within or comprises a census tract, or a group of contig-
uous census tracts, that has a poverty rate of 20 percent 
or greater. 
‘‘(c) PRIORITY CONSIDERATION FOR OTHER RURAL 
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS.—The Secretary shall give pri-
ority under a rural development program for an applica-
tion for a project that— 
‘‘(1) is included in and supports a Plan; 
‘‘(2) is eligible for the applicable program from 
which the funds were set aside; and 
‘‘(3) is carried out in the applicable area cov-
ered by the Plan. 
‘‘(d) OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.—The Secretary of 
Agriculture, acting as the Chair of the Council on Rural 
Community Innovation and Economic Development estab-
lished by section 6306 of the Agriculture Improvement Act 
of 2018 (7 U.S.C. 2204b–3), may invite a member of that 
Council to give priority under the programs carried out 
by the member for a project that satisfies the criteria de-
scribed in paragraphs (1) through (3) of subsection (c). 
‘‘SEC. 385H. CAPACITY BUILDING AND TECHNICAL ASSIST-
ANCE PARTNERS. 
‘‘(a) CAPACITY BUILDING.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide 
to a Council training, education, support, and advice 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:14 Nov 02, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00036
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4874.IH
H4874
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
to enhance the technical assistance, research, organi-
zational, and other capacities of the Council in car-
rying out activities under the Fund. 
‘‘(2) ACTIVITIES.—In carrying out paragraph 
(1), the Secretary, in coordination with the Rural 
Development Innovation Center established by the 
Secretary of Agriculture or through a contract for 
services entered into with an eligible technical assist-
ance provider, may provide training, education, sup-
port, and advice that addresses— 
‘‘(A) emergent innovative opportunities 
that are not covered by an existing Plan; 
‘‘(B) entrepreneurial opportunities to ad-
vance the goals of the Fund; 
‘‘(C) opportunities to advance a more inte-
grative rural policy framework for the United 
States, including building regional connections 
between urban areas and rural areas; 
‘‘(D) with support from the Chief Informa-
tion Officer of the Department of Agriculture, 
the tracking, collection, and analysis of data 
and measurements for assessing the progress of 
Plans; and 
‘‘(E) best practices based on— 
‘‘(i) the experiences of Councils; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:14 Nov 02, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00037
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4874.IH
H4874
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
‘‘(ii) domestic and international rural 
development practices. 
‘‘(b) RURAL FUTURE LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish a Rural Future Leadership Institute (referred to 
in this subsection as the ‘Institute’). 
‘‘(2) SELECTION OF ENTITIES.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Under the Institute, 
each year the Secretary shall select individuals 
to participate in the Institute. 
‘‘(B) PREFERENCE.—In selecting individ-
uals to participate in the Institute under sub-
paragraph (A), the Secretary shall give pref-
erence to an individual residing in, or directly 
assisting, an area represented by a Council. 
‘‘(3) ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary shall provide 
to each individual that is selected to participate in 
the Institute under paragraph (2) year-long pro-
gramming such as— 
‘‘(A) skill-building seminars; 
‘‘(B) best practice reviews; 
‘‘(C) site visits; 
‘‘(D) performance measurement and data 
analytics; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:14 Nov 02, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00038
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4874.IH
H4874
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
‘‘(E) other training and capacity building 
activities. 
‘‘(4) PEER EXCHANGE PROGRAM.—In carrying 
out the Institute, the Secretary shall establish a peer 
exchange program within and across areas rep-
resented by Councils to promote industry-leading 
practices, innovations relating to the organizational 
development, program delivery, and regional initia-
tives of the Councils, and opportunities to build col-
laborative relationships between urban leaders and 
rural leaders. 
‘‘(c) RURAL FUTURE CORPS.— 
‘‘(1) DEFINITION
OF
AMERICORPS
PARTICI-
PANT.—In this subsection, the term ‘AmeriCorps 
participant’ means a participant under subtitle C of 
title I of the National and Community Service Act 
of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12571 et seq.) who received an 
approved national service position provided under 
section 121(b) of that Act (42 U.S.C. 12571(b)). 
‘‘(2) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall 
enter into an agreement with the Corporation for 
National and Community Service under section 
121(b) of the National and Community Service Act 
of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12571(b)) to establish a Rural 
Future Corps in which AmeriCorps participants 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:14 Nov 02, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00039
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4874.IH
H4874
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
shall serve in areas represented by Councils, to im-
plement the Plans of the Councils, including serving 
through— 
‘‘(A) expansion of critical services such as 
child care, health, nutrition assistance, edu-
cation, and job training; and 
‘‘(B) strengthening the capacity of units of 
local government and economic, community, 
and cooperative development organizations to 
implement community and economic develop-
ment activities. 
‘‘(3) RETENTION.—On completion of service of 
an AmeriCorps participant in the Rural Future 
Corps, the Secretary shall encourage the retention of 
the participant in the applicable area in which the 
participant served. 
‘‘(4) RELATIONSHIP
TO
NATIONAL
SERVICE 
PROGRAMS.—Notwithstanding section 122(a) of the 
National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 
U.S.C. 12752(a)), for purposes of that Act, the ap-
proved national service positions provided under the 
agreement for the Rural Future Corps program will 
be considered to be used to support a national serv-
ice program under section 122(b) of that Act (42 
U.S.C. 12572(b)). 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:14 Nov 02, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00040
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4874.IH
H4874
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS