(a) There is hereby established within the Bank an Office of Self-Help Development and Technical Assistance (hereinafter the “Office”).

(b) The Office shall have a Director who shall be appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate, and who shall not be a member of the Board. Subject to review by the Board, the Director shall promulgate and publish in the Federal Register policies and procedures governing the operation of the Office.

(Pub. L. 95–351, title II, §201, Aug. 20, 1978, 92 Stat. 511.)

For abolition of the Office of Self-Help Development and Technical Assistance and performance of the functions by a nonprofit corporation upon the incorporation of the nonprofit corporation, see section 3051 of this title.

There are hereby authorized to be appropriated to the Office for the purpose of making advances under section 3043 of this title an amount not to exceed $14,000,000 for fiscal year 1982. Any amounts appropriated to the Office shall be deposited by the Office in a separate account in the Bank (hereinafter the “Account”), and shall remain available until expended. Repayments of capital investment advances made pursuant to section 3043(a) of this title and interest supplement advances made pursuant to section 3043(b) of this title and payments of interest thereon pursuant to section 3043(c) of this title shall also be deposited in the Account. No other funds of the Bank shall be transferred into the Account. The Account shall be used by the Office only as authorized in section 3043 of this title.

(Pub. L. 95–351, title II, §202, Aug. 20, 1978, 92 Stat. 511; Pub. L. 97–35, title III, §395(b)(1), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 438.)

**1981**—Pub. L. 97–35 substituted provisions authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 1982, for provisions authorizing appropriations for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 1979, and the next two succeeding fiscal years.

Amendment by Pub. L. 97–35 effective Oct. 1, 1981, see section 395(b)(3) of Pub. L. 97–35, set out as a note under section 3014 of this title.

The Office may make a capital investment advance to any eligible cooperative, either in conjunction with or without a loan if the Office determines that—

(1)(A) the applicant's initial or supplemental capital requirements exceeds its ability to obtain such capital through a loan under section 3018 of this title or from other sources; or

(B) the membership of the applicant is, or will consist, substantially of low-income persons, as defined by the Board of Directors, or the applicant proposes to undertake to provide specialized goods, services, or facilities to serve their needs; and

(2) the applicant cannot obtain sufficient funds through a loan under section 3018 of this title or otherwise, and the applicant presents a plan which the Office determines will permit the replacement of a capital investment advance out of member equities within a period not to exceed thirty years.

The Office may make advances to pay all or part of the interest payable to the Bank or any other lender by an eligible cooperative applicant which the Office determines cannot pay a market rate of interest because it sells goods or services to, or provides facilities for the use of, persons of low income: *Provided*, That such advances will not exceed an amount equal to 4 per centum of the principal amount of the indebtedness of such applicant to the Bank or such other lender for any year in which the net income of the cooperative is insufficient to meet scheduled interest payments.

Capital investment advances made by the Office pursuant to subsection (a) of this section and interest supplement advances made by the Office pursuant to subsection (b) of this section shall bear interest at a rate determined by the Board of Directors of the Bank, and the Board of Directors may authorize an interest rate applicable to such advances lower than the rate applicable to loans by the Bank pursuant to section 3018 of this title.

(Pub. L. 95–351, title II, §203, Aug. 20, 1978, 92 Stat. 512; Pub. L. 97–35, title III, §396(g), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 440.)

**1981**—Subsecs. (a), (b). Pub. L. 97–35 struck out references to the Account wherever appearing.

Amendment by Pub. L. 97–35 effective on the day after the Final Government Equity Redemption Date (Dec. 31, 1981), see section 396(i) of Pub. L. 97–35, set out as a note under section 3011 of this title.

The Office shall make available information and services concerning the organization, financing, and management of cooperatives to best achieve the objectives of this chapter and to best provide the means through which various types of goods, services, and facilities can be made available to members and patrons. The Office may enter into agreements with other agencies of Federal, State, and local governments, colleges and universities, foundations, or other organizations for the development and dissemination of such information, and services described in this subchapter. The Office may make or accept grants or transfer of funds for such purposes.

(Pub. L. 95–351, title II, §204, Aug. 20, 1978, 92 Stat. 512.)

The Office may undertake investigations of new types of services which can more effectively be provided through cooperative not-for-profit organizations and make surveys of areas where the increased use of such organizations will contribute to the economic well-being of the community.

(Pub. L. 95–351, title II, §205, Aug. 20, 1978, 92 Stat. 512.)

The Office may, at the request of any eligible cooperative, provide a financial analysis of the applicant's capital structure and needs and its cost of operations, survey the market for the goods or services the cooperative makes or desires to make available to its members or patrons or the users of its facilities.

(Pub. L. 95–351, title II, §206, Aug. 20, 1978, 92 Stat. 513.)

The Office shall develop and make available, alone or in concert with other organizations, a program for training directors and staff of eligible cooperatives to improve their understanding of their responsibilities; the problems of and solutions for effective and efficient operation of their organizations or of cooperatives in general; and may by any means it deems appropriate, conduct membership studies, provide membership education programs, and programs for informing consumers and the general public of the advantages of cooperative action. Management supervision, review, and consultations shall be available from the Office to any eligible cooperative.

