiaries. For example:
    The intermediary provides training and technical assistance to the 
recipients on developing and updating materials related to the 
prevention, treatment and recovery activities for opioid use disorder 
and ensures that high-quality training is provided to communities 
affected by the opioid epidemic.
    2. The intermediary provides training to the recipient on how to 
conduct homeownership education classes. The recipient then provides 
ongoing homeownership education to the residents of the community--the 
ultimate beneficiaries. This ``train the trainer'' concept fully meets 
the intent of this initiative. The intermediary is providing technical 
assistance that will build the recipient's capacity by enabling it to 
conduct homeownership education classes for the public.
    This is an eligible purpose. However, if the intermediary directly 
provided homeownership education classes to individuals in the 
recipient's service area, this would not be an eligible purpose because 
the recipient would be bypassed.
    3. If the intermediary is working with a low-income community as 
the recipient, the intermediary must provide the technical assistance 
to the entity that represents the low-income community and is 
identified in the application. Examples of entities representing a low-
income community are a village board or a town council.
    If the intermediary provides technical assistance to the Board of 
the low-income community on how to establish a cooperative, this would 
be an eligible purpose. However, if the intermediary works directly 
with individuals from the community to establish the cooperative, this 
is not an eligible purpose.
    The recipient's capacity is built by learning skills that will 
enable it to support sustainable economic development in its community 
on an ongoing basis.
    4. The intermediary may provide technical assistance to the 
recipient on how to create and operate a revolving loan fund. The 
intermediary may not monitor or operate the revolving loan fund. RCDI 
funds, including matching funds, cannot be used to fund revolving loan 
funds.
    5. The intermediary may work with recipients to build their 
capacity to provide planning and leadership development training. The 
recipients of this training would be expected to assume leadership 
roles in the development and execution of regional strategic plans. The 
intermediary would work with multiple recipients in helping communities 
recognize their connections to the greater regional and national 
economies.
    6. The intermediary could provide training and technical assistance 
to the recipients on developing emergency shelter and feeding, short-
term housing, search and rescue, and environmental accident, 
prevention, and cleanup program plans. For longer term disaster and 
economic crisis responses, the intermediary could work with the 
recipients to develop job placement and training programs and develop 
coordinated transit systems for displaced workers.

V. Application and Submission Information

A. Address To Request Application Package

    Entities wishing to apply for assistance may download the 
application documents and requirements delineated in this Notice from 
the RCDI website: https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/

[[Page 7089]]

community-facilities/rural-community-development-initiative-grants.
    Application information for electronic submissions may be found at 
https://www.grants.gov.
    Applicants may also request paper application packages from the 
Rural Development office in their state. A list of Rural Development 
State office contacts can be found via https://www.rd.usda.gov/files/CF_State_Office_Contacts.pdf. You may also obtain a copy by calling 
202-205-9685.

B. Content and Form of Application Submission

    If the applicant is ineligible or the application is incomplete, 
the Agency will inform the applicant in writing of the decision, 
reasons therefore, and its appeal rights and no further evaluation of 
the application will occur.
    A complete application for RCDI funds must include the following:
    1. A summary page, double-spaced between items, listing the 
following: (This information should not be presented in narrative 
form.)
    a. Applicant's name,
    b. Applicant's address,
    c. Applicant's telephone number,
    d. Name of applicant's contact person, email address and telephone 
number,
    e. County where applicant is located,
    f. Congressional district number where applicant is located,
    g. Amount of grant request, and
    h. Number of recipients.
    2. A detailed Table of Contents containing page numbers for each 
component of the application.
    3. A project overview, no longer than one page, including the 
following items, which will also be addressed separately and in detail 
under ``Building Capacity and Expertise'' of the ``Evaluation 
Criteria.''
    a. The type of technical assistance to be provided to the 
recipients and how it will be implemented.
    b. How the capacity and ability of the recipients will be improved.
    c. The overall goals to be accomplished.
    d. The benchmarks to be used to measure the success of the program. 
Benchmarks should be specific and quantifiable.
    4. Organizational documents, such as a certificate of incorporation 
and a current good standing certification from the Secretary of State 
where the applicant is incorporated and other similar and valid 
documentation of current status, from the intermediary that confirms it 
has been legally organized for a minimum of three years as the 
applicant entity.
    5. Verification of source and amount of matching funds, (e.g., a 
copy of a complete bank statement if matching funds are in cash or a 
copy of the confirmed funding commitment from the funding source).
    The verification must show that matching funds are available for 
the duration of the grant performance period. The verification of 
matching funds must be submitted with the application, or the 
application will be considered incomplete.
    The applicant will be contacted by the Agency prior to grant award 
to verify that the matching funds provided with the application 
continue to be available. The applicant will have 15 days from the date 
contacted to submit verification that matching funds continue to be 
available.
    If the applicant is unable to provide the verification within that 
timeframe, the application will be considered ineligible. The applicant 
must maintain bank statements on file or other documentation for a 
period of at least three years after grant closing except that the 
records shall be retained beyond the three-year period if audit 
findings have not been resolved.
    6. The following information for each recipient:
    a. Recipient's entity name,
    b. Complete address (mailing and physical location, if different),
    c. County where located,
    d. Number of Congressional district where recipient is located,
    e. Contact person's name, email address and telephone number and,
    f. Form RD 400-4, ``Assurance Agreement.'' If the Form RD 400-4 is 
not submitted for each recipient, the recipient will be considered 
ineligible. No information pertaining to that recipient will be 
included in the income or population scoring criteria and the requested 
funding may be adjusted due to the deletion of the recipient.
    7. Submit evidence that each recipient entity is eligible. 
Documentation must be submitted to verify recipient eligibility. 
Acceptable documentation varies depending on the type of recipient:
    a. Nonprofits--provide a current valid letter confirming non-profit 
status from the Secretary of State of the State of incorporation, a 
current good standing certification from the Secretary of State of the 
State of incorporation, or other valid documentation of current 
nonprofit status of each recipient.
    A nonprofit recipient must provide evidence that it is a valid 
nonprofit when the intermediary applies for the RCDI grant. 
Organizations with pending requests for nonprofit designations are not 
eligible.
    b. Low-income rural community-- provide evidence the entity is a 
public body (e.g., copy of Charter, relevant Acts of Assembly, relevant 
court orders (if created judicially) or other valid documentation), a 
copy of the 2010 census data to verify the population, and 2010 
American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (2006-2010 data set) 
data as evidence that the median household income is at, or below, 80 
percent of either the State or national median household income. We 
will only accept data and printouts from https://data.census.gov/cedsci/.
    c. Federally recognized Tribes--provide the page listing their name 
from the Federal Register list of tribal entities published most 
recently by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The 2021 list is available at 
86 FR 7554, pages 7554--7558 at the following link: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2021-01-29/pdf/2021-01606.pdf. For 
Tribes that received federal recognition after the most recent 
publication, statutory citations and additional documentation may 
suffice.
    An intermediary proposing to serve one or more Federally recognized 
tribes must include a resolution of support with its application from 
the Tribes it proposes to serve. If the resolution of support is not 
submitted for each Tribe, the Tribe will be considered ineligible as a 
recipient. This requirement is being added to ensure collaboration 
during the application process between intermediaries and all Tribes 
that they propose to serve.
    8. Each of the ``Evaluation Criteria'' must be addressed 
specifically and individually by category. Present these criteria in 
narrative form. Narrative (not including attachments) must be limited 
to five pages per criterion. The ``Population and Income'' criteria for 
recipient locations can be provided in the form of a list; however, the 
source of the data must be included on the page(s).
    9. A timeline identifying specific activities and proposed dates 
for completion.
    10. A detailed project budget that includes the RCDI grant amount 
and matching funds. This should be a line-item budget, by category. 
Categories such as salaries, administrative, other, and indirect costs 
that pertain to the proposed project must be clearly defined. 
Supporting documentation listing the components of these categories 
must be included. The budget should be dated: Year 1, year 2, and year 
3, as applicable.
    11. The indirect cost category in the project budget should be used 
only when a grant applicant has a federally

