[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 161 (Tuesday, August 20, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67411-67415]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-18630]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
[Docket #: RBS-24-Business-0012]
Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Rural Microentrepreneur
Assistance Program for Fiscal Year 2025
AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS or Agency), an
agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Rural
Development (RD), is making an initial announcement to invite
applications for loans and grants under the Rural Microentrepreneur
Assistance Program (RMAP) for fiscal year (FY) 2025, subject to the
availability of funding. This notice is being issued prior to the
passage of a FY 2025 Appropriations Act, which may or may not provide
funding for this program, in order to allow applicants sufficient time
to leverage financing, prepare and submit their applications, and give
the Agency time to process applications within FY 2025. Based on FY
2024 appropriated funding, the Agency estimates that approximately
$22,000,000 will be available for FY 2025. Successful applications will
be selected by the Agency for funding and subsequently awarded to the
extent that funding may ultimately be made available through
appropriations. All applicants are responsible for any expenses
incurred in developing their applications or any costs incurred prior
to the obligation date.
DATES: The deadlines for completed applications to be received in the
RD State Office for quarterly funding competitions are no later than
11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on: First Quarter, September 30, 2024; Second
Quarter, December 31, 2024; Third Quarter, March 31, 2025; and Fourth
Quarter, June 30, 2025. If the due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or
Federal holiday, the application is due the next business day.
The annual microlender technical assistance grant (for existing
Microenterprise Development Organizations (MDOs) with a
microentrepreneur revolving loan fund) will be made, non-competitively,
based on the microlender's microlending activity and availability of
funds. To determine the microlender technical assistance grant awards
for FY2025, if available, the Agency will use the microlender's
outstanding balance of microloans as of June 30, 2025, to
[[Page 67412]]
calculate the eligible grant amount. MDOs that are in compliance with
the terms of their loan agreement may apply for this annual grant. The
deadline for requesting a technical assistance grant is no later than
4:30 p.m. (Eastern Time) on August 1, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Applications must be submitted electronically to the RD
State Office in the State where the project is located. Applicants are
encouraged to contact their respective RD State Office for an email
contact to submit an electronic application prior to the submission
deadline date(s). A list of the RD State Office contacts can be found
at: rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices. This funding opportunity will
be made available for informational purposes on www.grants.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shamika Johnson at, Program Management
Division, Business Programs, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Mail Stop 3226,
Room 5160-S, Washington, DC 20250-3226, or call (202) 720-1400. For
further information on this notice, please contact the RD State Office
in the State where the project is located. A list of RD State Office
contacts is provided at the following link: rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Overview
Federal Awarding Agency Name: Rural Business-Cooperative Service
(RBCS).
Funding Opportunity Title: Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance
Program (RMAP).
Announcement Type: Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
Funding Opportunity Number: RD-RBCS-25-RMAP.
Assistance Listing: 10.870.
Dates: The deadlines for completed applications to be received in
the RD State Office for quarterly funding competitions are no later
than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on: First Quarter, September 30, 2024;
Second Quarter, December 31, 2024; Third Quarter, March 31, 2025, and
Fourth Quarter, June 30, 2025.
Rural Development Key Priorities: The Agency encourages applicants
to consider projects that will advance the following key priorities
(more details available at www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points):
Assisting rural communities recover economically through
more and better market opportunities and through improved
infrastructure;
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.
A. Program Description
1. Purpose of the Program. The purpose of RMAP is to support the
development and ongoing success of rural microentrepreneurs and
microenterprises, each as defined in 7 CFR 4280.302. RMAP provides the
following types of support: loan only, combination loan and technical
assistance grant, and subsequent technical assistance grants to
microenterprise development organizations (MDOs). Loan funds are used
by the MDO to establish or recapitalize a revolving loan program for
making microloans to a rural microentrepreneur business. Grant funds
are used by the MDO to provide technical assistance and
entrepreneurship training to rural individuals and businesses.
2. Statutory and Regulatory Authority. RMAP is authorized by
Section 379E of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (Pub.
L. 87-128), as amended, and is codified as 7 U.S.C. 2008s and
implemented by 7 CFR part 4280, subpart D.
3. Definitions. The definitions applicable to this notice are
published at 7 CFR 4280.302.
