is located, the substate regional organization in
the region in which the applicant is located, and
1862 and 1890 land grant institutions in the
State in which the applicant is located have co-
operated in—
(i) identifying regional methods of col-
laboration;
(ii) assessing and documenting the
economic, social, and cultural connections
between
rural
areas
and
metropolitan
entities;
(iii) preparing regional resource as-
sessments;
(iv) encouraging and developing—
(I) collaborative efforts between
the 1862 and 1890 land grant institu-
tions and substate regional organiza-
tions in the State;
(II) memoranda of agreement
among such entities; and
(III) methods for coordination
and communication among such enti-
ties;
(v) developing methods of—
(I) diversifying the rural econ-
omy;
(II) dealing with outmigration of
rural youth;
(III) equalizing rural education
to that received in urban areas;
(IV) obtaining long term employ-
ment opportunities for low income,
traditionally unemployed, seasonally
employed, or underemployed rural
residents; and
(V) delivering effective job train-
ing services to local communities;
(vi) preparing an assessment of the
capital needs, coordination, and financing
of rural telecommunications and other
rural infrastructure such as water and
sewer;
(vii) developing a plan for the effective
use and involvement of private sector re-
sources and skills to deal with rural prob-
lems;
(viii) reviewing and recommending to
the legislature of the State changes to
State government programs, policies, or
regulations which may impede effective
rural development;
(ix) developing strategies for better
coordination of rural development efforts
among Federal, State, and local entities;
and
(x) designing the projects proposed in
the application;
(B) that the rural development projects
proposed in the application are to be carried
out in partnership with the rural development
council of the State in which the applicant is lo-
cated, the substate regional organization in the
region in which the applicant is located, and
such 1862 and 1890 land grant institutions
(acting in consultation with local offices of the
Agricultural Extension Service) as suggest a
multidisciplinary 
approach 
to 
methods 
of
project evaluation and assistance with a par-
ticular emphasis on development of a new and
expanded community service role for college and
university departments of agriculture with em-
phasis given to social and economic assistance;
(C) that the county in which the applicant
is located is able to begin implementation of the
projects within 3 months after receiving a grant
under this section, and fully implement the
projects within 18 months after such receipt;
and
(D) how the funds provided to the appli-
cant under this section are to be used to obtain
funding from other sources on an ongoing
basis.
(5) FISCAL
YEAR
1996.—The Secretary may
not, after September 15, 1996, approve an applica-
tion for grants under this section for fiscal year
1996.
(6) 
COORDINATION
OF
MULTICOUNTY
PROJECTS.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—In the case of an appli-
cation for grants under this section that pro-
vides for a rural development project which is
to be coordinated between or among 2 or more
applicants for such grants, the Secretary shall
make the coordination of the activities of such
applicants a condition of approving the applica-
tion.
(B) TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE.—The Sec-
retary shall provide such technical assistance as
may be required to assist counties in coordinat-
ing the planning, funding, and implementation
of rural development projects referred to in sub-
paragraph (A).
(d) GRANT AUTHORITY.—If the Secretary approves
an application for grants under this section, the Secretary
shall—
(1) make a grant to the applicant in an aggre-
gate amount equal to 80 percent of the total amount
of the grant;
(2) make a grant to the land grant institutions
identified in the application, in an aggregate amount
equal to 10 percent of such total amount;
(3) make a grant to the State rural develop-
ment councils identified in the application, in an ag-
gregate amount equal to 6 percent of such total
amount; and
(4) make a grant to the substate regional orga-
nizations identified in the application, in an aggre-
gate amount equal to 4 percent of such total
amount.
(e) MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF GRANT.—The amount of
each grant made under this section with respect to an ap-
proved application shall not exceed $1,000,000.
(f) TERM OF GRANT.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary may make
grants under this section with respect to an ap-
proved application for not more than 3 years.
(2) MULTIYEAR GRANTS.—The Secretary may
make a grant under this section to a qualified coun-
ty rural development board for a period of more
than 1 year if the management capacity of the
board, the level of needs documented by the board,
and any necessary phasing-in of the project are such
that multi-year funding is necessary.