[[Page 7090]]

negotiated indirect cost rate. A copy of the current rate agreement 
must be provided with the application. Non-federal entities that have 
never received a negotiated indirect cost rate, except for those non-
Federal entities described in Appendix VII to Part 200-States and Local 
Government and Indian Tribe Indirect Cost Proposals, paragraph 
(d)(1)(B), may use the de minimis rate of 10 percent of modified total 
direct costs (MTDC).
    12. Form SF-424, ``Application for Federal Assistance.''
    (Do not complete Form SF-424A, ``Budget Information.'' A separate 
line-item budget should be presented as described in Letter (j) of this 
section.)
    13. Certification of Non-Lobbying Activities.
    14. Standard Form LLL, ``Disclosure of Lobbying Activities,'' if 
applicable.
    Applicants must collect and maintain data provided by recipients on 
race, sex, and national origin and ensure Ultimate Recipients collect 
and maintain this data. Race and ethnicity data will be collected in 
accordance with OMB Federal Register notice, ``Revisions to the 
Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and 
Ethnicity'' (62 FR 58782), October 30, 1997. Sex data will be collected 
in accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. These 
items should not be submitted with the application but should be 
available upon request by the Agency.
    The applicant and the recipient must comply with Title VI of the 
Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 
the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Executive 
Order 12250, Executive Order 13166 Limited English Proficiency (LEP), 
and 7 CFR part 1901, subpart E.
    15. Identify and report any association or relationship with Rural 
Development employees. (A statement acknowledging whether or not a 
relationship exists is required.)

C. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) (Formerly the Dun and Bradstreet Data 
Universal Numbering System (DUNS)) and System for Awards Management 
(SAM)

    In order to register with System for Award Management (SAM), your 
organization will need an UEI number. Be sure to complete the Marketing 
Partner ID (MPID) and Electronic Business Primary Point of Contact 
fields during the SAM registration process.
    Grant applicants must obtain an UEI number and register in the SAM 
System prior to submitting an application pursuant to 2 CFR 25.200(b). 
In addition, an entity applicant must maintain registration in SAM at 
all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application 
or plan under consideration by the Agency. The applicant must ensure 
that the information in the database is current, accurate, and 
complete. Applicants must ensure they complete the Financial Assistance 
General Certifications and Representations in SAM. Similarly, all 
recipients of Federal financial assistance are required to report 
information about first-tier subawards and executive compensation in 
accordance with 2 CFR part 170. So long as an entity applicant does not 
have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b), the applicant must have the 
necessary processes and systems in place to comply with the reporting 
requirements should the applicant receive funding. See 2 CFR 
170.200(b).
    An applicant, unless excepted under 2 CFR 25.110(b), (c), or (d), 
is required to:
    1. Be registered in SAM before
    submitting its application;
    2. Provide a valid UEI number in its application; and
    3. Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current 
information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or 
an application or plan under consideration by a Federal awarding 
agency.
    The Federal awarding agency (RHS) may not make a federal award to 
an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable UEI 
and SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with 
the requirements by the time the Federal awarding agency is ready to 
make a Federal award, the Federal awarding agency may determine that 
the applicant is not qualified to receive a Federal award and use that 
determination as a basis for making a Federal award to another 
applicant.
    As required by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), all grant 
applications must provide an UEI number when applying for Federal 
grants.
    Organizations can receive an UEI number at no cost by calling the 
dedicated toll-free number at 1-866- 705-5711 or via internet at 
https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. Additional information concerning this 
requirement can be obtained on the Grants.gov website at https://www.grants.gov. Similarly, applicants may register for SAM at https://sam.gov or by calling 1-866-606- 8220.
    The applicant must provide documentation that it is registered in 
SAM and include its UEI number. If the applicant does not provide 
documentation confirming that it is registered in SAM and its UEI 
number, the application will not be considered for funding. The 
required forms and certifications can be downloaded from the RCDI 
website at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/community-facilities/rural-community-development-initiative-grants.