(Pub. L. 95–351, title II, §207, Aug. 20, 1978, 92 Stat. 513.)

The Office shall work closely with all United States Government agencies offering programs for which consumer cooperatives may be eligible to assure that information concerning all such programs is made available to eligible cooperatives.

(Pub. L. 95–351, title II, §208, Aug. 20, 1978, 92 Stat. 513.)

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Office $2,000,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1979, and for each of the two succeeding fiscal years, such sums as may be necessary for the administration of this subchapter. Any sums so appropriated shall remain available until expended.

(Pub. L. 95–351, title II, §209, Aug. 20, 1978, 92 Stat. 513.)

The Office may make the technical assistance services under this subchapter available for such fees as it may establish, except that such services as the Office may determine may be made available without charge to eligible cooperatives depending on the nature of the services or on ability to pay. Any fees collected shall be accounted for separately and be available for expenses of the Office.

(Pub. L. 95–351, title II, §210, Aug. 20, 1978, 92 Stat. 513.)

(1) Upon the incorporation of the nonprofit corporation described in subsection (b) of this section, the Office of Self-Help Development and Technical Assistance is hereby abolished.

(2)(A) If the nonprofit corporation described in subsection (b) of this section agrees to accept the liabilities of the Office, the Bank, notwithstanding any other provision of law, shall transfer all assets, liabilities, and property of the Office to such nonprofit corporation on the day on which such nonprofit corporation is incorporated.

(B) Such assets shall include all sums which are appropriated to the Office by the Congress and all sums which are contained in the Account established pursuant to section 3042 of this title. If any such sums are appropriated after the date on which the transfer described in subparagraph (A) occurs, the Bank shall promptly transfer such sums to such nonprofit corporation.

(1) As soon as possible after August 13, 1981, the Board shall establish a nonprofit corporation under the laws of the District of Columbia and, notwithstanding the laws of the District of Columbia, name the directors of such nonprofit corporation.

(2) Notwithstanding the laws of the District of Columbia, the Board of Directors of such nonprofit corporation shall—

(A) select an executive director who shall be responsible for the administration of such nonprofit corporation;

(B) set the compensation of such executive director and the other employees of such nonprofit corporation;

(C) promulgate and publish the policies of such nonprofit corporation and make such policies available at all times to eligible cooperatives; and

(D) perform the functions specified in subparagraphs (A) and (C) of paragraph (3).

(3) Such nonprofit corporation shall only perform—

(A) the functions which are authorized to be performed pursuant to sections 3043 through 3048 of this title and section 3050 of this title;

(B) such functions as are necessary to comply with the laws under which it was incorporated in the District of Columbia; and

(C) such functions as are necessary to remain qualified as an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of title 26.

(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of law—

(A) the Bank may provide administrative or staff support to such nonprofit corporation; and

(B) any member of the Board of Directors of the Bank may serve as a member of the Board of Directors of such nonprofit corporation.

(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, such nonprofit corporation shall be deemed to be, and treated as, qualified as an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of title 26 from the date on which such nonprofit corporation is established under the laws of the District of Columbia until the date on which the Internal Revenue Service makes a final determination on the application which such nonprofit corporation will submit to the Internal Revenue Service seeking status as an organization qualifying under such section.

(2) When performed by such nonprofit corporation, the functions described in subsection (b)(3)(A) of this section shall be deemed to be performed for “charitable purposes” within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of title 26.

(1) The Board of Directors of the Bank may make contributions to the nonprofit corporation in such amounts as the Board of Directors of the Bank deems appropriate, except that—

(A) such contributions may be made only out of the Bank's earnings, determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; and

(B) the Bank shall set aside amounts sufficient to satisfy its obligations to the Secretary of the Treasury for payments of principal and interest on class A notes and other debt before making any contributions to such nonprofit corporation.

(2) During any period in which the nonprofit corporation described in subsection (b) of this section is qualified as an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of title 26, contributions made by the Bank pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be treated as charitable contributions within the meaning of section 170(c)(2) of title 26, and may be deducted notwithstanding the provisions of section 170(b)(2) of title 26.

(3) During any period in which the nonprofit corporation described in subsection (b) of this section is qualified as an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of title 26, contributions to such nonprofit corporation by any person shall qualify as charitable contributions, as defined in section 170(c) of title 26, for purposes of the charitable contribution deduction provided for in section 170(a) of title 26, and shall also qualify for the deductions for estate and gift tax purposes provided for in sections 2055 and 2522 of title 26.

Notwithstanding the laws of the District of Columbia, the Board of Directors of such nonprofit corporation shall adopt and publish its own conflict of interest rules which shall be no less stringent in effect than the conflict of interest provisions adopted by the Board of Directors of the Bank pursuant to section 3024 of this title.

(Pub. L. 95–351, title II, §211, as added Pub. L. 97–35, title III, §395(a), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 437; amended Pub. L. 99–514, §2, Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2095.)

**1986**—Subsecs. (b)(3)(C), (c), (d)(2), (3). Pub. L. 99–514 substituted “Internal Revenue Code of 1986” for “Internal Revenue Code of 1954” wherever appearing, which for purposes of codification was translated as “title 26” thus requiring no change in text.