4. Application Awards. The Agency will review, evaluate, and score
applications received in response to this notice based on the
provisions found in 7 CFR part 4280, subpart D, and as indicated in
this notice. Awards under RMAP will be made using the application
scoring criteria contained in 7 CFR 4280.316 and this notice. The
Agency advises all interested parties that the applicant bears the
burden in preparing and submitting an application in response to this
notice regardless of whether or not funding is appropriated for this
program in FY 2025.
B. Federal Award Information
Type of Award: Loans and/or Grants.
Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2025.
Available Funds: Dependent upon FY 2025 appropriations. Funding is
anticipated to be approximately $22,000,000 based on FY 2024 amounts.
RBCS may at its discretion, increase the total level of funding
available in this funding round from any available source provided the
awards meet the requirements of the statute which made the funding
available to the Agency.
Award Amounts: The Agency anticipates the following maximum amounts
per award: Loans--$500,000; Grants--$100,000.
Anticipated Award Dates:
(a) Regular Funding: First Quarter--September 30, 2024, Second
Quarter--December 31, 2024, Third Quarter--March 31, 2025, Fourth
Quarter--June 30, 2025.
(b) Subsequent Annual Microlender Technical Assistance Grants:
August 15, 2025
Performance Period: Subsequent Annual Microlender Technical
Assistance Grants September 30, 2025 to June 30, 2026
Renewal or Supplemental Awards: Unless withdrawn by the applicant,
completed applications that receive a score of at least 60 (7 CFR
4280.310(c)) but have not yet been funded, will be retained by the
Agency for consideration in subsequent reviews through a total of four
consecutive quarterly reviews. Applications that remain unfunded after
four quarterly reviews, including the initial quarter in which the
application was competed, will not be considered further for an award.
Type of Assistance Instrument: Direct Loan, Financial Assistance
Agreement
C. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants. Eligible applicants are domestic
organizations that are non-profit entities, Indian Tribes (25 U.S.C.
5304(e)) or public institutions of higher education. Eligible
applicants must provide training and technical assistance, make
microloans, facilitate access to capital, or have an effective plan or
program to deliver such services. The applicant must meet the
eligibility requirements in 7 CFR 4280.310 and must not be delinquent
on any Federal debt or otherwise disqualified from participation in
this program to be eligible to apply. The Agency will check the Do Not
Pay portal to determine if the applicant has been debarred or suspended
at the time of application and also prior to funding any grant award.
All other restrictions in this notice will apply.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching. The cost share requirement shall be
met by the microlender in accordance with the requirements specified in
7 CFR 4280.311(d).
The MDO is required to provide a match of not less than 15 percent
of the total amount of the grant in the form of matching funds,
indirect costs, or in-kind goods or services.
3. Other Eligibility Requirements. Applications will only be
accepted from eligible MDOs. Applications will not be
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considered for funding if they do not provide sufficient information to
determine eligibility or are otherwise not suitable for evaluation.
Such applications will be withdrawn and not considered for funding.
D. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package. For further information,
entities wishing to apply for assistance should contact the RD State
Office as identified in the ADDRESSES section of this notice to obtain
an electronic copy of the application package.
An MDO may submit an initial application for a loan with a
microlender technical assistance grant, or an initial or subsequent
loan-only (without a microlender technical assistance grant). Loan
applications must be submitted electronically to the RD State Office
where the project is located and must be organized in the same order
set forth in 7 CFR 4280.315. Applicants are strongly encouraged to
contact their respective RD State Office for an email contact to submit
an electronic application prior to the submission deadline date(s).
2. Content and Form of Application Submission. An application must
contain all of the required elements outlined in 7 CFR 4280.315 and in
this notice. Each application must address the applicable scoring
criteria presented in 7 CFR 4280.316 for the type of funding being
requested.
For entities applying for program loan funds to become an RMAP
microlender only, the following items are also required: (1) Form RD
1910-11, ``Applicant Certification Federal Collection Policies for
Consumer or Commercial Debts;'' available at https://forms.sc.egov.usda.gov/efcommon/eFileServices/eForms/RD1910-11.PDF; (2)
Demonstration that the applicant is eligible to apply to participate in
this program; and (3) Certification by the applicant that it cannot
obtain sufficient credit elsewhere to fund the activities called for
under this program with similar rates and terms.
Current MDO entities may be eligible for subsequent annual
microlender technical assistance grants that are awarded subject to
funding availability and determined non-competitively based on Agency
appropriations for the fiscal year. The MDO must submit a prescribed
worksheet, listing the outstanding balance of their microloans and
unexpended grant funds as of June 30, 2025, and a letter certifying
that their organization still meets all the requirements set forth in 7
CFR part 4280, subpart D, and that no significant changes have occurred
within the last year that would affect its ability to carry out the MDO
functions. In addition, all MDOs who request Subsequent Annual
Microlender Technical Assistance Grants must complete their reporting
into the Lenders Interactive Network Connection (LINC) for the Federal
fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2025 which will verify the outstanding
balance of their microloans as stated in their request for grant funds.
The deadline for reporting into LINC and requesting a technical
assistance grant is no later than 4:30 p.m. (Eastern Time) on August 1,
2025.
3. System for Award Management and Unique Entity Identifier.
(a) At the time of application, each applicant must have an active
registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) before submitting
its application in accordance with 2 CFR part 25. In order to register
in SAM, entities will be required to obtain a Unique Entity Identifier
(UEI). Instructions for obtaining the UEI are available at https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration.
(b) Applicants must maintain an active SAM registration, with
current, accurate and complete information, at all times during which
it has an active Federal award or an application under consideration by
a Federal awarding agency.
(c) Applicant must ensure they complete the Financial Assistance
General Certifications and Representations in SAM.
(d) Applicants must provide a valid UEI in its application, unless
determined exempt under 2 CFR 25.110.
(e) The Agency will not make an award until the applicant has
complied with all SAM requirements including providing the UEI. If an
applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time the
Agency is ready to make an award, the 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.
4. Submission Dates and Times. Competitions for the available funds
will be made quarterly for applications that are received no later than
11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on: First Quarter, September 30, 2024; Second
Quarter, December 31, 2024; Third Quarter, March 31, 2025; and Fourth
Quarter, June 30, 2025. The deadline for requesting a technical
assistant grant is no later than 4:30 p.m. (Eastern Time) on August 1,
2025.
Applications must be received by the RD State Office by the dates
and times as indicated above to compete for available funds in that
fiscal quarter. If the due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or Federal
holiday, the application is due the next business day.
The Agency will not solicit or consider new scoring or eligibility
information that is submitted after the application deadline. RBCS also
reserves the right to ask applicants for clarifying information and
additional verification of assertions in the application.
5. Intergovernmental Review. Executive Order (E.O.) 12372,
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs,'' applies to this
program. This E.O. requires that Federal agencies provide opportunities
for consultation on proposed assistance with State and local
governments. Many states have established a Single Point of Contact
(SPOC) to facilitate this consultation. For a list of states that
maintain a SPOC, please see the White House website: https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/management/office-federal-financial-management/.
If your state has a SPOC, you may submit a copy of the application
directly for review. Any comments obtained through the SPOC must be
provided to your RD State Office for consideration as part of your
application. If your state has not established a SPOC, you may submit
your application directly to the Agency. Applications from Federally
recognized Indian Tribes are not subject to this requirement.
6. Funding Restrictions. No funds made available under this notice
shall be used for ineligible purposes outlined in 7 CFR 4280.313(e).
7. Other Submission Requirements. All applications must be
submitted as a complete application, in one package.
E. Application Review Information
1. Criteria. All eligible and complete applications for new loan
and grant funds will be evaluated and scored based on the selection
criteria and weights contained in 7 CFR part 4280, subpart D. Failure
to address any one of the criteria by the application deadline will
result in the application being determined ineligible and the
application will not be considered for funding. An application must
receive at least 60 points out of 100 possible points in the scoring
criteria stated in 7 CFR 4280.316 to be considered for funding in the
quarter in which it is scored.
2. Review and Selection Process. The RD State Offices will review
applications to determine if they are eligible for assistance based on
requirements contained in 7 CFR part
[[Page 67414]]
4280, subpart D. If determined eligible, the application will be
submitted to the National Office, where it will be reviewed and
prioritized by ranking each application received in that quarter, from
highest to lowest score order. All applications will be funded from the
highest to lowest score until funds have been exhausted for each
funding cycle. Funding of projects is subject to the MDO's satisfactory
submission of the additional items required by that subpart and the
USDA RD Letter of Conditions.