(g) USE OF GRANT.—Each entity to which a grant
is made under this section shall use the funds in accord-
ance with the approved application for the grant.
(h) ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.—Not later than
February 1, 1996, the Secretary shall—
(1) publish in the Federal Register a detailed
announcement of the grant program authorized by
this Act, and a schedule of activities of the Depart-
ment of Agriculture to meet the goals and require-
ments of this Act;
(2) notify State rural development councils and
train State rural development coordinators about the
grant program, schedule regional workshops for
county rural development boards and officials, and
establish a clearinghouse of rural development ideas
the approved application and the requirements imposed by
or under this section.
(l) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this Act:
(1) QUALIFIED COUNTY RURAL DEVELOPMENT
BOARD.—The term ‘‘qualified county rural develop-
ment board’’ means a rural development board that
is established in accordance with the following re-
quirements:
(A) The board is an agency of county gov-
ernment.
(B) The county for which the board is es-
tablished does not contain a city with a popu-
lation of more than 35,000 individuals.
(C) The board has not less than 7 and not
more than 15 members.
(D) Not more than 50 percent of the board
members may be appointed by the county.
(E) The membership of the board is fully
representative of the population of the county.
(F) The meetings of the board are re-
quired to be open to the public, the board is re-
quired to notify the public not less than 7 days
and not more than 21 days in advance of board
meetings, the board is required to keep minutes
of its meetings, and the board is required to af-
ford the public an opportunity to comment at
board meetings.
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of Agriculture.
(3) SUBSTATE REGIONAL ORGANIZATION.—The
term ‘‘substate regional organization’’ means a sub-
state regional multicounty planning and development
entity.
(m) LIMITATIONS ON AUTHORIZATION OF APPRO-
PRIATIONS.—To carry out this section, there are author-
ized to be appropriated to the Secretary not more than—
(1) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1996; and
(2) $40,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1997
and 1998.
SEC. 3. NATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM.
The Secretary shall create a training and information
system utilizing 1862 and 1890 land grant institutions,
the Agricultural Extension Service, State rural develop-
ment councils, and substate regional organizations, which
shall include—
(1) advice and materials on local rural strategic
planning processes and procedures, which shall in-
clude how to study local economies, identify local
strengths and weaknesses, develop opportunities,
profile resources, and identify the competence and
availability of the labor force and of local education;
(2) creation of a significant resource library
readily available to qualified county rural develop-
ment boards featuring comparative case studies,
Federal and State resource guides, and nonprofit
and community based development organization
guides;
(3) advice and guidance on how to facilitate cit-
izen involvement in the planning and implementation
of rural projects with respect to which grants are
made under section 2;
(4) techniques and methods to encourage re-
gional economic cooperation;
(5) leadership training;
(6) provision of detailed information and strate-
gies for development potential of various industries
including agriculture, timber, mining, tourism, and
manufacturing, with emphasis on the use of ad-
vanced technologies and processes and on adding
value to raw materials and component parts;
(7) financial information and advice on imple-
menting projects using grants, banks, venture cap-
ital companies, revolving loan funds and other meth-
ods of leveraging funding; and
(8) a training and information network linking
together qualified county rural development boards
and State rural development councils for continued
support and information sharing.
SEC. 4. NATIONAL RURAL DEVELOPMENT GOALS; EVALUA-
TIONS; REPORT TO THE CONGRESS.
(a) RURAL DEVELOPMENT GOALS.—Not later than
July 1, 1996, the Secretary of Agriculture shall publish
in the Federal Register a statement of national rural de-
velopment goals, and shall provide for a period of public
comment on such goals.
(b) EVALUATIONS; REPORT TO THE CONGRESS.—
Not later than October 1, 1999, the Secretary shall submit
to the Congress a report that evaluates the activities en-
gaged in under this Act and includes recommendations as
to the desirability of expanding the activities.
Æ
HR 5086 IH——2