Inviting Applications for Rural Technology Development Grants

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business and Cooperative Development Service

Inviting Applications for Rural Technology Development Grants

AGENCY: Rural Business and Cooperative Development Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Business and Cooperative Development Service (RBCDS)

announces the availability of approximately $1.75 million in competing

Rural Technology Development Grant (RTDG) funds for fiscal year (FY)

1995. The intended effect of this notice is to solicit applications for

FY 1995, notify applicants of RBCD's objectives for FY 1995, and award

grants before May 25, 1995. The purpose of the grant program is to

establish and operate centers for rural technology or cooperative

development.

DATES: The deadlines for receipt of a preapplication is April 10, 1995.

Preapplication received after the date will not be considered for FY

1995 funding.

ADDRESSES: Entities wishing to apply for assistance should contact

Rural Economic and Community Development (RECD) State Offices to

receive further information and copies of the preapplication package.

The program will be operated by RECD at the State level.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jennifer Barton, Loan Specialist, Community Facilities Division, Room

6304, South Agriculture Building, 14th and Independence Avenue SW.,

Washington, DC 20250-0700, Telephone: (202) 720-1504.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Refer to 7 CFR part 4284-F, published in the

Federal Register on August 12, 1994 (59 FR 41429) for the information

collection requirements of the RTDG program. The RTDG program was

previously administered by the former Rural Development Administration.

Under the reorganization of the Department of Agriculture, the

responsibility for administering this program was transferred to RBCDS.

Part 4284-F of title 7 of the Code of Federal

[[Page 10350]] Regulations provides details on what information must be

contained in the preapplication package.

The RTDG program is authorized by section 310B(f) through (h) of

the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932). The

primary objective of the program is to improve the economic condition

of rural areas. The RTDG. program will achieve this objective by

supporting the creation or enhancement of institutions capable of

promoting the development and commercialization of new services,

products, processes, and enterprises. RBCDS encourages applications for

projects that emphasize the creation of local capacity to promote

economic development that is sustainable over the long term through

local effort. The economic development should lead to improvements in

the quality as well as the quantity of economic activity in the

community and should be based on the application of new and existing

technologies. Grants may be used to pay up to 75 percent of the cost of

the project and administrative costs; the applicant must contribute at

least 25 percent.

RTDG grants are competitive and will be awarded to nonprofit

institutions and public bodies based on specific selection criteria, as

required by legislation and set forth in 7 CFR part 4284-F. Project

selection will be given to those projects that contribute the most to

the improvement of economic conditions in rural areas.

Preference will be given to those projects that will create

industries or agribusinesses where few exist, increase employment where

unemployment is high, stem the flow of out migration of people,

businesses and industries, and increase the level of per capita income

where such income is low. Applicants must provide data to support these

criteria. The information submitted should provide an accurate picture

of the economic conditions of the rural areas to be served. The Agency

will use the information provided to select the best projects for

funding. Part 4284 of title 7 to the Code of Federal Regulations

contains general information on the selection criteria.

As consistent with the regulatory selection procedures, RBCDS

desires to fund projects from FY 1995 funds that promote one or more of

the following policies:

1. Projects that assist rural communities and businesses that are

experiencing erosion in their economic base. A critical need exists for

actions leading to long-term enhancements in the ability of communities

and businesses to adjust to changed conditions in a smooth manner and

to achieve, over the long term, improvements in the quality of

community life and the competitiveness and profitability of businesses.

The proposed activity should result in economic activity that is

sustainable by the community over the long term through local actions

(without the need for continued subsidies by governments or

nongovernmental organizations). The project should lead to improvements

in the quality of economic activity within the community, as evidenced

by employment leading to higher wages, improved benefits, greater

career potential, and the use of higher levels of skills than currently

are typical within the local economy.

2. Projects that assist rural communities that have remained

persistently poor. A critical need exists for actions to develop and

implement broad strategies to create new sources of economic activity

in these communities, and to promote development of human resources

within the community, including organizational development,

entrepreneurship, and workforce training.

3. Projects that assist rural communities and businesses in areas

that have experienced long-term population decline and job

deterioration. A critical need exists for the broadened application of

new technologies to develop business opportunities in remote rural

locations. This can be accomplished, for example, by creating new

products or services that are related to the traditional industrial

base or that use locally-available natural resources, or by developing

new methods of conducting business from remote locations through the

applications of telecommunications technology or other business

methods.

RBCDS encourages applications for projects that have the following

characteristics:

1. The proposed use of funds should have a catalytic impact on the

local economy by providing support for a critical element of a larger

program of economic development by leveraging major additional

investments from other contributors, or by enhancing the quality of the

design of the project or the capacity of the community to implement it

successfully.

2. The proposed project should use exemplary methods or practices

of rural community and economic development that have potential

applicability in a wide range of areas.

3. The proposed activity should be consistent with local and

areawide strategic plans for community and economic development and be

a part of a broader program of community development activity that

involves partnerships with other local organizations and other

organizations providing support to the community. It must be jointly

assisted by resources from other local, State, Federal or private

resources.

4. The proposed activity should be representative of and serve a

diverse population of economic and social groups within the community,

and the planning and project development should involve active

participation by a diverse range of community residents.

1995 Application Submission

Due to the short application period for FY 1995 funds, qualified

applicants should begin the preapplication process as soon as possible.

Preapplications must include a clear statement of the goal(s) and

objective(s) of the project and a plan which describes the proposed

project as required by the statute and 7 CFR part 4284-F. Each

application received in the State Office will be reviewed for

eligibility.

All eligible applications will be referred to the National Office

for scoring and selection for award. The State Director or his/her

designee will provide comments on each application forwarded to the

National Office documenting whether the proposal promotes any of the

policies set forth in this issuance. Any other comments helpful to the

National Office's review are also welcome. The National Office will

provide funds for projects based on the grant selection criteria set

forth in 7 CFR part 4284-F and the availability of funds. Grants will

be selected for award by May 25, 1995. No grants may be awarded after

July 13, 1995 under the authority of 7 CFR part 4284-F. Successful

applicants will be notified by the RECD State Office or the RBCDS

National Office.

Dated: February 15, 1995.

Dayton J. Watkins,

Acting Administrator, Rural Business and Cooperative Development

Service.

[FR Doc. 95-4497 Filed 2-23-95; 8:45 am]

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