Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) Inviting Applications for the FY 2006 Funding Round and the FY 2007 Funding Round of the Native American CDFI Assistance Program, 73877-73886 [05-23748]
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 238 / Tuesday, December 13, 2005 / Notices
contact person and authorized
representative, e-mail addresses, fax
numbers, phone numbers, and office
addresses) in their myCDFIFund
account(s). For more information about
myCDFIFund, please see the Help
documents posted at https://
www.cdfifund.gov/myCDFI/Help/
Help.asp.
VIII. Information Sessions and
Outreach
In connection with the Fiscal Year
2006 and FY 2007 Funding Round, the
Fund may conduct Information Sessions
to disseminate information to
organizations contemplating applying
to, and other organizations interested in
learning about, the Fund’s programs.
For further information on the Fund’s
Information Sessions, dates and
locations, or to register to attend an
Information Session, please visit the
Fund’s Web site at https://
www.cdfifund.gov or call the Fund at
(202) 622–9046.
Authority: 12 U.S.C. 4703, 4703 note, 4704,
4706, 4707, 4717; 12 CFR part 1805.
Dated: December 1, 2005.
Arthur A. Garcia,
Director, Community Development Financial
Institutions Fund.
[FR Doc. 05–23750 Filed 12–12–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810–70–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Community Development Financial
Institutions Fund
Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA)
Inviting Applications for the FY 2006
Funding Round and the FY 2007
Funding Round of the Native American
CDFI Assistance Program
Announcement Type: Initial
announcement of funding opportunity.
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance (CFDA) Number: 21.020.
Dates: Applications for the FY 2006
Funding Round must be received by 5
p.m. ET on February 14, 2006.
Applications for the FY 2007 Funding
Round must be received by 5 p.m. ET
on February 14, 2007.
Executive Summary: Subject to
funding availability, this NOFA is
issued in connection with two
consecutive funding rounds of the
Native American CDFI Assistance
(NACA) Program: (i) The FY 2006
Funding Round and (ii) the FY 2007
Funding Round.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
A. Through the NACA Program, the
Community Development Financial
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Institutions Fund (the Fund) provides
Financial Assistance (FA) awards to
Community Development Financial
Institutions (CDFIs) that have at least 50
percent of their activities directed
toward serving Native American, Alaska
Native and/or Native Hawaiian
communities (Native CDFIs) in order to
build their capacity to better address the
community development and capital
access needs of their Target Market(s)
and to expand into new Investment
Areas, Low-Income Targeted
Populations, or Other Targeted
Populations. Through the NACA
Program, the Fund provides Technical
Assistance (TA) grants to entities that
propose to become Native CDFIs, and to
Native organizations, Tribes and Tribal
organizations (Sponsoring Entities) that
propose to create Native CDFIs, in order
to build their capacity to better address
the community development and capital
access needs of their Target Market(s), to
expand into new Investment Areas,
Low-Income Targeted Populations, or
Other Targeted Populations, or to create
Native CDFIs.
B. The regulations governing the CDFI
Program, found at 12 CFR Part 1805 (the
Interim Rule), provide relevant guidance
on evaluation criteria and other
requirements of the NACA Program. The
Fund is publishing the revised Interim
Rule in this issue of the Federal
Register. The Interim Rule published in
this issue of the Federal Register
contains revisions concerning how
certain Applicants may use retained
earnings as matching funds for a FA
award. The Fund encourages Applicants
to review the Interim Rule. Detailed
application content requirements are
found in the applicable funding
application and related guidance
materials. Each capitalized term in this
NOFA is more fully defined in the
Interim Rule, the application or the
guidance materials.
C. The Fund reserves the right to
fund, in whole or in part, any, all, or
none of the applications submitted in
response to this NOFA. The Fund
reserves the right to re-allocate funds
from the amount that is anticipated to
be available under this NOFA to other
Fund programs, particularly if the Fund
determines that the number of awards
made under this NOFA is fewer than
projected.
II. Award Information
A. Funding Availability: 1. FY 2006
Funding Round: Through the FY 2006
Funding Round, and subject to funding
availability, the Fund expects that it
may award approximately $3.5 million
in appropriated funds through the
NACA Program. The Fund reserves the
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right to award in excess of $3.5 million
in appropriated funds to Applicants in
the FY 2006 Funding Round, provided
that the funds are available and the
Fund deems it appropriate.
2. FY 2007 Funding Round: Through
the FY 2007 Funding Round, and
subject to funding availability, the Fund
expects that it may award
approximately $3.5 million in
appropriated funds through the NACA
Program. The Fund reserves the right to
award in excess of $3.5 million in
appropriated funds to Applicants in the
FY 2007 Funding Round, provided that
the funds are available and the Fund
deems it appropriate.
3. Availability of Funds for the FY
2007 Funding Round: Because funds for
the FY 2007 Funding Round have not
yet been appropriated, interested parties
should be aware that electing to defer
the submission of an application until
the FY 2007 Funding Round, rather than
for the FY 2006 Funding Round, entails
some risk. If funds are not appropriated
for the FY 2007 Funding Round, there
will not be a FY 2007 Funding Round.
Further, it is possible that if funds are
appropriated for the FY 2007 Funding
Round, the amount of such funds may
be less than the amounts set forth above.
B. Types of Awards: A NACA Program
Applicant may submit an application
for: (i) a FA award; (ii) a FA award and
a TA grant; or (iii) a TA grant.
1. FA Awards: The Fund may provide
FA awards in the form of equity
investments (including, in the case of
certain Insured Credit Unions,
secondary capital accounts), grants,
loans, deposits, credit union shares, or
any combination thereof. The Fund
reserves the right, in its sole discretion,
to provide a FA award in a form and
amount other than that which is
requested by an Applicant. The Fund
reserves the right, in its sole discretion,
to provide a FA award on the condition
that the Applicant agrees to use a TA
grant for specified capacity building
purposes, even if the Applicant has not
requested a TA grant.
2. TA Grants: (a) The Fund may
provide TA awards in the form of
grants. The Fund reserves the right, in
its sole discretion, to provide a TA grant
for uses and amounts other than and in
addition to that which are requested by
an Applicant.
(b) TA grants may be used to address
a variety of needs including, but not
limited to, development of strategic
planning documents (such as business,
strategic or capitalization plans), market
analyses or product feasibility analyses,
operational policies and procedures,
curricula for Development Services
(such as entrepreneurial training, home
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buyer education, financial education or
training, borrower credit repair
training), improvement of underwriting
and portfolio management, development
of outreach and training strategies to
enhance product delivery, operating
support to expand into a new Target
Market, and tools that allow the
Applicant to assess the impact of its
activities in its community. Each
Applicant for a TA grant through this
NOFA is required to provide
information in the application regarding
the expected cost, timing and provider
of the TA, and a narrative description of
how the TA grant will enhance its
capacity to provide greater community
development impact, to become
certified as a Native CDFI, or to create
a Native CDFI, if applicable.
(c) Eligible TA grant uses include, but
are not limited to: (i) Acquiring
consulting services; (ii) acquiring/
enhancing technology items, including
computer hardware, software and
Internet connectivity; (iii) acquiring
training for staff, management and/or
board members; and (iv) paying
recurring expenses, including staff
salary and other key operating expenses,
that will enhance the capacity of the
Applicant to serve its Target Market,
and/or to become certified as a Native
CDFI or to create a Native CDFI.
C. Notice of Award; Assistance
Agreement: Each Awardee under this
NOFA must sign a Notice of Award and
an Assistance Agreement in order to
receive a disbursement of award
proceeds by the Fund. The Notice of
Award and the Assistance Agreement
contain the terms and conditions of the
award. For further information, see
Sections VI.A and VI.B of this NOFA.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants: The Interim
Rule specifies the eligibility
requirements that each Applicant must
meet in order to be eligible to apply for
assistance under this NOFA. The
following sets forth additional detail
and dates that relate to the submission
of applications under this NOFA:
1. CDFI Certification Requirements:
For purposes of this NOFA, any
Applicant that is a Certified Native CDFI
or a Certifiable Native CDFI may apply
for a FA award or a FA award and a TA
grant. An Applicant that is an Emerging
Native CDFI or a Sponsoring Entity may
apply for a TA grant only.
(a) Certified Native CDFIs: For
purposes of this NOFA, a Certified
Native CDFI is a Certified CDFI that
primarily serves (meaning, at least 50
percent of its activities are directed
toward serving) a Native Community
and whose certification has not expired
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and that has not been notified by the
Fund that its certification has been
terminated. Each such Applicant must
include a ‘‘Certification of Material
Event Form’’ with its NACA application
by the applicable application deadline,
in accordance with the instructions on
the Fund’s Web site at
www.cdfifund.gov. Please note: the
Fund provided a number of CDFIs with
certifications expiring in 2003 through
2005 written notification that their
certifications had been extended. The
Fund will consider the extended
certification date (the later date) to
determine whether those CDFIs meet
this eligibility requirement.
(b) Certifiable Native CDFIs: For
purposes of this NOFA, a Certifiable
Native CDFI is an entity that primarily
serves (meaning, at least 50 percent of
its activities are directed toward
serving) a Native Community and from
which the Fund receives a complete
CDFI Certification Application by the
applicable deadline of the NACA
Program application, evidencing that
the Applicant meets all requirements to
be certified as a CDFI. Applicants may
obtain the CDFI Certification
Application through the Fund’s Web
site at www.cdfifund.gov. Applications
for certification must be submitted as
instructed in the application form. FA
Applicants that are Certifiable Native
CDFIs please note: While your
organization may be conditionally
selected for funding (as evidenced
through the Notice of Award), the Fund
will not enter into an Assistance
Agreement or disburse FA award funds
unless and until the Fund has certified
your organization as a CDFI. If the Fund
is unable to certify your organization as
a CDFI based on the CDFI certification
application that your organization
submits to the Fund, the Notice of
Award may be terminated and the
award commitment may be cancelled, in
the sole discretion of the Fund.
(c) Emerging Native CDFIs: For
purposes of this NOFA, an Emerging
Native CDFI is an entity that primarily
serves (meaning, at least 50 percent of
its activities are directed toward
serving) a Native Community and that
demonstrates to the satisfaction of the
Fund that it has a reasonable plan to
achieve CDFI certification within a
reasonable timeframe. Emerging CDFIs
may only apply for TA grants; they are
not eligible to apply for FA awards.
Each Emerging CDFI that is selected to
receive a TA grant will be required,
pursuant to its Assistance Agreement
with the Fund, to work toward CDFI
certification by a date certain.
(d) Sponsoring Entities: For purposes
of this NOFA, a Sponsoring Entity is an
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entity that proposes to create a separate
legal entity that will become certified as
a CDFI. For purposes of this NOFA,
Sponsoring Entities include: (a) A Tribe,
Tribal entity, Alaska Native Village,
Village Corporation, Regional
Corporation, Non-Profit Regional
Corporation/Association, or Inter-Tribal
or Inter-Village organization; (b) an
organization whose primary mission is
to serve a Native Community including,
but not limited to an Urban Indian
Center, Tribally Controlled Community
College, community development
corporation (CDC), training or
educational organization, or Chamber of
Commerce, and that primarily serves
(meaning, at least 50 percent of its
activities are directed toward serving) a
Native Community. Sponsoring Entities
may only apply for TA grants; they are
not eligible to apply for FA awards.
Each Sponsoring Entity that is selected
to receive a TA grant will be required,
pursuant to its Assistance Agreement
with the Fund, to create a legal entity by
a date certain that will, in turn, seek
CDFI certification.
D. Prior Awardees: Applicants must
be aware that success in a prior round
of any of the Fund’s programs is not
indicative of success under this NOFA.
Prior awardees are eligible to apply
under this NOFA, except as follows:
1. $5 Million Funding Cap. The Fund
is generally prohibited from obligating
more than $5 million in assistance, in
the aggregate, to any one organization
and its Subsidiaries and Affiliates
during any three-year period. For the
purposes of this NOFA, the period
extends back three years from the date
that the Fund signs a Notice of Award
issued to an Awardee under this NOFA.