F. Federal Award Administration Information
1. Federal Award Notices. Successful applicants will receive
notification for funding from the RD State Office. Applicants must
comply with all applicable statutes and regulations before the award
will be approved. Provided the application and eligibility requirements
have not changed, an application not selected will be reconsidered for
three subsequent funding competitions for a total of four competitions.
If an application is withdrawn, it can be resubmitted and will be
evaluated as a new application. Unsuccessful applications will receive
notification by mail, detailing why the application was unsuccessful.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements.
(a) General. Additional requirements that apply to MDOs selected
for this program can be found in 7 CFR part 4280, subpart D. The USDA
and the Agency have adopted the USDA grant regulations at 2 CFR chapter
IV. This regulation incorporates the latest revisions to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) regulations 2 CFR part 200 and 2 CFR part
400 for monitoring and servicing RMAP funding.
(b) Geospatial Data. Awardee, and any and all contracts entered
into by the awardee with respect to the award, shall ensure that
geospatial data required to be collected and provided to the agency,
conforms with the requirements of USDA Department Regulation DR-3465-
001 and the Geospatial Metadata Standards set forth in DM 3465-001,
which can be obtained online at usda.gov/directives/dr-3465-001andusda.gov/directives/dm-3465-00.
3. Reporting. In addition to any reports required by 2 CFR part 200
and 2 CFR part 400, the MDO must provide reports as required by 7 CFR
part 4280, subpart D.
Intermediaries must collect and maintain data provided by Ultimate
Recipients defined by 7 CFR 4280.3 on race, sex, and national origin
and must also ensure that 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 Ultimate Recipients 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, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975,
Executive Order 12250, Executive Order 13166 Limited English
Proficiency (LEP), and 7 CFR part 1901, subpart E.
G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s)
For general questions about this notice, please contact the RD
State Office as provided in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.
H. Other Information
1. Paperwork Reduction Act. In accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), the information
collection requirements associated with RMAP, as covered in this
notice, have been approved by OMB under OMB Control Number 0570-0062.
2. National Environmental Policy Act. All recipients under this
notice are subject to the requirements of 7 CFR part 1970. However,
awards for technical assistance and training under this notice are
classified as a Categorical Exclusion according to 7 CFR 1970.53(b),
and usually do not require any additional documentation. RBCS will
review each grant application to determine its compliance with 7 CFR
part 1970. The applicant may be asked to provide additional information
or documentation to assist RBCS with this determination.
3. Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act. All
applicants, in accordance with 2 CFR part 25, must be registered in SAM
and have a UEI number as stated in Section D.3 of this notice.
4. Civil Rights Act. All grants made under this notice are subject
to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as required by the USDA (7
CFR part 15, subpart A--Nondiscrimination in Federally-Assisted
Programs of the Department of Agriculture--Effectuation of Title VI of
the Civil Rights Act of 1964) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973, Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, Title IX,
Executive Order 13166 (Limited English Proficiency), Executive Order
11246, and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974.
5. Equal Opportunity for Religious Organizations.
(a) Faith-based organizations may apply for this award on the same
basis as any other organization, as set forth at, and subject to the
protections and requirements of, this part and any applicable
constitutional and statutory requirements, including 42 U.S.C. 2000bb
et seq. USDA will not, in the selection of recipients, discriminate for
or against an organization on the basis of the organization's religious
character, motives, or affiliation, or lack thereof, or on the basis of
conduct that would not be considered grounds to favor or disfavor a
similarly situated secular organization.
(b) A faith-based organization that participates in this program
will retain its independence from the Government and may continue to
carry out its mission consistent with religious freedom and conscience
protections in Federal law. Religious accommodations may also be sought
under many of these religious freedom and conscience protection laws.
(c) A faith-based organization may not use direct Federal financial
assistance from USDA to support or engage in any explicitly religious
activities except when consistent with the Establishment Clause of the
First Amendment and any other applicable requirements. An organization
receiving Federal financial assistance also may not, in providing
services funded by USDA, or in their outreach activities related to
such services, discriminate against a program beneficiary or
prospective program beneficiary on the basis of religion, a religious
belief, a refusal to hold a religious belief, or a refusal to attend or
participate in a religious practice.
6. Nondiscrimination Statement. In accordance with Federal civil
rights laws and 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
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(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 or the 711 Relay
Service.
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.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, 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 an 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.
Kathryn E. Dirksen Londrigan,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA Rural
Development.
[FR Doc. 2024-18630 Filed 8-19-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P