[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 152 (Thursday, August 7, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42482-42483]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-20739]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Housing Service
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Farm Service Agency


Inviting Preapplications for Rural Cooperative Development Grants

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) announces the 
availability of approximately $1.7 million in competing Rural 
Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) funds for fiscal year (FY) 1997. 
This action will comply with legislation which authorizes grants for 
establishing and operating centers for rural cooperative development. 
The intended effect of this notice is to solicit preapplications for FY 
1997 and award grants before September 15, 1997.

DATES: The deadline for receipt of a preapplication is August 20, 1997. 
Preapplications received after that date will not be considered for FY 
1997 funding.

ADDRESSES: Entities wishing to apply for assistance should contact the 
Rural Development State Offices to receive further information and 
copies of the preapplication package.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James E. Haskell, Assistant Deputy 
Administrator, Cooperative Services, Rural Business-Cooperative 
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Stop 3250, Room 4016, South 
Agriculture Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 
20250-3250. Telephone (202) 720-8460.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Rural Technology and Cooperative 
Development Grants (RTCDG) program was established by interim rule on 
August 12, 1994 (59 FR 41386-98) and published as a final rule February 
12, 1996 (61 FR 3779-87) and was authorized by section 310B(f) through 
(h) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 
Sec. 1932). The Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 
(the 1996 Act) removed ``technology'' from RTCDG, thereby directing the 
focus of the program specifically to cooperative development. The 1996 
Act also clarified that public bodies were not eligible applicants, and 
modified application requirements and applicant selection criteria. The 
primary objective of the RCDG program is to improve the economic 
condition of rural areas through cooperative development. The program 
is administered through Rural Development State Offices acting on 
behalf of RBS. RBS is one of the successors of the Rural Development 
Administration pursuant to the Department of Agriculture Reorganization 
Act of 1994 (Pub. L. 103-354).
    Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis to nonprofit 
corporations and institutions of higher education based on specific 
selection criteria. The priorities described in this paragraph will be 
used by RBS to rate preapplications. RBS review of preapplications will 
include the complete preapplication package submitted to the Rural 
Development State Office. Points will be distributed according to 
ranking as compared with other preapplications on hand. All factors 
will receive equal weight with points awarded to each factor on a 5, 4, 
3, 2, 1 basis depending on the applicant's ranking compared to other 
applicants.
    (a) Preference will be given to applications that:
    (1) demonstrate a proven track record in administering a nationally 
coordinated, regionally or State-wide operated project;
    (2) demonstrate previous expertise in providing technical 
assistance in rural areas;
    (3) demonstrate the ability to assist in the retention of business, 
facilitate the establishment of cooperatives and new cooperative 
approaches, and generate employment opportunities that will improve the 
economic conditions of rural areas;
    (4) demonstrate the ability to create horizontal linkages among 
businesses within and among various sectors in rural areas of the 
United States and vertical linkages to domestic and international 
markets;
    (5) commit to providing technical assistance and other services to 
underserved and economically distressed rural areas of the United 
States;
    (6) commit to providing greater than a 25 percent matching 
contribution with private funds and in-kind contributions;
    (7) evidence transferability or demonstration value to assist rural 
areas outside of project area; and
    (8) demonstrate that any cooperative development activity is 
consistent with positive environmental stewardship.

Fiscal Year 1997 Preapplication Submission

    Due to the short preapplication period for FY 1997 funds, qualified 
applicants should begin the preapplication process as soon as possible. 
Preapplications must include a clear statement of the goals and 
objectives of the project and a plan which describes the proposed 
project as required by the statute and 7 CFR part 4284, subpart F. Each 
preapplication received in the State Office will be reviewed to 
determine if the preapplication is consistent with the eligible 
purposes outlined in 7 CFR part 4284, subpart F. Preapplications 
without supportive data to address

[[Page 42483]]

selection criteria will not be considered. Copies of 7 CFR part 4284, 
subpart F, will be provided to any interested applicant by making a 
request to the Rural Development State Office or RBS National Office.
    Preapplications must be completed and submitted to the State Rural 
Development Office as soon as possible but no later than August 20.
    For ease of locating information, each preapplication must contain 
a detailed Table of Contents containing page numbers for each component 
of the preapplication. The preapplication must also contain a project 
summary of 250 words or less on a separate page. This page must include 
the title of the project and the names of the primary project contacts 
and the applicant organization, followed by the summary. The summary 
should be self-contained and should describe the overall goals, 
relevance of the project, and a listing of all organizations involved 
in the project. The project summary should immediately follow the Table 
of Contents.
    The National Office will score applicants based on the grant 
selection criteria contained in 7 CFR part 4284, subpart F, and will 
select awardees subject to the availability of funds and the awardee's 
satisfactory submission of a formal application and related materials 
in accordance with subpart F. Entities submitting preapplications that 
are selected for award will be invited by the State Office to submit a 
formal application prior to September 15. It is anticipated that grant 
awardees will be selected by September 15, 1997.

    Dated: July 30, 1997.
Jill Long Thompson,
Under Secretary, Rural Development.
[FR Doc. 97-20739 Filed 8-6-97; 8:45 am]
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