2. Failure to meet reporting
requirements: The Fund will not
consider an application submitted by an
Applicant if the Applicant, or an entity
that Controls the Applicant, is
Controlled by the Applicant or shares
common management officials with the
applicant (as determined by the Fund)
is a prior Fund Awardee or allocatee
under any Fund program and is not
current on the reporting requirements
set forth in a previously executed
assistance, allocation or award
agreement(s) as of the applicable
application deadline of this NOFA.
Please note that the Fund only
acknowledges the receipt of reports that
are complete. As such, incomplete
reports or reports that are deficient of
required elements will not be
recognized as having been received.
3. Pending resolution of
noncompliance: If an Applicant is a
prior Awardee or allocatee under any
Fund program and if: (i) It has
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submitted complete and timely reports
to the Fund that demonstrate
noncompliance with a previous
assistance, allocation or award
agreement; and (ii) the Fund has yet to
make a final determination as to
whether the entity is in default of its
previous assistance, allocation or award
agreement, the Fund will consider the
Applicant’s application under this
NOFA pending full resolution, in the
sole determination of the Fund, of the
noncompliance. Further, if another
entity that Controls the Applicant, is
Controlled by the Applicant or shares
common management officials with the
Applicant (as determined by the Fund),
is a prior Fund Awardee or allocatee
and if such entity: (i) Has submitted
complete and timely reports to the Fund
that demonstrate noncompliance with a
previous assistance, allocation or award
agreement; and (ii) the Fund has yet to
make a final determination as to
whether the entity is in default of its
previous assistance, allocation, or award
agreement, the Fund will consider the
Applicant’s application under this
NOFA pending full resolution, in the
sole determination of the Fund, of the
noncompliance.
4. Default status: The Fund will not
consider an application submitted by an
Applicant that is a prior Fund Awardee
or allocatee under any Fund program if,
as of the applicable application deadline
of this NOFA, the Fund has made a final
determination that such Applicant is in
default of a previously executed
assistance, allocation or award
agreement(s). Further, an entity is not
eligible to apply for an award pursuant
to this NOFA if, as of the applicable
application deadline of this NOFA, the
Fund has made a final determination
that another entity that Controls the
Applicant, is Controlled by the
Applicant or shares common
management officials with the
Applicant (as determined by the Fund):
(i) Is a prior Fund Awardee or allocatee
under any Fund program; and (ii) has
been determined by the Fund to be in
default of a previously executed
assistance, allocation or award
agreement(s).
5. Termination in default: The Fund
will not consider an application
submitted by an Applicant that is a
prior Fund Awardee or allocatee under
any Fund program if: (i) The Fund has
made a final determination that such
Applicant’s prior award or allocation
terminated in default of a previously
executed assistance, allocation or award
agreement(s); and (ii) the final reporting
period end date for the applicable
terminated assistance, allocation or
award agreement(s) falls in Calendar
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Year 2005 (for the FY 2006 Funding
Round) or Calendar Year 2006 (for the
FY 2007 Funding Round). Further, an
entity is not eligible to apply for an
award pursuant to this NOFA if: (i) The
Fund has made a final determination
that another entity that Controls the
Applicant, is Controlled by the
Applicant or shares common
management officials with the
Applicant (as determined by the Fund),
is a prior Fund Awardee or allocatee
under any Fund program whose award
or allocation terminated in default of a
previously executed assistance,
allocation or award agreement(s); and
(ii) the final reporting period end date
for the applicable terminated assistance,
allocation or award agreement(s) falls in
Calendar Year 2005 (for the FY 2006
Funding Round) or Calendar Year 2006
(for the FY 2007 Funding Round).
6. Undisbursed balances: The Fund
will not consider an application
submitted by an Applicant that is a
prior Fund Awardee under any Fund
program if the Applicant has a balance
of undisbursed funds (defined below)
under said prior award(s), as of the
applicable application deadline of this
NOFA. Further, an entity is not eligible
to apply for an award pursuant to this
NOFA if another entity that Controls the
Applicant, is Controlled by the
Applicant or shares common
management officials with the
Applicant (as determined by the Fund),
is a prior Fund Awardee under any
Fund program, and has a balance of
undisbursed funds under said prior
award(s), as of the applicable
application deadline of this NOFA. In a
case where another entity that Controls
the Applicant, is Controlled by the
Applicant or shares common
management officials with the
Applicant (as determined by the Fund),
is a prior Fund Awardee under any
Fund program, and has a balance of
undisbursed funds under said prior
award(s), as of the applicable
application deadline of this NOFA, the
Fund will include the combined awards
of the Applicant and such Affiliated
entities when calculating the amount of
undisbursed funds. For purposes of this
section, ‘‘undisbursed funds’’ is defined
as: (i) In the case of a prior Bank
Enterprise Award (BEA) Program
award(s), any balance of award funds
equal to or greater than five (5) percent
of the total prior BEA Program award(s)
that remains undisbursed more than
three (3) years after the end of the
calendar year in which the Fund signed
an award agreement with the Awardee;
and (ii) in the case of a prior CDFI
Program or other Fund program
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award(s), any balance of award funds
equal to or greater than five (5) percent
of the total prior award(s) that remains
undisbursed more than two (2) years
after the end of the calendar year in
which the Fund signed an assistance
agreement with the Awardee.
‘‘Undisbursed funds’’ does not include
(i) tax credit allocation authority made
available through the New Market Tax
Credit (NMTC) Program; (ii) any award
funds for which the Fund received a full
and complete disbursement request
from the Awardee by the applicable
application deadline of this NOFA; (iii)
any award funds for an award that has
been terminated, expired, rescinded or
deobligated by the Fund; or (iv) any
award funds for an award that does not
have a fully executed assistance or
award agreement. The Fund strongly
encourages Applicants requesting
disbursements of ‘‘undisbursed funds’’
from prior awards to provide the Fund
with a complete disbursement request at
least 10 business days prior to the
applicable application deadline of this
NOFA.
7. Exception for Applicants impacted
by Hurricanes Katrina and/or Rita:
Please note that the provisions of
paragraphs 2 (Failure to meet reporting
requirements) and 6 (Undisbursed
balances) of this section do not apply to
any Applicant that has an office located
in, or that provides a significant volume
of services or financing to residents of
or businesses located in, a county that
is within a ‘‘major disaster area’’ as
declared by the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) as a result
of Hurricanes Katrina and/or Rita. Said
requirements are waived for those
Applicants for the FY 2006 Funding
Round and the FY 2007 Funding Round.
8. Contact the Fund. Accordingly,
Applicants that are prior Awardees are
advised to: (i) Comply with
requirements specified in assistance,
allocation and/or award agreement(s),
and (ii) contact the Fund to ensure that
all necessary actions are underway for
the disbursement or de-obligation of any
outstanding balance of said prior
award(s). All outstanding reports,
disbursement or compliance questions
should be directed to the Grants
Manager by e-mail at
grantsmanagement@cdfi.treas.gov; by
telephone at (202) 622–8226; by
facsimile at (202) 622–6453; or by mail
to CDFI Fund, 601 13th Street, NW.,
Suite 200 South, Washington, DC 20005.
The Fund will respond to Applicants’
reporting, disbursement or compliance
questions between the hours of 9 a.m.
and 5 p.m. ET, starting the date of the
publication of this NOFA through
February 10, 2006 (for the FY 2006
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Funding Round) and February 12, 2007
(for the FY 2007 Funding Round) (two
business days before the respective
application deadlines). The Fund will
not respond to Applicants’ reporting,
disbursement or compliance phone calls
or e-mail inquiries that are received
after 5 p.m. on said dates, until after the
respective funding application
deadlines.
9. Limitation on Awards: An
Applicant may receive only one award
through either the CDFI Program or the
NACA Program in the same funding
year. An Applicant may apply under
both the CDFI Program and the NACA
Program, but will not be selected for
funding under both. A NACA Program
Applicant, its Subsidiaries or Affiliates
also may apply for and receive: (i) A tax
credit allocation through the NMTC
Program, but only to the extent that the
activities approved for CDFI Program
awards are different from those
activities for which the Applicant
receives a NMTC Program allocation;
and (ii) an award through the BEA
Program (subject to certain limitations;
refer to the Interim Rule at 12 CFR
1805.102).
E. Matching Funds: 1. Matching
Funds Requirements in General:
Applicants responding to this NOFA
must obtain non-Federal matching
funds from sources other than the
Federal government on the basis of not
less than one dollar for each dollar of
FA funds provided by the Fund
(matching funds are not required for TA
grants). Matching funds must be at least
comparable in form and value to the FA
award provided by the Fund (for
example, if an Applicant is requesting a
FA grant from the Fund, the Applicant
must have evidence that it has obtained
matching funds through grant(s) from
non-Federal sources that are at least
equal to the amount requested from the
Fund). Funds used by an Applicant as
matching funds for a prior FA award
under the CDFI Program or under
another Federal grant or award program
cannot be used to satisfy the matching
funds requirement of this NOFA. If an
Applicant seeks to use as matching
funds monies received from an
organization that was a prior Awardee
under the CDFI Program, the Fund will
deem such funds to be Federal funds,
unless the funding entity establishes to
the reasonable satisfaction of the Fund
that such funds do not consist, in whole
or in part, of CDFI Program funds or
other Federal funds. For the purposes of
this NOFA, BEA Program awards are not
deemed to be Federal funds and are
eligible as matching funds. The Fund
encourages Applicants to review the
Interim Rule at 12 CFR 1805.500 et seq.
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and matching funds guidance materials
on the Fund’s Web site for further
information.
2. Matching Funds Requirements Per
Funding Round: Due to funding
constraints and the desire to quickly
deploy Fund dollars, the Fund will not
consider for a FA award any Applicant
that has no matching funds in-hand or
firmly committed as of the application
deadline under this NOFA. Specifically,
FA Applicants must meet the following
matching funds requirements:
(a) FY 2006 Funding Round: A NACA
Program Applicant must demonstrate
that it has eligible matching funds equal
to no less than 25 percent of the amount
of the FA award requested in-hand or
firmly committed, on or after January 1,
2004 and on or before the application
deadline. The Fund reserves the right to
rescind all or a portion of a FA award
and re-allocate the rescinded award
amount to other qualified Applicant(s),
if an Applicant fails to obtain in-hand
100 percent of the required matching
funds by March 15, 2007 (with required
documentation of such receipt received
by the Fund not later than March 30,
2007), or to grant an extension of such
matching funds deadline for specific
Applicants selected to receive FA, if the
Fund deems it appropriate. For any
Applicant that demonstrates that it has
less than 100 percent of matching funds
in-hand or firmly committed as of the
application deadline, the Fund will
evaluate the Applicant’s ability to raise
the remaining matching funds by March
15, 2007.
(b) FY 2007 Funding Round: A NACA
Program Applicant must demonstrate
that it has eligible matching funds equal
to no less than 25 percent of the amount
of the FA award requested in-hand or
firmly committed, on or after January 1,
2005 and on or before the application
deadline. The Fund reserves the right to
rescind all or a portion of a FA award
and re-allocate the rescinded award
amount to other qualified Applicant(s),
if an Applicant fails to obtain in-hand
100 percent of the required matching
funds by March 14, 2008 (with required
documentation of such receipt received
by the Fund not later than March 31,
2008), or to grant an extension of such
matching funds deadline for specific
Applicants selected to receive FA, if the
Fund deems it appropriate. For any
Applicant that demonstrates that it has
less than 100 percent of matching funds
in-hand or firmly committed as of the
application deadline, the Fund will
evaluate the Applicant’s ability to raise
the remaining matching funds by March
14, 2008.
3. Matching Funds Terms Defined;
Required Documentation. (a) ‘‘Matching
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funds in-hand’’ means that the
Applicant has actually received the
matching funds. If the matching funds
are ‘‘in-hand,’’ the Applicant must
provide the Fund with acceptable
written documentation of the source,
form and amount of the Matching Funds
(i.e., grant, loan, and equity investment).
For a loan, the Applicant must provide
the Fund with a copy of the loan
agreement and promissory note. For a
grant, the Applicant must provide the
Fund with a copy of the grant letter or
agreement. For an equity investment,
the Applicant must provide the Fund
with a copy of the stock certificate and
any related shareholder agreement.
Further, if the matching funds are ‘‘inhand,’’ the Applicant must provide the
Fund with acceptable documentation
that evidences its receipt of the
matching funds proceeds, such as a
copy of a check or a wire transfer
statement.
(b) ‘‘Firmly committed matching
funds’’ means that the Applicant has
entered into or received a legally
binding commitment from the matching
funds source that the matching funds
will be disbursed to the Applicant. If the
matching funds are ‘‘firmly committed,’’
the Applicant must provide the Fund
with acceptable written documentation
to evidence the source, form, and
amount of the firm commitment (and, in
the case of a loan, the terms thereof), as
well as the anticipated date of
disbursement of the committed funds.
(c) The Fund may contact the
matching funds source to discuss the
matching funds and the documentation
provided by the Awardee. If the Fund
determines that any portion of the
Applicant’s matching funds is ineligible
under this NOFA, the Fund, in its sole
discretion, may permit the Applicant to
offer alternative matching funds as
substitute for the ineligible matching
funds; provided, however, that (i) the
Applicant must provide acceptable
alternative matching funds
documentation within 5 business days
of the Fund’s request and (ii) the
alternative matching funds
documentation cannot increase the total
amount of Financial Assistance
requested by the Applicant.
4. Special Rule for Insured Credit
Unions. Please note that the Interim
Rule allows an Insured Credit Union to
use retained earnings to serve as
matching funds for a FA grant in an
amount equal to: (i) The increase in
retained earnings that have occurred
over the Applicant’s most recent fiscal
year; (ii) the annual average of such
increases that have occurred over the
Applicant’s three most recent fiscal
years; or (iii) the entire retained
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earnings that have been accumulated
since the inception of the Applicant or
such other financial measure as may be
specified by the Fund. For purposes of
this NOFA, if option (iii) is used, the
Applicant must increase its member
and/or non-member shares or total loans
outstanding by an amount that is equal
to the amount of retained earnings that
is committed as matching funds. This
amount must be raised by the end of the
Awardee’s second performance period,
as set forth in its Assistance Agreement,
and will be based on amounts reported
in the Applicant’s Audited or Reviewed
Financial Statements or NCUA Form
5300 Call Report.
5. Severe Constraints Exception to
Matching Funds Requirement;
Applicability to Applicants Located in
FEMA-Designated Major Disaster Areas
Created by Hurricanes Katrina and/or
Rita: In the case of any Applicant that
has an office that is located in, or that
provides a significant volume of
services or financing to residents of or
businesses located in, any county that is
within a ‘‘major disaster area’’ as
declared by the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) as a result
of Hurricanes Katrina and/or Rita, and
that has severe constraints on available
sources of matching funds, such
Applicant may be eligible for a ‘‘severe
constraints waiver’’ (see section
1805.203 of the Interim Rule) if (i) it can
demonstrate to the satisfaction of the
Fund that an Investment Area(s) or
Targeted Population(s) would not be
adequately served without such a
waiver and (ii) it projects to use the
assistance to address issues resulting
from Hurricanes Katrina and/or Rita
(such as a significant volume of loan
defaults) or to provide financial
products, financial services, or
Development Services to residents of or
businesses located in any county that is
within a ‘‘major disaster area’’ as
declared by FEMA as a result of
Hurricanes Katrina and/or Rita. If
eligible for such a waiver, the Applicant
may comply with the matching funds
requirements of this NOFA as follows:
(i) The matching funds requirement for
such Applicant would be reduced to 50
percent (meaning, the Applicant must
match 50 percent of the Fund’s FA
award rather than 100 percent), or (ii)
such an Applicant may provide
matching funds in alternative (meaning,
non-monetary) forms if the Applicant
has total assets of less than $100,000 at
the time of the application deadline,
serves non-metropolitan or rural areas,
and is not requesting more than $25,000
in financial assistance from the Fund. In
the case of item (i) of this paragraph, the
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Applicant must demonstrate that it has
eligible matching funds equal to no less
than 25 percent of the amount of the FA
award requested in-hand or firmly
committed, on or after January 1, 2005
(for the FY 2006 Funding Round) or
January 1, 2006 (for the FY 2007
Funding Round) and on or before the
application deadline. The Fund reserves
the right to rescind all or a portion of
a FA award and re-allocate the
rescinded award amount to other
qualified Applicant(s), if an Applicant
fails to obtain in-hand 50 percent of the
required matching funds by March 15,
2007 (for the FY 2006 Funding Round)
or March 14, 2008 (for the FY 2007
Funding Round) (with required
documentation of such receipt received
by the Fund not later than March 31,
2007 (for the FY 2006 Funding Round)
or March 30, 2008 (for the FY 2007
Funding Round)), or to grant an
extension of such matching funds
deadline for specific Applicants
selected to receive FA, if the Fund
deems it appropriate. For any such
Applicant that demonstrates that it has
less than 50 percent of matching funds
in-hand or firmly committed as of the
application deadline, the Fund will
evaluate the Applicant’s ability to raise
the remaining matching funds by March
15, 2007 (for the FY 2006 Funding
Round) or March 14, 2008 (for the FY
2007 Funding Round). In the case of
item (ii) of this paragraph, the NACA
Program funding application contains
further instructions on the type of
documentation that the Applicant must
provide as evidence that such match
was received and its valuation. The
Fund reserves the right, in its sole
discretion, to disallow any such match
for which adequate documentation or
valuation is not provided.
IV. Application and Submission
Information
A. Form of Application Submission:
Applicants must submit applications
under this NOFA in paper form.
Applications sent by facsimile or other
form will not be accepted. The NACA
Program application (including detailed
application content requirements and
electronic templates for application
forms) may be found on the Fund’s Web
site: https://www.cdfifund.gov. The Fund
will send paper application materials to
any Applicant that is unable to
download the form from the Web site.
To have application materials sent to
you, please contact the Fund by
telephone at (202) 622–6355, by e-mail
at cdfihelp@cdfi.treas.gov; or by
facsimile at (202) 622–7754. These are
not toll free numbers. Applicants should
allow at least one week for the timely
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receipt of paper application materials in
the mail.
B. Applications must be submitted in
the format specified in the application
instructions. An Applicant requesting
only a TA grant must submit one
original application and three (3)
complete copies. An Applicant
requesting a FA award must submit one
original application and four (4)
complete copies. Do not bind the
original application or separate the
sections with tabs. Each copy must be
placed in a three-ring binder, without
staples or other forms of binding, and
each section must be separated by tabs.
C. Application Content Requirements:
Detailed application content
requirements are found in the
application and guidance. Please note
that, pursuant to OMB guidance (68 FR
38402), each Applicant must provide, as
part of its application submission, a Dun
and Bradstreet Data Universal
Numbering System (DUNS) number. In
addition, each application must include
a valid and current Employer
Identification Number (EIN), with a
letter or other documentation from the
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
confirming the Applicant’s EIN. An
application that does not include a valid
EIN will be deemed incomplete.
Incomplete applications will be rejected
and returned to the sender. Applicants
should allow sufficient time for the IRS
and/or Dun and Bradstreet to respond to
inquiries and/or requests for
identification numbers. Once an
application is submitted, the Applicant
will not be allowed to change any
element of the application. The
preceding sentence does not limit the
Fund’s ability to contact an Applicant
for the purpose of obtaining clarifying or
confirming application information
(such as DUNS number or EIN
information).
D. MyCDFIFund Accounts: All
Applicants must register User and
Organization accounts in myCDFIFund,
the Fund’s Internet-based interface. As
myCDFIFund is the Fund’s primary
means of communication with
Applicants and Awardees, organizations
must make sure that they update the
contact information in their
myCDFIFund accounts. For more
information on myCDFIFund, please see
the ‘‘Frequently Asked Questions’’ link
posted at https://www.cdfifund.gov/
myCDFI/Help/Help.asp.
E. Application Deadlines; Address for
Paper Submissions; Late Delivery:
Applicants must submit all materials
described in and required by the
application by the applicable deadline.
1. Application Deadlines: (a) FY 2006
Funding Round: Applications must be
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received by the Fund at the address
cited below and in accordance with the
instructions provided on the Fund’s
Web site, by 5 p.m. ET on February 14,
2006.
(b) FY 2007 Funding Round:
Applications must be received by the
Fund at the address cited below and in
accordance with the instructions
provided on the Fund’s Web site, by 5
p.m. ET on February 14, 2007.
2. Address for Application
Submission: A complete application
must be received at the following
address, by the applicable deadline:
CDFI Fund Grants Manager, NACA
Program, Bureau of Public Debt, 200
Third Street, Parkersburg, WV 26101.
The telephone number to be used in
conjunction with overnight delivery or
mailings to this address is (304) 480–
6088 (this is not a toll free number). Any
documents received in any other office,
including the Fund’s Washington, DC
office, will be rejected and returned to
the sender.
3. Late Delivery: The Fund will
neither accept a late application nor any
portion of an application that is late; an
application that is late, or for which any
portion is late, will be rejected and
returned to the sender. An application,
including the required signed signature
page, and all required paper
attachments, must be received by the
applicable time and date set forth above.
The Fund will not grant exceptions or
waivers for late delivery of documents
including, but not limited to, late
delivery that is caused by third parties
such as the United States Postal Service,
couriers or overnight delivery services.
D. Intergovernmental Review: Not
applicable.
E. Funding Restrictions: For allowable
uses of FA proceeds, please see the
Interim Rule at 12 CFR 1805.301.
V. Application Review Information
A. Criteria: The Fund will evaluate
each application using numeric scores
with respect to the following five
sections:
1. Market Analysis (25 points): The
Fund will evaluate: (i) The extent and
nature of the economic distress within
the designated Target Market including
the Applicant’s understanding of its
current and prospective customers; and
(ii) the extent of demand for the
Applicant’s Financial Products,
Development Services, and Financial
Services within the designated Target
Market. The Fund will give special
consideration to any Applicant that has
an office that is located in, or that
provides a significant volume of
services or financing to residents of or
businesses located in, (i) any county
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00:33 Dec 13, 2005
Jkt 208001
that is within the area declared to be a
‘‘major disaster’’ by FEMA as a result of
Hurricanes Katrina and/or Rita; and/or
(ii) any state that has been declared a
‘‘reception state’’ by FEMA. The form
and content of such special
consideration will be further clarified in
the NACA Program application.
2. Business Strategy (25 points): The
Fund will evaluate the Applicant’s
business strategy for addressing market
demand and creating community
development impact through: (i) Its
Financial Products, Development
Services, and/or Financial Services; (ii)
its marketing, outreach, and delivery
strategy; and (iii) the extent, quality and
nature of coordination with other
similar providers of Financial Products
and Financial Services, government
agencies, and other key community
development entities within the Target
Market. The Fund will take into
consideration whether the Applicant is
proposing to expand into a new Target
Market.
3. Community Development
Performance and Effective Use (20
points): The Fund will evaluate (i) the
Applicant’s vision for its Target Market,
specific outcomes or impacts for
measuring progress towards achieving
this vision, and the extent to which this
award will allow it to achieve them; (ii)
the Applicant’s track record in
providing Financial Products, Financial
Services, and Development Services to
the Target Market; (iii) the extent to
which proposed activities will benefit
the Target Market; (iv) the likelihood of
achieving the impact projections,
including the extent to which the
activities proposed in the
Comprehensive Business Plan will
expand economic opportunities or
promote community development
within the designated Target Market by
promoting homeownership, affordable
housing development, job creation or
retention, the provision of affordable
financial services, and other community
development objectives; and (v) the
extent to which the Applicant will
maximize the effective use of the Fund’s
resources. If an Applicant has a prior
track record of serving Investment
Areas(s) or Targeted Population(s), it
must demonstrate that (i) it has a record
of success in serving said Investment
Area(s) or Targeted Population(s) and
(ii) it will expand its operations into a
new Investment Area or to serve a new
Targeted Population, offer more
products or services, or increase the
volume of its current business.
4. Management (20 points): The Fund
will evaluate the Applicant’s
organizational capacity to achieve the
objectives set forth in its Comprehensive
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Business Plan as well as its ability to
use its award successfully and maintain
compliance with its Assistance
Agreement through an evaluation of: (i)
The capacity, skills, size and experience
of the Applicant’s current and proposed
Governing Board, management team,
and key staff; and (ii) the Applicant’s
management controls and risk
mitigation strategies including policies
and procedures for portfolio
underwriting and review, financial
management, risk management,
management information systems.
5. Financial Health and Viability (10
points): The Fund will evaluate the
Applicant’s: (i) Audited or otherwise
prepared Financial Statements; (ii)
safety and soundness, including an
analysis of the Applicant’s financial
services industry ratios (capital,
liquidity, deployment and selfsufficiency) and ability to sustain
positive net revenue; (iii) projected
financial health, including its ability to
raise operating support from sources
other than the Fund and its
capitalization strategy; and (iv) portfolio
performance including loan
delinquency, loan losses, and loan loss
reserves. If an Applicant does not have
100 percent of the required matching
funds in-hand (versus committed), the
Applicant must demonstrate to the
satisfaction of the Fund that it will raise
the outstanding balance of matching
funds within the time table set forth
above.
6. Technical Assistance Proposal: Any
Applicant applying for a TA grant,
either alone or in conjunction with a
request for a FA award, must complete
a Technical Assistance Proposal (TAP)
as part of its application. The TAP
consists of a summary of the
organizational improvements needed to
achieve the objectives of the
application, a budget, and a description
of the requested goods and/or services
comprising the TA award request. The
budget and accompanying narrative will
be evaluated for the eligibility and
appropriateness of the proposed uses of
the TA award (described above). In
addition, if the Applicant identifies a
capacity-building need related to any of
the evaluation criteria above (for
example, if the Applicant requires a
market need analysis or a community
development impact tracking/reporting
system), the Fund will assess its plan to
use the TA grant to address said needs.
An Applicant that is not a Certified
CDFI and that requests TA to address
certification requirements, must explain
how the requested TA grant will assist
the Applicant in meeting the
certification requirement. An Applicant
that requests a TA grant for recurring
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activities must clearly describe the
benefit that would accrue to its capacity
or to its Target Market(s) (such as plans
for expansion of staff, market, or
products) as a result of the TA award.
If the Applicant is a prior Fund
Awardee, it must describe how it has
used the prior assistance and explain
the need for additional Fund dollars
over and above such prior assistance.
Such an Applicant also must describe
the additional benefits that would
accrue to its capacity or to the Target
Market(s) if the Applicant receives
another award from the Fund, such as
plans for expansion of staff, market, or
products. The Fund will not provide
funding for the same activities funded
in prior awards.
B. Review and Selection Process: 1.
Eligibility and Completeness Review:
The Fund will review each application
to determine whether it is complete and
the Applicant meets the eligibility
requirements set forth above. An
incomplete application will be rejected
as incomplete and returned to the
sender. If an Applicant does not meet
eligibility requirements, its application
will be rejected and returned to the
sender.
2. Substantive Review: If an
application is determined to be
complete and the Applicant is
determined to be eligible, the Fund will
conduct the substantive review of the
application in accordance with the
criteria and procedures described in the
Interim Rule, this NOFA and the
application and guidance. Each FA
application will be reviewed and scored
by multiple readers. Each TA
application will be read and scored by
one reader. Readers may include Fund
staff and other experts in community
development finance and/or Native
community development. As part of the
review process, the Fund may contact
the Applicant by telephone or through
an on-site visit for the purpose of
obtaining clarifying or confirming
application information. The Applicant
may be required to submit additional
information to assist the Fund in its
evaluation process. Such requests must
be responded to within the time
parameters set by the Fund.
3. Application Scoring; Ranking: (a)
Application Scoring: The Fund will
evaluate each application on a 100-point
scale, comprising the five criteria
categories described above, and assign
numeric scores. An Applicant must
receive a minimum total score in order
to be considered for an award. In the
case of an Applicant that has previously
received funding from the Fund through
any Fund program, the Fund will
consider and will deduct points for: (i)
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The Applicant’s noncompliance with
any active award or award that
terminated in calendar year 2005 (for FY
2006 Funding Round Applicants) and
calendar year 2006 (for FY 2007
Funding Round Applicants), in meeting
its performance goals, financial
soundness covenants (if applicable),
reporting deadlines and other
requirements set forth in the assistance
or award agreement(s) with the Fund
during the Applicant’s two complete
fiscal years prior to the application
deadline of this NOFA (generally FY
2004 and FY 2005 for FY 2006 Funding
Round Applicants and FY 2005 and FY
2006 for FY 2007 Funding Round
Applicants); (ii) the Applicant’s failure
to make timely loan payments to the
Fund during the Applicant’s two
complete fiscal years prior to the
application deadline of this NOFA (if
applicable); (iii) performance on any
prior Assistance Agreement as part of
the overall assessment of the
Applicant’s ability to carry out its
Comprehensive Business Plan; and (iv)
funds deobligated from a FY 2003, FY
2004 or FY 2005 FA award (if the
Applicant is applying for a FA award
under this NOFA) if (A) the amount of
deobligated funds is at least $200,000
and (B) the deobligation occurred
subsequent to the expiration of the
period of award funds availability
(generally, any funds deobligated after
the September 30th following the year
in which the award was made). Any
award deobligations that result in a
point deduction under an application
submitted pursuant to either funding
round of this NOFA will not be counted
against any future application for FA
through the NACA Program. All
questions regarding outstanding reports
or compliance should be directed to the
Grants Manager by e-mail at
grantsmanagement@cdfi.treas.gov; by
telephone at (202) 622–8226; by
facsimile at (202) 622–7754; or by mail
to CDFI Fund, 601 13th Street, NW.,
Suite 200 South, Washington, DC 20005.
These are not toll free numbers. The
Fund will respond to reporting or
compliance questions between the
hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, starting
the date of the publication of this NOFA
through February 10, 2006 (for the FY
2006 Funding Round) and February 12,
2007 (for the FY 2007 Funding Round).
The Fund will not respond to reporting
or compliance phone calls or e-mail
inquiries that are received after 5 p.m.
on February 10, 2006 (for the FY 2006
Funding Round) and February 12, 2007
(for the FY 2007 Funding Round) until
after the applicable funding application
deadline.
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73883
(b) Ranking: The Fund then will rank
the applications by their scores, from
highest to lowest, based on each
Applicant’s scores for all five criteria
categories added together.
4. Award Selection: The Fund will
make its final award selections based on
the rank order of Applicants by their
scores and the amount of funds
available. Subject to the availability of
funding, the Fund will award funding in
the order of the ranking. In addition, the
Fund may consider the institutional and
geographic diversity of Applicants when
making its funding decisions.
5. Insured CDFIs: In the case of
Insured Depository Institutions and
Insured Credit Unions, the Fund will
take into consideration the views of the
Appropriate Federal Banking Agencies;
in the case of State-Insured Credit
Unions, the Fund may consult with the
appropriate State banking agencies (or
comparable entity). The Fund will not
approve a FA award or a TA grant to
any Insured Credit Union (other than a
State-Insured Credit Union) or Insured
Depository Institution Applicant that
has a CAMEL rating that is higher than
a ‘‘3’’ or for which its Appropriate
Federal Banking Agency indicates it has
safety and soundness concerns, unless
the Appropriate Federal Banking
Agency asserts, in writing, that: (i) An
upgrade to a CAMEL 3 rating or better
(or other improvement in status) is
imminent and such upgrade is expected
to occur not later than September 30,
2006 (for the FY 2006 Funding Round)
or September 30, 2007 (for the FY 2007
Funding Round) or within such other
time frame deemed acceptable by the
Fund, or (ii) the safety and soundness
condition of the Applicant is adequate
to undertake the activities for which the
Applicant has requested a FA award
and the obligations of an Assistance
Agreement related to such a FA award.
6. Award Notification: Each Applicant
will be informed of the Fund’s award
decision either through a Notice of
Award if selected for an award (see
Notice of Award section, below) or
written declination if not selected for an
award. Each Applicant that is not
selected for an award based on reasons
other than completeness or eligibility
issues may be offered a debriefing on
the strengths and weaknesses of its
application. This feedback will be
provided in a format and within a
timeframe to be determined by the
Fund, based on available resources. The
Fund will notify Awardees by e-mail or
fax using the addresses maintained in
the Awardee’s myCDFIFund account
(postal mailings will be used only in
rare cases).
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7. The Fund reserves the right to
reject an application if information
(including administrative errors) comes
to the attention of the Fund that either
adversely affects an applicant’s
eligibility for an award, or adversely
affects the Fund’s evaluation or scoring
of an application, or indicates fraud or
mismanagement on the part of an
Applicant. If the Fund determines that
any portion of the application is
incorrect in any material respect, the
Fund reserves the right, in its sole
discretion, to reject the application. The
Fund reserves the right to change its
eligibility and evaluation criteria and
procedures, if the Fund deems it
appropriate; if said changes materially
affect the Fund’s award decisions, the
Fund will provide information
regarding the changes through the
Fund’s Web site. There is no right to
appeal the Fund’s award decisions. The
Fund’s award decisions are final.
VI. Award Administration Information
A. Notice of Award: The Fund will
signify its conditional selection of an
Applicant as an Awardee by delivering
a signed Notice of Award to the
Applicant. The Notice of Award will
contain the general terms and
conditions underlying the Fund’s
provision of assistance including, but
not limited to, the requirement that the
Awardee and the Fund enter into an
Assistance Agreement. The Applicant
must execute the Notice of Award and
return it to the Fund. By executing a
Notice of Award, the Awardee agrees,
among other things, that, if prior to
entering into an Assistance Agreement
with the Fund, information (including
administrative error) comes to the
attention of the Fund that either
adversely affects the Awardee’s
eligibility for an award, or adversely
affects the Fund’s evaluation of the
Awardee’s application, or indicates
fraud or mismanagement on the part of
the Awardee, the Fund may, in its
discretion and without advance notice
to the Awardee, terminate the Notice of
Award or take such other actions as it
deems appropriate. Moreover, by
executing a Notice of Award, the
Awardee agrees that, if prior to entering
into an Assistance Agreement with the
Fund, the Fund determines that the
Awardee is in default of any Assistance
Agreement previously entered into with
the Fund, the Fund may, in its
discretion and without advance notice
to the Awardee, either terminate the
Notice of Award or take such other
actions as it deems appropriate. The
Fund reserves the right, in its sole
discretion, to rescind its award if the
Awardee fails to return the Notice of
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00:33 Dec 13, 2005
Jkt 208001
Award, signed by the authorized
representative of the Awardee, along
with any other requested
documentation, within the deadline set
by the Fund.
1. Failure to meet reporting
requirements: If an Awardee, or an
entity that Controls the Awardee, is
Controlled by the Awardee or shares
common management officials with the
Awardee (as determined by the Fund) is
a prior Fund Awardee or allocatee
under any Fund program and is not
current on the reporting requirements
set forth in the previously executed
assistance, allocation or award
agreement(s), as of the date of the Notice
of Award, the Fund reserves the right,
in its sole discretion, to delay entering
into an Assistance Agreement until said
prior Awardee or allocatee is current on
the reporting requirements in the
previously executed assistance,
allocation or award agreement(s). Please
note that the Fund only acknowledges
the receipt of reports that are complete.
As such, incomplete reports or reports
that are deficient of required elements
will not be recognized as having been
received. If said prior Awardee or
allocatee is unable to meet this
requirement within the timeframe set by
the Fund, the Fund reserves the right, in
its sole discretion, to terminate and
rescind the Notice of Award and the
award made under this NOFA.
2. Pending resolution of
noncompliance: If an Applicant is a
prior Awardee or allocatee under any
Fund program and if: (i) It has
submitted complete and timely reports
to the Fund that demonstrate
noncompliance with a previous
assistance, award or allocation
agreement; and (ii) the Fund has yet to
make a final determination as to
whether the entity is in default of its
previous assistance, award or allocation
agreement, the Fund reserves the right,
in its sole discretion, to delay entering
into an Assistance Agreement, pending
full resolution, in the sole determination
of the Fund, of the noncompliance.
Further, if another entity that Controls
the Applicant, is Controlled by the
Applicant or shares common
management officials with the
Applicant (as determined by the Fund),
is a prior Fund Awardee or allocatee
and if such entity: (i) Has submitted
complete and timely reports to the Fund
that demonstrate noncompliance with a
previous assistance, award or allocation
agreement; and (ii) the Fund has yet to
make a final determination as to
whether the entity is in default of its
previous assistance, award or allocation
agreement, the Fund reserves the right,
in its sole discretion, to delay entering
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into an Assistance Agreement, pending
full resolution, in the sole determination
of the Fund, of the noncompliance. If
the prior Awardee or allocatee in
question is unable to satisfactorily
resolve the issues of noncompliance, in
the sole determination of the Fund, the
Fund reserves the right, in its sole
discretion, to terminate and rescind the
Notice of Award and the award made
under this NOFA.
3. Default status: If, at any time prior
to entering into an Assistance
Agreement through this NOFA, the
Fund has made a final determination
that an Awardee that is a prior Fund
Awardee or allocatee under any Fund
program is in default of a previously
executed assistance, allocation or award
agreement(s), the Fund reserves the
right, in its sole discretion, to delay
entering into an Assistance Agreement,
until said prior Awardee or allocatee
has submitted a complete and timely
report demonstrating full compliance
with said agreement within a timeframe
set by the Fund. Further, if at any time
prior to entering into an Assistance
Agreement through this NOFA, the
Fund has made a final determination
that another entity that Controls the
Awardee, is Controlled by the applicant
or shares common management officials
with the Awardee (as determined by the
Fund), is a prior Fund Awardee or
allocatee under any Fund program, and
is in default of a previously executed
assistance, allocation or award
agreement(s), the Fund reserves the
right, in its sole discretion, to delay
entering into an Assistance Agreement,
until said prior Awardee or allocatee
has submitted a complete and timely
report demonstrating full compliance
with said agreement within a timeframe
set by the Fund. If said prior Awardee
or allocatee is unable to meet this
requirement, the Fund reserves the
right, in its sole discretion, to terminate
and rescind the Notice of Award and the
award made under this NOFA.
4. Termination in default: If (i) the
Fund has made a final determination
that an Awardee that is a prior Fund
Awardee or allocatee under any Fund
program whose award or allocation was
terminated in default of such prior
agreement; and (ii) the final reporting
period end date for the applicable
terminated agreement falls in Calendar
Year 2005 (for the FY 2006 Funding
Round) or Calendar Year 2006 (for the
FY 2007 Funding Round), the Fund
reserves the right, in its sole discretion,
to delay entering into an Assistance
Agreement. Further, if (i) the Fund has
made a final determination that another
entity that Controls the Awardee, is
Controlled by the Awardee or shares
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common management officials with the
Awardee (as determined by the Fund),
is a prior Fund Awardee or allocatee
under any Fund program whose award
or allocation was terminated in default
of such prior agreement; and (ii) the
final reporting period end date for the
applicable terminated agreement falls in
Calendar Year 2005 (for the FY 2006
Funding Round) or Calendar Year 2006
(for the FY 2007 Funding Round), the
Fund reserves the right, in its sole
discretion, to delay entering into an
Assistance Agreement.
5. Deobligated awards: An Awardee
that receives a FA award pursuant to
this NOFA for which an amount over
$200,000 is deobligated by the Fund
subsequent to the expiration of the
period of award funds availability
(generally, any funds deobligated after
the September 30th following the year
in which the award was made) but
within the 12 months prior to the
applicable application deadline, may
not apply for a new award through
another NOFA for one CDFI or NACA
Program funding round after the date of
said deobligation.
B. Assistance Agreement: Each
Applicant that is selected to receive an
award under this NOFA must enter into
an Assistance Agreement with the Fund
in order to receive disbursement of
award proceeds. The Assistance
Agreement will set forth certain
required terms and conditions of the
award, which will include, but not be
limited to: (i) The amount of the award;
(ii) the type of award; (iii) the approved
uses of the award; (iv) the approved
Target Market to which the funded
activity must be targeted; (v)
performance goals and measures; and
(vi) reporting requirements for all
Awardees. FA and FA/TA Assistance
Agreements under this NOFA generally
will have three-year performance
periods; TA-only Assistance
Agreements generally will have twoyear performance periods.
The Fund reserves the right, in its sole
discretion, to terminate the Notice of
Award and rescind an award if the
Awardee fails to return the Assistance
Agreement, signed by the authorized
representative of the Awardee, and/or
provide the Fund with any other
requested documentation, within the
deadlines set by the Fund.
In addition to entering into an
Assistance Agreement, each Awardee
that receives an award either (i) in the
form of a loan, equity investment, credit
union shares/deposits, or secondary
capital, in any amount, or (ii) a FA grant
in an amount greater than $500,000,
must furnish to the Fund an opinion
from its legal counsel, the content of
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which will be specified in the
Assistance Agreement, to include,
among other matters, an opinion that
the Awardee: (A) is duly formed and in
good standing in the jurisdiction in
which it was formed and/or operates;
(B) has the authority to enter into the
Assistance Agreement and undertake
the activities that are specified therein;
and (C) has no pending or threatened
litigation that would materially affect its
ability to enter into and carry out the
activities specified in the Assistance
Agreement. Each other Awardee must
provide the Fund with a good standing
certificate (or equivalent
documentation) from its state (or
jurisdiction) of incorporation.
C. Reporting: 1. Reporting
requirements: The Fund will collect
information, on at least an annual basis,
from each Awardee including, but not
limited to, an Annual Report that
comprises the following components: (i)
Financial Report (not required of
Sponsoring Entities); (ii) Institution
Level Report; (iii) Transaction Level
Report (for Awardees receiving FA); (iv)
Financial Status Report (for Awardees
receiving TA); (v) Uses of Financial
Assistance and Matching Funds Report
(for Awardees receiving FA awards); (vi)
Explanation of Noncompliance (as
applicable); and (vii) such other
information as the Fund may require.
Each Awardee is responsible for the
timely and complete submission of the
Annual Report, even if all or a portion
of the documents actually is completed
by another entity or signatory to the
Assistance Agreement. If such other
entities or signatories are required to
provide Institution Level Reports,
Transaction Level Reports, Financial
Reports, or other documentation that the
Fund may require, the Awardee is
responsible for ensuring that the
information is submitted timely and
complete. The Fund reserves the right to
contact such additional signatories to
the Assistance Agreement and require
that additional information and
documentation be provided. The Fund
will use such information to monitor
each Awardee’s compliance with the
requirements set forth in the Assistance
Agreement and to assess the impact of
the NACA Program. The Institution
Level Report and the Transaction Level
Report must be submitted through the
Fund’s web-based data collection
system, the Community Investment
Impact System (CIIS). The Financial
Report may be submitted through CIIS,
or by fax or mail to the Fund. All other
components of the Annual Report may
be submitted to the Fund in paper form
or other form to be determined by the
PO 00000
Frm 00021
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4703
73885
Fund. The Fund reserves the right, in its
sole discretion, to modify these
reporting requirements if it determines
it to be appropriate and necessary;
however, such reporting requirements
will be modified only after notice to
Awardees.
2. Accounting: The Fund will require
each Awardee that receives FA and TA
awards through this NOFA to account
for and track the use of said FA and TA
awards. This means that for every dollar
of FA and TA awards received from the
Fund, the Awardee will be required to
inform the Fund of its uses. This will
require Awardees to establish separate
administrative and accounting controls,
subject to the applicable OMB Circulars.
The Fund will provide guidance to
Awardees outlining the format and
content of the information to be
provided on an annual basis, outlining
and describing how the funds were
used. Each Awardee that receives a FA
award must establish a separate bank
account for the FA funds and provide
the Fund with the required complete
and accurate Automated Clearinghouse
(ACH) form for that separate bank
account prior to award closing and
disbursement.
VII. Agency Contacts
The Fund will respond to questions
and provide support concerning this
NOFA and the funding application
between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
ET, starting the date of the publication
of this NOFA through February 10, 2006
(for the FY 2006 Funding Round) and
February 12, 2007 (for the FY 2007
Funding Round). The Fund will not
respond to questions or provide support
concerning the application that are
received after 5 p.m. ET on said dates,
until after the respective funding
application deadline. Applications and
other information regarding the Fund
and its programs may be obtained from
the Fund’s Web site at https://
www.cdfifund.gov. The Fund will post
on its Web site responses to questions
of general applicability regarding the
CDFI Program.
A. Information Technology Support:
Technical support can be obtained by
calling (202) 622–2455 or by e-mail at
ithelpdesk@cdfi.treas.gov. People who
have visual or mobility impairments
that prevent them from creating an
Investment Area map using the Fund’s
Web site should call (202) 622–2455 for
assistance. These are not toll free
numbers.
B. Programmatic Support: If you have
any questions about the programmatic
requirements of this NOFA, contact the
Fund’s Program office by e-mail at
cdfihelp@cdfi.treas.gov, by telephone at
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(202) 622–6355, by facsimile at (202)
622–7754, or by mail at CDFI Fund, 601
13th Street, NW., Suite 200 South,
Washington, DC 20005. These are not
toll-free numbers.
C. Grants Management Support: If
you have any questions regarding the
administrative requirements of this
NOFA, including questions regarding
submission requirements, contact the
Fund’s Grants Manager by e-mail at
grantsmanagement@cdfi.treas.gov, by
telephone at (202) 622–8226, by
facsimile at (202) 622–6453, or by mail
at CDFI Fund, 601 13th Street, NW.,
Suite 200 South, Washington, DC 20005.
These are not toll free numbers.
D. Compliance and Monitoring
Support: If you have any questions
regarding the compliance requirements
of this NOFA, including questions
regarding performance on prior awards,
contact the Fund’s Compliance Manager
by e-mail at cme@cdfi.treas.gov, by
telephone at (202) 622–8226, by
facsimile at (202) 622–6453, or by mail
at CDFI Fund, 601 13th Street, NW.,
Suite 200 South, Washington, DC 20005.
These are not toll free numbers.
E. Legal Counsel Support: If you have
any questions or matters that you
believe require response by the Fund’s
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00:33 Dec 13, 2005
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Office of Legal Counsel, please refer to
the document titled ‘‘How to Request a
Legal Review,’’ found on the Fund’s
web site at https://www.cdfifund.gov.
Further, if you wish to review the
Assistance Agreement form document
from a prior funding round, you may
find it posted on the Fund’s Web site
(please note that there may be revisions
to the Assistance Agreement that will be
used for Awardees under this NOFA
and thus the sample document on the
Fund’s Web site should not be relied
upon for purposes of this NOFA).
F. Communication with the CDFI
Fund: The Fund will use its
myCDFIFund Internet interface to
communicate with Applicants and
Awardees under this NOFA. Applicants
must register through myCDFIFund in
order to submit a complete application
for funding. Awardees must use
myCDFIFund to submit required
reports. The Fund will notify Awardees
by email using the addresses maintained
in each Awardee’s myCDFIFund
account. Therefore, the Awardee and
any Subsidiaries, signatories, and
Affiliates must maintain accurate
contact information (including contact
person and authorized representative,
email addresses, fax numbers, phone
PO 00000
Frm 00022
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4703
numbers, and office addresses) in their
myCDFIFund account(s). For more
information about myCDFIFund, please
see the Help documents posted at
https://www.cdfifund.gov/myCDFI/
Help/Help.asp.
VIII. Information Sessions and
Outreach
In connection with the Fiscal Year
2006 and FY 2007 Funding Round, the
Fund may conduct Information Sessions
to disseminate information to
organizations contemplating applying
to, and other organizations interested in
learning about, the Fund’s programs.
For further information on the Fund’s
Information Sessions, dates and
locations, or to register to attend an
Information Session, please visit the
Fund’s Web site at https://
www.cdfifund.gov or call the Fund at
(202) 622–9046.
Authority: 12 U.S.C. 4703, 4703 note, 4704,
4706, 4707, 4717; 12 CFR part 1805.
Dated: December 1, 2005.
Arthur A. Garcia,
Director, Community Development Financial
Institutions Fund.
[FR Doc. 05–23748 Filed 12–12–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810–70–P
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[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 238 (Tuesday, December 13, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73877-73886]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-23748]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Community Development Financial Institutions Fund
Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) Inviting Applications for the
FY 2006 Funding Round and the FY 2007 Funding Round of the Native
American CDFI Assistance Program
Announcement Type: Initial announcement of funding opportunity.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 21.020.
Dates: Applications for the FY 2006 Funding Round must be received
by 5 p.m. ET on February 14, 2006. Applications for the FY 2007 Funding
Round must be received by 5 p.m. ET on February 14, 2007.
Executive Summary: Subject to funding availability, this NOFA is
issued in connection with two consecutive funding rounds of the Native
American CDFI Assistance (NACA) Program: (i) The FY 2006 Funding Round
and (ii) the FY 2007 Funding Round.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
A. Through the NACA Program, the Community Development Financial
Institutions Fund (the Fund) provides Financial Assistance (FA) awards
to Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) that have at
least 50 percent of their activities directed toward serving Native
American, Alaska Native and/or Native Hawaiian communities (Native
CDFIs) in order to build their capacity to better address the community
development and capital access needs of their Target Market(s) and to
expand into new Investment Areas, Low-Income Targeted Populations, or
Other Targeted Populations. Through the NACA Program, the Fund provides
Technical Assistance (TA) grants to entities that propose to become
Native CDFIs, and to Native organizations, Tribes and Tribal
organizations (Sponsoring Entities) that propose to create Native
CDFIs, in order to build their capacity to better address the community
development and capital access needs of their Target Market(s), to
expand into new Investment Areas, Low-Income Targeted Populations, or
Other Targeted Populations, or to create Native CDFIs.
B. The regulations governing the CDFI Program, found at 12 CFR Part
1805 (the Interim Rule), provide relevant guidance on evaluation
criteria and other requirements of the NACA Program. The Fund is
publishing the revised Interim Rule in this issue of the Federal
Register. The Interim Rule published in this issue of the Federal
Register contains revisions concerning how certain Applicants may use
retained earnings as matching funds for a FA award. The Fund encourages
Applicants to review the Interim Rule. Detailed application content
requirements are found in the applicable funding application and
related guidance materials. Each capitalized term in this NOFA is more
fully defined in the Interim Rule, the application or the guidance
materials.
C. The Fund reserves the right to fund, in whole or in part, any,
all, or none of the applications submitted in response to this NOFA.
The Fund reserves the right to re-allocate funds from the amount that
is anticipated to be available under this NOFA to other Fund programs,
particularly if the Fund determines that the number of awards made
under this NOFA is fewer than projected.
II. Award Information
A. Funding Availability: 1. FY 2006 Funding Round: Through the FY
2006 Funding Round, and subject to funding availability, the Fund
expects that it may award approximately $3.5 million in appropriated
funds through the NACA Program. The Fund reserves the right to award in
excess of $3.5 million in appropriated funds to Applicants in the FY
2006 Funding Round, provided that the funds are available and the Fund
deems it appropriate.
2. FY 2007 Funding Round: Through the FY 2007 Funding Round, and
subject to funding availability, the Fund expects that it may award
approximately $3.5 million in appropriated funds through the NACA
Program. The Fund reserves the right to award in excess of $3.5 million
in appropriated funds to Applicants in the FY 2007 Funding Round,
provided that the funds are available and the Fund deems it
appropriate.
3. Availability of Funds for the FY 2007 Funding Round: Because
funds for the FY 2007 Funding Round have not yet been appropriated,
interested parties should be aware that electing to defer the
submission of an application until the FY 2007 Funding Round, rather
than for the FY 2006 Funding Round, entails some risk. If funds are not
appropriated for the FY 2007 Funding Round, there will not be a FY 2007
Funding Round. Further, it is possible that if funds are appropriated
for the FY 2007 Funding Round, the amount of such funds may be less
than the amounts set forth above.
B. Types of Awards: A NACA Program Applicant may submit an
application for: (i) a FA award; (ii) a FA award and a TA grant; or
(iii) a TA grant.
1. FA Awards: The Fund may provide FA awards in the form of equity
investments (including, in the case of certain Insured Credit Unions,
secondary capital accounts), grants, loans, deposits, credit union
shares, or any combination thereof. The Fund reserves the right, in its
sole discretion, to provide a FA award in a form and amount other than
that which is requested by an Applicant. The Fund reserves the right,
in its sole discretion, to provide a FA award on the condition that the
Applicant agrees to use a TA grant for specified capacity building
purposes, even if the Applicant has not requested a TA grant.
2. TA Grants: (a) The Fund may provide TA awards in the form of
grants. The Fund reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to provide
a TA grant for uses and amounts other than and in addition to that
which are requested by an Applicant.
(b) TA grants may be used to address a variety of needs including,
but not limited to, development of strategic planning documents (such
as business, strategic or capitalization plans), market analyses or
product feasibility analyses, operational policies and procedures,
curricula for Development Services (such as entrepreneurial training,
home
[[Page 73878]]
buyer education, financial education or training, borrower credit
repair training), improvement of underwriting and portfolio management,
development of outreach and training strategies to enhance product
delivery, operating support to expand into a new Target Market, and
tools that allow the Applicant to assess the impact of its activities
in its community. Each Applicant for a TA grant through this NOFA is
required to provide information in the application regarding the
expected cost, timing and provider of the TA, and a narrative
description of how the TA grant will enhance its capacity to provide
greater community development impact, to become certified as a Native
CDFI, or to create a Native CDFI, if applicable.
(c) Eligible TA grant uses include, but are not limited to: (i)
Acquiring consulting services; (ii) acquiring/enhancing technology
items, including computer hardware, software and Internet connectivity;
(iii) acquiring training for staff, management and/or board members;
and (iv) paying recurring expenses, including staff salary and other
key operating expenses, that will enhance the capacity of the Applicant
to serve its Target Market, and/or to become certified as a Native CDFI
or to create a Native CDFI.
C. Notice of Award; Assistance Agreement: Each Awardee under this
NOFA must sign a Notice of Award and an Assistance Agreement in order
to receive a disbursement of award proceeds by the Fund. The Notice of
Award and the Assistance Agreement contain the terms and conditions of
the award. For further information, see Sections VI.A and VI.B of this
NOFA.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants: The Interim Rule specifies the eligibility
requirements that each Applicant must meet in order to be eligible to
apply for assistance under this NOFA. The following sets forth
additional detail and dates that relate to the submission of
applications under this NOFA:
1. CDFI Certification Requirements: For purposes of this NOFA, any
Applicant that is a Certified Native CDFI or a Certifiable Native CDFI
may apply for a FA award or a FA award and a TA grant. An Applicant
that is an Emerging Native CDFI or a Sponsoring Entity may apply for a
TA grant only.
(a) Certified Native CDFIs: For purposes of this NOFA, a Certified
Native CDFI is a Certified CDFI that primarily serves (meaning, at
least 50 percent of its activities are directed toward serving) a
Native Community and whose certification has not expired and that has
not been notified by the Fund that its certification has been
terminated. Each such Applicant must include a ``Certification of
Material Event Form'' with its NACA application by the applicable
application deadline, in accordance with the instructions on the Fund's
Web site at www.cdfifund.gov. Please note: the Fund provided a number
of CDFIs with certifications expiring in 2003 through 2005 written
notification that their certifications had been extended. The Fund will
consider the extended certification date (the later date) to determine
whether those CDFIs meet this eligibility requirement.
(b) Certifiable Native CDFIs: For purposes of this NOFA, a
Certifiable Native CDFI is an entity that primarily serves (meaning, at
least 50 percent of its activities are directed toward serving) a
Native Community and from which the Fund receives a complete CDFI
Certification Application by the applicable deadline of the NACA
Program application, evidencing that the Applicant meets all
requirements to be certified as a CDFI. Applicants may obtain the CDFI
Certification Application through the Fund's Web site at
www.cdfifund.gov. Applications for certification must be submitted as
instructed in the application form. FA Applicants that are Certifiable
Native CDFIs please note: While your organization may be conditionally
selected for funding (as evidenced through the Notice of Award), the
Fund will not enter into an Assistance Agreement or disburse FA award
funds unless and until the Fund has certified your organization as a
CDFI. If the Fund is unable to certify your organization as a CDFI
based on the CDFI certification application that your organization
submits to the Fund, the Notice of Award may be terminated and the
award commitment may be cancelled, in the sole discretion of the Fund.
(c) Emerging Native CDFIs: For purposes of this NOFA, an Emerging
Native CDFI is an entity that primarily serves (meaning, at least 50
percent of its activities are directed toward serving) a Native
Community and that demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Fund that it
has a reasonable plan to achieve CDFI certification within a reasonable
timeframe. Emerging CDFIs may only apply for TA grants; they are not
eligible to apply for FA awards. Each Emerging CDFI that is selected to
receive a TA grant will be required, pursuant to its Assistance
Agreement with the Fund, to work toward CDFI certification by a date
certain.
(d) Sponsoring Entities: For purposes of this NOFA, a Sponsoring
Entity is an entity that proposes to create a separate legal entity
that will become certified as a CDFI. For purposes of this NOFA,
Sponsoring Entities include: (a) A Tribe, Tribal entity, Alaska Native
Village, Village Corporation, Regional Corporation, Non-Profit Regional
Corporation/Association, or Inter-Tribal or Inter-Village organization;
(b) an organization whose primary mission is to serve a Native
Community including, but not limited to an Urban Indian Center,
Tribally Controlled Community College, community development
corporation (CDC), training or educational organization, or Chamber of
Commerce, and that primarily serves (meaning, at least 50 percent of
its activities are directed toward serving) a Native Community.
Sponsoring Entities may only apply for TA grants; they are not eligible
to apply for FA awards. Each Sponsoring Entity that is selected to
receive a TA grant will be required, pursuant to its Assistance
Agreement with the Fund, to create a legal entity by a date certain
that will, in turn, seek CDFI certification.
D. Prior Awardees: Applicants must be aware that success in a prior
round of any of the Fund's programs is not indicative of success under
this NOFA. Prior awardees are eligible to apply under this NOFA, except
as follows:
1. $5 Million Funding Cap. The Fund is generally prohibited from
obligating more than $5 million in assistance, in the aggregate, to any
one organization and its Subsidiaries and Affiliates during any three-
year period. For the purposes of this NOFA, the period extends back
three years from the date that the Fund signs a Notice of Award issued
to an Awardee under this NOFA.
2. Failure to meet reporting requirements: The Fund will not
consider an application submitted by an Applicant if the Applicant, or
an entity that Controls the Applicant, is Controlled by the Applicant
or shares common management officials with the applicant (as determined
by the Fund) is a prior Fund Awardee or allocatee under any Fund
program and is not current on the reporting requirements set forth in a
previously executed assistance, allocation or award agreement(s) as of
the applicable application deadline of this NOFA. Please note that the
Fund only acknowledges the receipt of reports that are complete. As
such, incomplete reports or reports that are deficient of required
elements will not be recognized as having been received.
3. Pending resolution of noncompliance: If an Applicant is a prior
Awardee or allocatee under any Fund program and if: (i) It has
[[Page 73879]]
submitted complete and timely reports to the Fund that demonstrate
noncompliance with a previous assistance, allocation or award
agreement; and (ii) the Fund has yet to make a final determination as
to whether the entity is in default of its previous assistance,
allocation or award agreement, the Fund will consider the Applicant's
application under this NOFA pending full resolution, in the sole
determination of the Fund, of the noncompliance. Further, if another
entity that Controls the Applicant, is Controlled by the Applicant or
shares common management officials with the Applicant (as determined by
the Fund), is a prior Fund Awardee or allocatee and if such entity: (i)
Has submitted complete and timely reports to the Fund that demonstrate
noncompliance with a previous assistance, allocation or award
agreement; and (ii) the Fund has yet to make a final determination as
to whether the entity is in default of its previous assistance,
allocation, or award agreement, the Fund will consider the Applicant's
application under this NOFA pending full resolution, in the sole
determination of the Fund, of the noncompliance.
4. Default status: The Fund will not consider an application
submitted by an Applicant that is a prior Fund Awardee or allocatee
under any Fund program if, as of the applicable application deadline of
this NOFA, the Fund has made a final determination that such Applicant
is in default of a previously executed assistance, allocation or award
agreement(s). Further, an entity is not eligible to apply for an award
pursuant to this NOFA if, as of the applicable application deadline of
this NOFA, the Fund has made a final determination that another entity
that Controls the Applicant, is Controlled by the Applicant or shares
common management officials with the Applicant (as determined by the
Fund): (i) Is a prior Fund Awardee or allocatee under any Fund program;
and (ii) has been determined by the Fund to be in default of a
previously executed assistance, allocation or award agreement(s).
5. Termination in default: The Fund will not consider an
application submitted by an Applicant that is a prior Fund Awardee or
allocatee under any Fund program if: (i) The Fund has made a final
determination that such Applicant's prior award or allocation
terminated in default of a previously executed assistance, allocation
or award agreement(s); and (ii) the final reporting period end date for
the applicable terminated assistance, allocation or award agreement(s)
falls in Calendar Year 2005 (for the FY 2006 Funding Round) or Calendar
Year 2006 (for the FY 2007 Funding Round). Further, an entity is not
eligible to apply for an award pursuant to this NOFA if: (i) The Fund
has made a final determination that another entity that Controls the
Applicant, is Controlled by the Applicant or shares common management
officials with the Applicant (as determined by the Fund), is a prior
Fund Awardee or allocatee under any Fund program whose award or
allocation terminated in default of a previously executed assistance,
allocation or award agreement(s); and (ii) the final reporting period
end date for the applicable terminated assistance, allocation or award
agreement(s) falls in Calendar Year 2005 (for the FY 2006 Funding
Round) or Calendar Year 2006 (for the FY 2007 Funding Round).
6. Undisbursed balances: The Fund will not consider an application
submitted by an Applicant that is a prior Fund Awardee under any Fund
program if the Applicant has a balance of undisbursed funds (defined
below) under said prior award(s), as of the applicable application
deadline of this NOFA. Further, an entity is not eligible to apply for
an award pursuant to this NOFA if another entity that Controls the
Applicant, is Controlled by the Applicant or shares common management
officials with the Applicant (as determined by the Fund), is a prior
Fund Awardee under any Fund program, and has a balance of undisbursed
funds under said prior award(s), as of the applicable application
deadline of this NOFA. In a case where another entity that Controls the
Applicant, is Controlled by the Applicant or shares common management
officials with the Applicant (as determined by the Fund), is a prior
Fund Awardee under any Fund program, and has a balance of undisbursed
funds under said prior award(s), as of the applicable application
deadline of this NOFA, the Fund will include the combined awards of the
Applicant and such Affiliated entities when calculating the amount of
undisbursed funds. For purposes of this section, ``undisbursed funds''
is defined as: (i) In the case of a prior Bank Enterprise Award (BEA)
Program award(s), any balance of award funds equal to or greater than
five (5) percent of the total prior BEA Program award(s) that remains
undisbursed more than three (3) years after the end of the calendar
year in which the Fund signed an award agreement with the Awardee; and
(ii) in the case of a prior CDFI Program or other Fund program
award(s), any balance of award funds equal to or greater than five (5)
percent of the total prior award(s) that remains undisbursed more than
two (2) years after the end of the calendar year in which the Fund
signed an assistance agreement with the Awardee. ``Undisbursed funds''
does not include (i) tax credit allocation authority made available
through the New Market Tax Credit (NMTC) Program; (ii) any award funds
for which the Fund received a full and complete disbursement request
from the Awardee by the applicable application deadline of this NOFA;
(iii) any award funds for an award that has been terminated, expired,
rescinded or deobligated by the Fund; or (iv) any award funds for an
award that does not have a fully executed assistance or award
agreement. The Fund strongly encourages Applicants requesting
disbursements of ``undisbursed funds'' from prior awards to provide the
Fund with a complete disbursement request at least 10 business days
prior to the applicable application deadline of this NOFA.
7. Exception for Applicants impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and/or
Rita: Please note that the provisions of paragraphs 2 (Failure to meet
reporting requirements) and 6 (Undisbursed balances) of this section do
not apply to any Applicant that has an office located in, or that
provides a significant volume of services or financing to residents of
or businesses located in, a county that is within a ``major disaster
area'' as declared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as
a result of Hurricanes Katrina and/or Rita. Said requirements are
waived for those Applicants for the FY 2006 Funding Round and the FY
2007 Funding Round.
8. Contact the Fund. Accordingly, Applicants that are prior
Awardees are advised to: (i) Comply with requirements specified in
assistance, allocation and/or award agreement(s), and (ii) contact the
Fund to ensure that all necessary actions are underway for the
disbursement or de-obligation of any outstanding balance of said prior
award(s). All outstanding reports, disbursement or compliance questions
should be directed to the Grants Manager by e-mail at
grantsmanagement@cdfi.treas.gov; by telephone at (202) 622-8226; by
facsimile at (202) 622-6453; or by mail to CDFI Fund, 601 13th Street,
NW., Suite 200 South, Washington, DC 20005. The Fund will respond to
Applicants' reporting, disbursement or compliance questions between the
hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, starting the date of the publication of
this NOFA through February 10, 2006 (for the FY 2006
[[Page 73880]]
Funding Round) and February 12, 2007 (for the FY 2007 Funding Round)
(two business days before the respective application deadlines). The
Fund will not respond to Applicants' reporting, disbursement or
compliance phone calls or e-mail inquiries that are received after 5
p.m. on said dates, until after the respective funding application
deadlines.
9. Limitation on Awards: An Applicant may receive only one award
through either the CDFI Program or the NACA Program in the same funding
year. An Applicant may apply under both the CDFI Program and the NACA
Program, but will not be selected for funding under both. A NACA
Program Applicant, its Subsidiaries or Affiliates also may apply for
and receive: (i) A tax credit allocation through the NMTC Program, but
only to the extent that the activities approved for CDFI Program awards
are different from those activities for which the Applicant receives a
NMTC Program allocation; and (ii) an award through the BEA Program
(subject to certain limitations; refer to the Interim Rule at 12 CFR
1805.102).
E. Matching Funds: 1. Matching Funds Requirements in General:
Applicants responding to this NOFA must obtain non-Federal matching
funds from sources other than the Federal government on the basis of
not less than one dollar for each dollar of FA funds provided by the
Fund (matching funds are not required for TA grants). Matching funds
must be at least comparable in form and value to the FA award provided
by the Fund (for example, if an Applicant is requesting a FA grant from
the Fund, the Applicant must have evidence that it has obtained
matching funds through grant(s) from non-Federal sources that are at
least equal to the amount requested from the Fund). Funds used by an
Applicant as matching funds for a prior FA award under the CDFI Program
or under another Federal grant or award program cannot be used to
satisfy the matching funds requirement of this NOFA. If an Applicant
seeks to use as matching funds monies received from an organization
that was a prior Awardee under the CDFI Program, the Fund will deem
such funds to be Federal funds, unless the funding entity establishes
to the reasonable satisfaction of the Fund that such funds do not
consist, in whole or in part, of CDFI Program funds or other Federal
funds. For the purposes of this NOFA, BEA Program awards are not deemed
to be Federal funds and are eligible as matching funds. The Fund
encourages Applicants to review the Interim Rule at 12 CFR 1805.500 et
seq. and matching funds guidance materials on the Fund's Web site for
further information.
2. Matching Funds Requirements Per Funding Round: Due to funding
constraints and the desire to quickly deploy Fund dollars, the Fund
will not consider for a FA award any Applicant that has no matching
funds in-hand or firmly committed as of the application deadline under
this NOFA. Specifically, FA Applicants must meet the following matching
funds requirements:
(a) FY 2006 Funding Round: A NACA Program Applicant must
demonstrate that it has eligible matching funds equal to no less than
25 percent of the amount of the FA award requested in-hand or firmly
committed, on or after January 1, 2004 and on or before the application
deadline. The Fund reserves the right to rescind all or a portion of a
FA award and re-allocate the rescinded award amount to other qualified
Applicant(s), if an Applicant fails to obtain in-hand 100 percent of
the required matching funds by March 15, 2007 (with required
documentation of such receipt received by the Fund not later than March
30, 2007), or to grant an extension of such matching funds deadline for
specific Applicants selected to receive FA, if the Fund deems it
appropriate. For any Applicant that demonstrates that it has less than
100 percent of matching funds in-hand or firmly committed as of the
application deadline, the Fund will evaluate the Applicant's ability to
raise the remaining matching funds by March 15, 2007.
(b) FY 2007 Funding Round: A NACA Program Applicant must
demonstrate that it has eligible matching funds equal to no less than
25 percent of the amount of the FA award requested in-hand or firmly
committed, on or after January 1, 2005 and on or before the application
deadline. The Fund reserves the right to rescind all or a portion of a
FA award and re-allocate the rescinded award amount to other qualified
Applicant(s), if an Applicant fails to obtain in-hand 100 percent of
the required matching funds by March 14, 2008 (with required
documentation of such receipt received by the Fund not later than March
31, 2008), or to grant an extension of such matching funds deadline for
specific Applicants selected to receive FA, if the Fund deems it
appropriate. For any Applicant that demonstrates that it has less than
100 percent of matching funds in-hand or firmly committed as of the
application deadline, the Fund will evaluate the Applicant's ability to
raise the remaining matching funds by March 14, 2008.
3. Matching Funds Terms Defined; Required Documentation. (a)
``Matching funds in-hand'' means that the Applicant has actually
received the matching funds. If the matching funds are ``in-hand,'' the
Applicant must provide the Fund with acceptable written documentation
of the source, form and amount of the Matching Funds (i.e., grant,
loan, and equity investment). For a loan, the Applicant must provide
the Fund with a copy of the loan agreement and promissory note. For a
grant, the Applicant must provide the Fund with a copy of the grant
letter or agreement. For an equity investment, the Applicant must
provide the Fund with a copy of the stock certificate and any related
shareholder agreement. Further, if the matching funds are ``in-hand,''
the Applicant must provide the Fund with acceptable documentation that
evidences its receipt of the matching funds proceeds, such as a copy of
a check or a wire transfer statement.
(b) ``Firmly committed matching funds'' means that the Applicant
has entered into or received a legally binding commitment from the
matching funds source that the matching funds will be disbursed to the
Applicant. If the matching funds are ``firmly committed,'' the
Applicant must provide the Fund with acceptable written documentation
to evidence the source, form, and amount of the firm commitment (and,
in the case of a loan, the terms thereof), as well as the anticipated
date of disbursement of the committed funds.
(c) The Fund may contact the matching funds source to discuss the
matching funds and the documentation provided by the Awardee. If the
Fund determines that any portion of the Applicant's matching funds is
ineligible under this NOFA, the Fund, in its sole discretion, may
permit the Applicant to offer alternative matching funds as substitute
for the ineligible matching funds; provided, however, that (i) the
Applicant must provide acceptable alternative matching funds
documentation within 5 business days of the Fund's request and (ii) the
alternative matching funds documentation cannot increase the total
amount of Financial Assistance requested by the Applicant.
4. Special Rule for Insured Credit Unions. Please note that the
Interim Rule allows an Insured Credit Union to use retained earnings to
serve as matching funds for a FA grant in an amount equal to: (i) The
increase in retained earnings that have occurred over the Applicant's
most recent fiscal year; (ii) the annual average of such increases that
have occurred over the Applicant's three most recent fiscal years; or
(iii) the entire retained
[[Page 73881]]
earnings that have been accumulated since the inception of the
Applicant or such other financial measure as may be specified by the
Fund. For purposes of this NOFA, if option (iii) is used, the Applicant
must increase its member and/or non-member shares or total loans
outstanding by an amount that is equal to the amount of retained
earnings that is committed as matching funds. This amount must be
raised by the end of the Awardee's second performance period, as set
forth in its Assistance Agreement, and will be based on amounts
reported in the Applicant's Audited or Reviewed Financial Statements or
NCUA Form 5300 Call Report.
