791 
‘‘(iv) a public organization established 
before the date of enactment of the Agri-
culture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 
2013 under State law for creation of multi-
jurisdictional, area-wide planning organiza-
tions; 
‘‘(v) a nonprofit agency or instrumen-
tality of a State that was established for 
the purpose of assisting with multistate co-
operation; or 
‘‘(vi) a nonprofit association or com-
bination of bodies, agencies, and instru-
mentalities 
described 
in 
clauses 
(ii) 
through (v); and 
‘‘(2) that has not, as certified by the Authority 
(in consultation with the Federal cochairperson or 
Secretary, as appropriate)— 
‘‘(A) inappropriately used Federal grant 
funds from any Federal source; or 
‘‘(B) appointed an officer who, during the 
period in which another entity inappropriately 
used Federal grant funds from any Federal 
source, was an officer of the other entity. 
‘‘(b) GRANTS TO MULTISTATE, LOCAL, OR REGIONAL 
DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS AND ORGANIZATIONS.— 
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792 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Authority may make 
grants for administrative expenses under this section 
to multistate, local, and regional development dis-
tricts and organizations. 
‘‘(2) CONDITIONS FOR GRANTS.— 
‘‘(A) MAXIMUM AMOUNT.—The amount of 
any grant awarded under paragraph (1) shall 
not exceed 80 percent of the administrative ex-
penses of the multistate, local, or regional de-
velopment district or organization receiving the 
grant. 
‘‘(B) MAXIMUM
PERIOD.—No grant de-
scribed in paragraph (1) shall be awarded for a 
period of greater than 3 years. 
‘‘(3) LOCAL
SHARE.—The contributions of a 
multistate, local, or regional development district or 
organization for administrative expenses may be in 
cash or in-kind, fairly evaluated, including space, 
equipment, and services. 
‘‘(c) DUTIES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), a local development district shall operate 
as a lead organization serving multicounty areas in 
the region at the local level. 
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793 
‘‘(2) 
DESIGNATION.—The 
Federal 
cochair-
person may designate an Indian tribe or multijuris-
dictional organization to serve as a lead organization 
in such cases as the Federal cochairperson or Sec-
retary, as appropriate, determines appropriate. 
‘‘(d) NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS INC.—Northern 
Great Plains Inc., a nonprofit corporation incorporated in 
the State of Minnesota to implement the recommendations 
of the Northern Great Plains Rural Development Commis-
sion established by the Northern Great Plains Rural De-
velopment Act (7 U.S.C. 2661 note; Public Law 103– 
318)— 
‘‘(1) shall serve as an independent, primary re-
source for the Authority on issues of concern to the 
region; 
‘‘(2) shall advise the Authority on development 
of international trade; 
‘‘(3) may provide research, education, training, 
and other support to the Authority; and 
‘‘(4) may carry out other activities on its own 
behalf or on behalf of other entities. 
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794 
‘‘SEC. 3827. DISTRESSED COUNTIES AND AREAS AND NON-
DISTRESSED COUNTIES. 
‘‘(a) DESIGNATIONS.—Each year, the Authority, in 
accordance with such criteria as the Authority may estab-
lish, shall designate— 
‘‘(1) as distressed counties, counties in the re-
gion that are the most severely and persistently dis-
tressed and underdeveloped and have high rates of 
poverty, unemployment, or outmigration; 
‘‘(2) as nondistressed counties, counties in the 
region that are not designated as distressed counties 
under paragraph (1); and 
‘‘(3) as isolated areas of distress, areas located 
in nondistressed counties (as designated under para-
graph (2)) that have high rates of poverty, unem-
ployment, or outmigration. 
‘‘(b) DISTRESSED COUNTIES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Authority shall allo-
cate at least 50 percent of the appropriations made 
available under section 3834 for programs and 
projects designed to serve the needs of distressed 
counties and isolated areas of distress in the region. 
‘‘(2) FUNDING LIMITATIONS.—The funding lim-
itations under section 3825(b) shall not apply to a 
project to provide transportation or telecommuni-
cation or basic public services to residents of 1 or 
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