executive of the appropriate Tribal govern-
ment; and 
(3) demonstrate cooperation among the mem-
bers of the partnership described in paragraph (2) 
necessary to complete comprehensive, asset-based 
rural development through eligible activities de-
scribed in subsection (e). 
(e) ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES.—An eligible applicant de-
scribed in subsection (d) that receives a grant under sub-
section (a) may use the grant funds in rural areas— 
(1) to coordinate Federal, State, regional, or 
Tribal initiatives to reduce duplicative efforts with 
respect to Federal investments; 
(2) to leverage non-Federal financial and tech-
nical resources; 
(3) to complete comprehensive predevelopment 
activities and planning; 
(4) to create public-private partnerships and at-
tract private investment; 
(5) to support eligible operational activities, in-
cluding staffing, of the eligible applicants, except 
that a for-profit entity may not use the grant funds 
for the purpose described in this paragraph; 
(6) to provide capital to existing or new 
projects, subject to the condition that not more than 
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50 percent of the grant funds may be used for that 
purpose; 
(7) to support regional projects and initiatives; 
(8) to address economic recovery from emer-
gencies and natural or man-made disasters; and 
(9) to develop strategic community investment 
plans described in section 379H(d) of the Consoli-
dated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 
2008v(d)). 
(f) INELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES.—An eligible applicant 
described in subsection (d) that receives a grant under 
subsection (a) may not use the grant funds— 
(1) to fund operational activities, including 
staffing, at a for-profit institution; 
(2) to purchase or lease real property; or 
(3) to support a non-rural area. 
(g) SELECTION
CRITERIA.—In awarding grants 
under subsection (b), the Secretary shall give priority to 
an eligible applicant described in subsection (d) that pro-
poses to serve— 
(1) a rural area with a significant change in 
population; 
(2) a rural area with significant workforce 
changes or changes in major employers; 
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(3) an economically distressed rural area, as de-
termined by the Secretary; 
(4) a rural area that has historically received 
minimal Federal funding, as determined by the Sec-
retary; or 
(5) a rural area for the purpose of job retention 
and economic stabilization, as determined by the 
Secretary. 
(h) MATCHING FUNDS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), an 
eligible applicant described in subsection (d) that re-
ceives a grant under subsection (a) shall provide 
non-Federal matching funds in the form of cash or 
an in-kind contribution in an amount that is not less 
than 25 percent of the amount of the grant. 
(2) WAIVER.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary may 
waive the requirement under paragraph (1) 
based on the demonstrated need of the eligible 
applicant or the population served by the eligi-
ble applicant, as determined by the Secretary, 
including— 
(i) an eligible applicant serving an 
area with a higher nonmetropolitan poverty 
level; 
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(ii) an eligible applicant serving a 
Tribal population; and 
(iii) an eligible applicant composed of 
a partnership that includes an entity de-
scribed in subsection (d)(2)(A). 
(B) JUSTIFICATION.—The Secretary shall 
provide to the Committee on Agriculture of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the 
Senate a justification for each waiver provided 
under subparagraph (A). 
(3) PROVIDERS.—Non-Federal matching funds 
under paragraph (1) may be provided by any mem-
ber of the applicable partnership described in sub-
section (d)(2). 
(i) COORDINATION.—The Secretary shall carry out 
this section in coordination with the Rural Partners Net-
work established by section 6306 of the Agriculture Im-
provement Act of 2018 (7 U.S.C. 2204b–3). 
(j) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary such sums as are nec-
essary to carry out this section. 
(2) ADMINISTRATION.—The Secretary may re-
tain not more than 2 percent of the amounts made 
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available to carry out this section for administration 
of the program established under this section. 
SEC. 4. RURAL PARTNERSHIP TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 
GRANTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of ap-
propriations under subsection (g), the Secretary shall es-
tablish a program to award grants, on a competitive basis, 
for up to a 5-year period, to be administered at the na-
tional level through the Under Secretary for Rural Devel-
opment, for the purpose of advising on and assisting rural 
community organizations with— 
(1) Federal grant management and the develop-
ment of financial management systems; 
(2) housing or community economic develop-
ment projects; and 
(3) the development of placemaking plans and 
applications for Federal grants. 
(b) ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS.—To be eligible to receive 
a grant under subsection (a), an applicant shall be a quali-
fied private or nonprofit intermediary organization, includ-
ing an institution of higher education with an existing 
community development and planning program, including 
an extension program, that has demonstrated experience 
and capacity to provide technical assistance on community 
development and planning in rural areas. 
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