D. Submission Dates and Times

    In order to register with System for Award Management (SAM), your 
organization will need an UEI number. Be sure to complete the Marketing 
Partner ID (MPID) and Electronic Business Primary Point of Contact 
fields during the SAM registration process.
    The deadline for receipt of a paper application is 4 p.m. local 
time, April 25, 2022. The deadline for electronic applications via 
Grants.gov is 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on April 19, 2022. The 
application dates and times are firm. The Agency will not consider any 
application received after the deadline. You may submit your 
application in paper form or electronically through Grants.gov. 
Applicants intending to mail applications must provide sufficient time 
to permit delivery on or before the closing deadline date and time. 
Acceptance by the United States Postal Service or private mailer does 
not constitute delivery. Facsimile (FAX), electronic mail, and postage 
due applications will not be accepted.
    To submit a paper application, the original application package 
must be submitted to the Rural Development State Office where the 
applicant's headquarters is located.
    A listing of Rural Development State Offices contacts can be found 
via . https://www.rd.usda.gov/files/CF_State_Office_Contacts.pdf.
    Applications will not be accepted via FAX or electronic mail. 
Applicants may file an electronic application at https://www.grants.gov. Grants.gov contains full instructions on all required 
passwords, credentialing, and software. Follow the instructions at 
Grants.gov for registering and submitting an electronic application. If 
a system problem or technical difficulty occurs with an electronic 
application, please use the customer support resources available at the 
Grants.gov website.
    Technical difficulties submitting an application through Grants.gov 
will not be a reason to extend the application deadline. If an 
application is unable to be submitted through Grants.gov, a paper 
application must be received in the appropriate Rural Development

[[Page 7091]]

State Office by the deadline noted previously.
    First time Grants.gov users should carefully read and follow the 
registration steps listed on the website. These steps need to be 
initiated early in the application process to avoid delays in 
submitting your application online.
    There are mandatory fields that are required when submitting grant 
applications through Grants.gov. Additional application instructions 
for submitting an electronic application can be found by selecting this 
funding opportunity on Grants.gov.

E. Funding Restrictions

    In accordance with 31 U.S.C. 1345, ``Expenses of Meetings,'' 
appropriations may not be used for travel, transportation, and 
subsistence expenses for a meeting. RCDI grant funds cannot be used for 
these meeting- related expenses. Matching funds may, however, be used 
to pay for these expenses.
    RCDI funds may be used to pay for a speaker as part of a program, 
equipment to facilitate the program, and the actual room that will 
house the meeting.
    RCDI funds cannot be used for meetings; they can, however, be used 
for travel, transportation, or subsistence expenses for program-related 
training and technical assistance purposes. Any training not delineated 
in the application must be approved by the Agency to verify compliance 
with 31 U.S.C. 1345. Travel and per diem expenses (including meals and 
incidental expenses) will be allowed in accordance with 2 CFR parts 200 
and 400.

VI. Application Review Information

A. Evaluation Criteria

    1. Applications will be evaluated using the following criteria and 
weights:
a. Building Capacity and Expertise--Maximum 40 Points
    The applicant must demonstrate how they will improve the 
recipients' capacity, through a program of financial and technical 
assistance, as it relates to the RCDI purposes.
    Capacity-building financial and technical assistance should provide 
new functions to the recipients or expand existing functions that will 
enable the recipients to undertake projects in the areas of housing, 
community facilities, or community and economic development that will 
benefit the community. Capacity-building financial and technical 
assistance may include, but is not limited to: Training to conduct 
community development programs, (e.g., homeownership education, or the 
establishment of minority business entrepreneurs, cooperatives, or 
micro-enterprises); organizational development, (e.g., assistance to 
develop or improve board operations, management, and financial 
systems); instruction on how to develop and implement a strategic plan; 
instruction on how to access alternative funding sources to increase 
leveraging opportunities; staffing, (e.g., hiring a person at 
intermediary or recipient level to provide technical assistance to 
recipients).
    The program of financial and technical assistance that is to be 
provided, its delivery, and the measurability of the program's 
effectiveness will determine the merit of the application.
    All applications will be competitively ranked with the applications 
providing the most improvement in capacity development and measurable 
activities being ranked the highest.
    The narrative response must contain the following items. This list 
also contains the points for each item.
    (1) Describe the nature of financial and technical assistance to be 
provided to the recipients and the activities that will be conducted to 
deliver the technical assistance (10 Points).
    (2) Explain how financial and technical assistance will develop or 
increase the recipient's capacity. Indicate whether a new function is 
being developed or if existing functions are being expanded or 
performed more effectively (7 Points).
    (3) Identify which RCDI purpose areas will be addressed with this 
assistance: Housing, community facilities, or community and economic 
development (3 Points).
    (4) Describe how the results of the technical assistance will be 
measured. What benchmarks will be used to measure effectiveness? 
Benchmarks should be specific and quantifiable (5 Points).
    (5) Demonstrate that the applicant/intermediary has conducted 
programs of financial and technical assistance and achieved measurable 
results in the areas of housing, community facilities, or community and 
economic development in rural areas (10 Points).
    (6) Provide in a chart or excel spreadsheet, the organization name, 
point of contact, address, phone number, email address, and the type 
and amount of the financial and technical assistance the applicant 
organization has provided to the following for the last 3 years (5 
Points).
    (a) Nonprofit organizations in rural areas.
    (b) Low-income communities in rural areas (also include the type of 
entity, e.g., city government, town council, or village board).
    (c) Federally recognized Tribes or any other culturally diverse 
organizations.
b. Soundness of Approach--Maximum 15 Points
    The applicant can receive up to 15 points for soundness of 
approach. The overall proposal will be considered under this criterion.
    The maximum 15 points for this criterion will be based on the 
following:
    (1) The proposal fits the objectives for which applications were 
invited, is clearly stated, and the applicant has defined how this 
proposal will be implemented (7 Points).
    (2) The ability to provide the proposed financial and technical 
assistance based on prior accomplishments (6 Points).
    (3) Cost effectiveness will be evaluated based on the budget in the 
application. The proposed grant amount and matching funds should be 
utilized to maximize capacity building at the recipient level (2 
Points).
c. Population and Income--Maximum 15 Points
    Population is based on the average population from the 2010 census 
data for the communities in which the recipients are located. The 
physical address, not mailing address, for each recipient must be used 
for this criterion. Community is defined for scoring purposes as a 
city, town, village, county, parish, borough, Indian reservation or 
census-designated place where the recipient's office is physically 
located.
    The applicant must submit the census data from the following 
website in the form of a printout to verify the population figures used 
for each recipient. The data can be accessed on the internet at https://data.census.gov/cedsci/. Enter location, P1 (i.e., Parma, Idaho, P1) 
and click ``search''; the name and population data for each recipient 
location must be listed in this section.
    The average population of the recipient locations will be used and 
will be scored as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                Scoring
                          Population                            (points)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
10,000 or less...............................................          5
10,001 to 20,000.............................................          4
20,001 to 30,000.............................................          3
30,001 to 40,000.............................................          2
40,001 to 50,000.............................................          1
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The average of the median household income for the communities 
where the recipients are physically located will

[[Page 7092]]

determine the points awarded. The physical address, not mailing 
address, for each recipient must be used for this criterion. Applicants 
may compare the average recipient median household income to the State 
median household income or the national median household income, 
whichever yields the most points. The national median household income 
to be used is $51,914.
    The applicant must submit the income data in the form of a printout 
of the applicable information from the following website to verify the 
income for each recipient. The data being used is from the 2010 
American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (2006-2010 data set). 
The data can be accessed on the internet at https://data.census.gov/cedsci/; enter location, S1903 (i.e., Parma, Idaho, S1903), click on 
``Search,'' click the drop-down button and select the 2010 ACS-5-year 
estimates table the name and income data for each recipient location 
must be listed in this section (use the Household and Median Income 
column). Points will be awarded as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                Scoring
               Average recipient median income                  (points)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Less than or equal to 70 percent of state or national median          10
 household income............................................
Greater than 70, but less than or equal to 80 percent of               5
 state or national median household income...................
In excess of 80 percent of state or national median household          0
 income......................................................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

d. State Director's Points Based on Project Merit--Maximum 10 Points
    (1) This criterion will be addressed by the Agency, not the 
applicant.
    (2) The State Director may award up to 10 discretionary points for 
the highest priority project in each state, up to 7 points for the 
second highest priority project in each state and up to 5 points for 
the third highest priority project.
    These points may be awarded to applicants proposing to advance any 
or all of the Agency's three key funding priorities, provided that all 
other requirements set forth in this notice are otherwise met. The key 
priorities are:
    (i) COVID-19 Impacts (up to 4 points); Priority points may be 
awarded if the project is located in or serving one of the top 10% of 
counties or county equivalents based upon county risk score in the 
United States. Information on whether your project qualifies for 
priority points can be found at the following website: https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points.
    (ii) Equity (up to 3 points); Priority points may be awarded if the 
project is located in or serving a community with a score of 0.75 or 
above on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index. Information on whether 
your project qualifies for priority points can be found at the 
following website: https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points.
    (iii) Climate Impacts (up to 3 points); Priority points may be 
awarded if the project is located in or serving coal, oil and gas, and 
power plant communities whose economic well-being ranks in the most 
distressed tier of the Distressed Communities Index. Information on 
whether your project qualifies for priority points can be found at the 
following website: https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points.
    (3) These points may be awarded by the Rural Development State 
Director to any application(s) that benefits their State regardless of 
whether the applicant is headquartered in their State.
    (4) When an intermediary submits an application that will benefit a 
State that is not the same as the State in which the intermediary is 
headquartered, it is the intermediary's responsibility to notify the 
State Director of the State which is receiving the benefit of its 
application. In such cases, State Directors awarding points to 
applications benefiting their state must notify the reviewing State in 
writing.
    (5) Assignment of any points under this criterion requires a 
written justification and must be tied to and awarded based on how 
closely the application aligns with the Rural Development State 
Office's strategic goals.
e. Administrator Discretionary Points--Maximum 20 Points
    The Administrator may award up to 20 discretionary points for 
projects to address items such as geographic distribution of funds, 
emergency conditions caused by economic problems, natural disasters and 
other initiatives identified by the Secretary. The Administrator may 
also award points to any application that will advance the following 
key priorities:
     COVID-19 Impacts: Priority points may be awarded if the 
project is located in or serving one of the top 10% of counties or 
county equivalents based upon county risk score in the United States. 
Information on whether your project qualifies for priority points can 
be found at the following website: https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points.
     Equity: Priority points may be awarded if the project is 
located in or serving a community with score 0.75 or above on the CDC 
Social Vulnerability Index. Information on whether your project 
qualifies for priority points can be found at the following website: 
https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points. and
     Climate Impacts: Priority points may be awarded if the 
project is located in or serving coal, oil and gas, and power plant 
communities whose economic well-being ranks in the most distressed tier 
of the Distressed Communities Index. Information on whether your 
project qualifies for priority points can be found at the following 
website: https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points.

B. Review and Selection Process

1. Rating and Ranking
    If requests exceed funds available, the applications will be rated 
and ranked on a national basis by a review panel based on the 
``Evaluation Criteria'' contained in this Notice.
    If there is a tied score after the applications have been rated and 
ranked, the tie will be resolved by reviewing the scores for ``Building 
Capacity and Expertise'' and the applicant with the highest score in 
that category will receive a higher ranking. If the scores for 
``Building Capacity and Expertise'' are the same, the scores will be 
compared for the next criterion, in sequential order, until one highest 
score can be determined.
2. Initial Screening
    The Agency will screen each application to determine eligibility 
during the period immediately following the application deadline. 
Listed below are examples of reasons for rejection from previous 
funding rounds. The following reasons for rejection are not all 
inclusive; however, they represent the majority of the applications 
previously rejected.
    a. Recipients were not located in eligible rural areas based on the 
definition in this Notice.
    b. Applicants failed to provide evidence of recipient's status, 
i.e., documentation supporting nonprofit evidence of organization.
    c. Applicants failed to provide evidence of committed matching 
funds or matching funds were not committed for a period at least equal 
to the grant performance period.
    d. Application did not follow the RCDI structure with an 
intermediary and recipients.
    e. Recipients were not identified in the application.
    f. Intermediary did not provide evidence it had been incorporated 
for at least three years as the applicant entity.

[[Page 7093]]

    g. Applicants failed to address the ``Evaluation Criteria.''
    h. The purpose of the proposal did not qualify as an eligible RCDI 
purpose.
    i. Inappropriate use of funds (e.g., construction or renovations).
    j. The applicant proposed providing financial and technical 
assistance directly to individuals.
    k. The application package was not received by closing date and 
time.

VII. Federal Award Administration Information

A. Federal Award Notice

    Within the limit of funds available for such purpose, the awarding 
official of the Agency shall make grants in ranked order to eligible 
applicants under the procedures set forth in this Notice.
    Successful applicants will receive a selection letter by mail 
containing instructions on requirements necessary to proceed with 
execution and performance of the award. This letter is not an 
authorization to begin performance. In addition, selected applicants 
will be requested to verify that components of the application have not 
changed at the time of selection and on the award obligation date, if 
requested by the Agency.
    The award is not approved until all information has been verified, 
and the awarding official of the Agency has signed Form RD 1940-1, 
``Request for Obligation of Funds'' and the grant agreement.
    Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification, including 
notification of appeal rights, by mail.

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

    Grantees will be required to do the following:
    1. Execute a Rural Community Development Initiative Grant 
Agreement.
    2. Execute Form RD 1940-1, ``Request for Obligation of Funds.''
    3. Use Form SF 270, ``Request for Advance or Reimbursement,'' to 
request reimbursements. Provide receipts for expenditures, timesheets 
and any other documentation to support the request for reimbursement.
    4. Provide financial status and project performance reports on a 
quarterly basis starting with the first full quarter after the grant 
award.
    5. Maintain a financial management system that is acceptable to the 
Agency.
    6. Ensure that records are maintained to document all activities 
and expenditures utilizing RCDI grant funds and matching funds. 
Receipts for expenditures will be included in this documentation.
    7. Provide annual audits or management reports on Form RD 442- 2, 
``Statement of Budget, Income and Equity,'' and Form RD 442-3, 
``Balance Sheet,'' depending on the amount of Federal funds expended 
and the outstanding balance.
    8. Collect and maintain data provided by recipients on race, sex, 
and national origin and ensure recipients collect and maintain the same 
data on beneficiaries. Race and ethnicity data will be collected in 
accordance with OMB Federal Register notice, ``Revisions to the 
Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and 
Ethnicity,'' (62 FR 58782), October 30, 1997. Sex data will be 
collected in accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 
1972. These items should not be submitted with the application but 
should be available upon request by the Agency.
    9. Provide a final project performance report.
    10. Identify and report any association or relationship with Rural 
Development employees.
    11. The intermediary and recipient must comply with Title VI of the 
Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Executive Order 12250, 
Age Act of 1975, Executive Order 13166 Limited English Proficiency, and 
7 CFR part 1901, subpart E.
    12. The grantee must comply with policies, guidance, and 
requirements as described in the following applicable Code of Federal 
Regulations, and any successor regulations:
    a. 2 CFR parts 200 and 400 (Uniform Administrative Requirements, 
Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards).
    b. 2 CFR parts 417 and 180 (Government-wide Debarment and 
Suspension (Nonprocurement)).

C. Reporting

    After grant approval and through grant completion, you will be 
required to provide the following, as indicated in the Grant Agreement:
    1. SF-425, ``Federal Financial Report'' and SF-PPR, ``Performance 
Progress Report'' will be required on a quarterly basis (due 30 working 
days after each calendar quarter). The Performance Progress Report 
shall include the elements described in the grant agreement.
    2. Final financial and performance reports will be due 90 calendar 
days after the period of performance end date.
    3. A summary at the end of the final report with elements as 
described in the grant agreement to assist in documenting the annual 
performance goals of the RCDI program for Congress.

VIII. Federal Awarding Agency Contact

    Contact the Rural Development office in the State where the 
applicant's headquarters is located. A list of Rural Development State 
Offices contacts can be found via https://www.rd.usda.gov/files/CF_State_Office_Contacts.pdf.

IX. Other Information

    No reimbursement will be made for any funds expended prior to 
execution of the RCDI Grant Agreement unless the intermediary is a non-
profit or educational entity and has requested and received written 
Agency approval of the costs prior to the actual expenditure.
    This exception is applicable for up to 90 days prior to grant 
closing and only applies to grantees that have received written 
approval but have not executed the RCDI Grant Agreement.
    The Agency cannot retroactively approve reimbursement for 
expenditures prior to execution of the RCDI Grant Agreement.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    The paperwork burden has been approved by the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) under OMB Control Number 0575-0180.

National Environmental Policy Act

    In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 
Public Law 91-190, this funding announcement has been reviewed in 
accordance with 7 CFR part 1970 (``Environmental Policies and 
Procedures''). The Agency has determined that (i) this action meets the 
criteria established in 7 CFR 1970.53(f); (ii) no extraordinary 
circumstances exist; and (iii) the action is not ``connected'' to other 
actions with potentially significant impacts, is not considered a 
``cumulative action'' and is not precluded by 40 CFR 1506.1. Therefore, 
the Agency has determined that the action does not have a significant 
effect on the human environment, and therefore neither an Environmental 
Assessment nor an Environmental Impact Statement is required.
    All recipients under this Notice are subject to the requirements of 
7 CFR part 1970. However, awards for financial and technical assistance 
under this Notice are classified as a Categorical Exclusion according 
to 7 CFR 1970.53(b), and usually do not require any additional 
documentation.

[[Page 7094]]

Non-Discrimination Statement

    In accordance with Federal civil rights laws and U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its 
Mission Areas, agencies, staff offices, employees, and institutions 
participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from 
discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, 
gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, 
disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived 
from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or 
retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity 
conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). 
Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.
    Program information may be made available in languages other than 
English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of 
communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large 
print, audiotape, American Sign Language) should contact the 
responsible Mission Area, agency, or staff office; the USDA TARGET 
Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY); or the Federal Relay Service 
at (800) 877-8339.
    To file a program discrimination complaint, a complainant should 
complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, 
which can be obtained online at https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad-3027, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a 
letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant's 
name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the 
alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the 
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date 
of the alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or 
letter must be submitted to USDA by:

1. Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant 
Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 
20250-9410; or
2. Fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
3. Email: [email protected]

    USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.


Joaquin Altoro,
Administrator, Rural Housing Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-02624 Filed 2-7-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XV-P