5. Severe Constraints Exception to Matching Funds Requirement;
Applicability to Applicants Located in FEMA-Designated Major Disaster
Areas Created by Hurricanes Katrina and/or Rita: In the case of any
Applicant that has an office that is located in, or that provides a
significant volume of services or financing to residents of or
businesses located in, any county that is within a ``major disaster
area'' as declared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as
a result of Hurricanes Katrina and/or Rita, and that has severe
constraints on available sources of matching funds, such Applicant may
be eligible for a ``severe constraints waiver'' (see section 1805.203
of the Interim Rule) if (i) it can demonstrate to the satisfaction of
the Fund that an Investment Area(s) or Targeted Population(s) would not
be adequately served without such a waiver and (ii) it projects to use
the assistance to address issues resulting from Hurricanes Katrina and/
or Rita (such as a significant volume of loan defaults) or to provide
financial products, financial services, or Development Services to
residents of or businesses located in any county that is within a
``major disaster area'' as declared by FEMA as a result of Hurricanes
Katrina and/or Rita. If eligible for such a waiver, the Applicant may
comply with the matching funds requirements of this NOFA as follows:
(i) The matching funds requirement for such Applicant would be reduced
to 50 percent (meaning, the Applicant must match 50 percent of the
Fund's FA award rather than 100 percent), or (ii) such an Applicant may
provide matching funds in alternative (meaning, non-monetary) forms if
the Applicant has total assets of less than $100,000 at the time of the
application deadline, serves non-metropolitan or rural areas, and is
not requesting more than $25,000 in financial assistance from the Fund.
In the case of item (i) of this paragraph, the Applicant must
demonstrate that it has eligible matching funds equal to no less than
25 percent of the amount of the FA award requested in-hand or firmly
committed, on or after January 1, 2005 (for the FY 2006 Funding Round)
or January 1, 2006 (for the FY 2007 Funding Round) and on or before the
application deadline. The Fund reserves the right to rescind all or a
portion of a FA award and re-allocate the rescinded award amount to
other qualified Applicant(s), if an Applicant fails to obtain in-hand
50 percent of the required matching funds by March 15, 2007 (for the FY
2006 Funding Round) or March 14, 2008 (for the FY 2007 Funding Round)
(with required documentation of such receipt received by the Fund not
later than March 31, 2007 (for the FY 2006 Funding Round) or March 30,
2008 (for the FY 2007 Funding Round)), or to grant an extension of such
matching funds deadline for specific Applicants selected to receive FA,
if the Fund deems it appropriate. For any such Applicant that
demonstrates that it has less than 50 percent of matching funds in-hand
or firmly committed as of the application deadline, the Fund will
evaluate the Applicant's ability to raise the remaining matching funds
by March 15, 2007 (for the FY 2006 Funding Round) or March 14, 2008
(for the FY 2007 Funding Round). In the case of item (ii) of this
paragraph, the NACA Program funding application contains further
instructions on the type of documentation that the Applicant must
provide as evidence that such match was received and its valuation. The
Fund reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disallow any such
match for which adequate documentation or valuation is not provided.
IV. Application and Submission Information
A. Form of Application Submission: Applicants must submit
applications under this NOFA in paper form. Applications sent by
facsimile or other form will not be accepted. The NACA Program
application (including detailed application content requirements and
electronic templates for application forms) may be found on the Fund's
Web site: https://www.cdfifund.gov. The Fund will send paper application
materials to any Applicant that is unable to download the form from the
Web site. To have application materials sent to you, please contact the
Fund by telephone at (202) 622-6355, by e-mail at
cdfihelp@cdfi.treas.gov; or by facsimile at (202) 622-7754. These are
not toll free numbers. Applicants should allow at least one week for
the timely receipt of paper application materials in the mail.
B. Applications must be submitted in the format specified in the
application instructions. An Applicant requesting only a TA grant must
submit one original application and three (3) complete copies. An
Applicant requesting a FA award must submit one original application
and four (4) complete copies. Do not bind the original application or
separate the sections with tabs. Each copy must be placed in a three-
ring binder, without staples or other forms of binding, and each
section must be separated by tabs.
C. Application Content Requirements: Detailed application content
requirements are found in the application and guidance. Please note
that, pursuant to OMB guidance (68 FR 38402), each Applicant must
provide, as part of its application submission, a Dun and Bradstreet
Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number. In addition, each
application must include a valid and current Employer Identification
Number (EIN), with a letter or other documentation from the Internal
Revenue Service (IRS) confirming the Applicant's EIN. An application
that does not include a valid EIN will be deemed incomplete. Incomplete
applications will be rejected and returned to the sender. Applicants
should allow sufficient time for the IRS and/or Dun and Bradstreet to
respond to inquiries and/or requests for identification numbers. Once
an application is submitted, the Applicant will not be allowed to
change any element of the application. The preceding sentence does not
limit the Fund's ability to contact an Applicant for the purpose of
obtaining clarifying or confirming application information (such as
DUNS number or EIN information).
D. MyCDFIFund Accounts: All Applicants must register User and
Organization accounts in myCDFIFund, the Fund's Internet-based
interface. As myCDFIFund is the Fund's primary means of communication
with Applicants and Awardees, organizations must make sure that they
update the contact information in their myCDFIFund accounts. For more
information on myCDFIFund, please see the ``Frequently Asked
Questions'' link posted at https://www.cdfifund.gov/myCDFI/Help/
Help.asp.
E. Application Deadlines; Address for Paper Submissions; Late
Delivery: Applicants must submit all materials described in and
required by the application by the applicable deadline.
1. Application Deadlines: (a) FY 2006 Funding Round: Applications
must be
[[Page 73882]]
received by the Fund at the address cited below and in accordance with
the instructions provided on the Fund's Web site, by 5 p.m. ET on
February 14, 2006.
(b) FY 2007 Funding Round: Applications must be received by the
Fund at the address cited below and in accordance with the instructions
provided on the Fund's Web site, by 5 p.m. ET on February 14, 2007.
2. Address for Application Submission: A complete application must
be received at the following address, by the applicable deadline: CDFI
Fund Grants Manager, NACA Program, Bureau of Public Debt, 200 Third
Street, Parkersburg, WV 26101. The telephone number to be used in
conjunction with overnight delivery or mailings to this address is
(304) 480-6088 (this is not a toll free number). Any documents received
in any other office, including the Fund's Washington, DC office, will
be rejected and returned to the sender.
3. Late Delivery: The Fund will neither accept a late application
nor any portion of an application that is late; an application that is
late, or for which any portion is late, will be rejected and returned
to the sender. An application, including the required signed signature
page, and all required paper attachments, must be received by the
applicable time and date set forth above. The Fund will not grant
exceptions or waivers for late delivery of documents including, but not
limited to, late delivery that is caused by third parties such as the
United States Postal Service, couriers or overnight delivery services.
D. Intergovernmental Review: Not applicable.
E. Funding Restrictions: For allowable uses of FA proceeds, please
see the Interim Rule at 12 CFR 1805.301.
V. Application Review Information
A. Criteria: The Fund will evaluate each application using numeric
scores with respect to the following five sections:
1. Market Analysis (25 points): The Fund will evaluate: (i) The
extent and nature of the economic distress within the designated Target
Market including the Applicant's understanding of its current and
prospective customers; and (ii) the extent of demand for the
Applicant's Financial Products, Development Services, and Financial
Services within the designated Target Market. The Fund will give
special consideration to any Applicant that has an office that is
located in, or that provides a significant volume of services or
financing to residents of or businesses located in, (i) any county that
is within the area declared to be a ``major disaster'' by FEMA as a
result of Hurricanes Katrina and/or Rita; and/or (ii) any state that
has been declared a ``reception state'' by FEMA. The form and content
of such special consideration will be further clarified in the NACA
Program application.
2. Business Strategy (25 points): The Fund will evaluate the
Applicant's business strategy for addressing market demand and creating
community development impact through: (i) Its Financial Products,
Development Services, and/or Financial Services; (ii) its marketing,
outreach, and delivery strategy; and (iii) the extent, quality and
nature of coordination with other similar providers of Financial
Products and Financial Services, government agencies, and other key
community development entities within the Target Market. The Fund will
take into consideration whether the Applicant is proposing to expand
into a new Target Market.
3. Community Development Performance and Effective Use (20 points):
The Fund will evaluate (i) the Applicant's vision for its Target
Market, specific outcomes or impacts for measuring progress towards
achieving this vision, and the extent to which this award will allow it
to achieve them; (ii) the Applicant's track record in providing
Financial Products, Financial Services, and Development Services to the
Target Market; (iii) the extent to which proposed activities will
benefit the Target Market; (iv) the likelihood of achieving the impact
projections, including the extent to which the activities proposed in
the Comprehensive Business Plan will expand economic opportunities or
promote community development within the designated Target Market by
promoting homeownership, affordable housing development, job creation
or retention, the provision of affordable financial services, and other
community development objectives; and (v) the extent to which the
Applicant will maximize the effective use of the Fund's resources. If
an Applicant has a prior track record of serving Investment Areas(s) or
Targeted Population(s), it must demonstrate that (i) it has a record of
success in serving said Investment Area(s) or Targeted Population(s)
and (ii) it will expand its operations into a new Investment Area or to
serve a new Targeted Population, offer more products or services, or
increase the volume of its current business.
4. Management (20 points): The Fund will evaluate the Applicant's
organizational capacity to achieve the objectives set forth in its
Comprehensive Business Plan as well as its ability to use its award
successfully and maintain compliance with its Assistance Agreement
through an evaluation of: (i) The capacity, skills, size and experience
of the Applicant's current and proposed Governing Board, management
team, and key staff; and (ii) the Applicant's management controls and
risk mitigation strategies including policies and procedures for
portfolio underwriting and review, financial management, risk
management, management information systems.
5. Financial Health and Viability (10 points): The Fund will
evaluate the Applicant's: (i) Audited or otherwise prepared Financial
Statements; (ii) safety and soundness, including an analysis of the
Applicant's financial services industry ratios (capital, liquidity,
deployment and self-sufficiency) and ability to sustain positive net
revenue; (iii) projected financial health, including its ability to
raise operating support from sources other than the Fund and its
capitalization strategy; and (iv) portfolio performance including loan
delinquency, loan losses, and loan loss reserves. If an Applicant does
not have 100 percent of the required matching funds in-hand (versus
committed), the Applicant must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the
Fund that it will raise the outstanding balance of matching funds
within the time table set forth above.
6. Technical Assistance Proposal: Any Applicant applying for a TA
grant, either alone or in conjunction with a request for a FA award,
must complete a Technical Assistance Proposal (TAP) as part of its
application. The TAP consists of a summary of the organizational
improvements needed to achieve the objectives of the application, a
budget, and a description of the requested goods and/or services
comprising the TA award request. The budget and accompanying narrative
will be evaluated for the eligibility and appropriateness of the
proposed uses of the TA award (described above). In addition, if the
Applicant identifies a capacity-building need related to any of the
evaluation criteria above (for example, if the Applicant requires a
market need analysis or a community development impact tracking/
reporting system), the Fund will assess its plan to use the TA grant to
address said needs. An Applicant that is not a Certified CDFI and that
requests TA to address certification requirements, must explain how the
requested TA grant will assist the Applicant in meeting the
certification requirement. An Applicant that requests a TA grant for
recurring
[[Page 73883]]
activities must clearly describe the benefit that would accrue to its
capacity or to its Target Market(s) (such as plans for expansion of
staff, market, or products) as a result of the TA award. If the
Applicant is a prior Fund Awardee, it must describe how it has used the
prior assistance and explain the need for additional Fund dollars over
and above such prior assistance. Such an Applicant also must describe
the additional benefits that would accrue to its capacity or to the
Target Market(s) if the Applicant receives another award from the Fund,
such as plans for expansion of staff, market, or products. The Fund
will not provide funding for the same activities funded in prior
awards.
B. Review and Selection Process: 1. Eligibility and Completeness
Review: The Fund will review each application to determine whether it
is complete and the Applicant meets the eligibility requirements set
forth above. An incomplete application will be rejected as incomplete
and returned to the sender. If an Applicant does not meet eligibility
requirements, its application will be rejected and returned to the
sender.
2. Substantive Review: If an application is determined to be
complete and the Applicant is determined to be eligible, the Fund will
conduct the substantive review of the application in accordance with
the criteria and procedures described in the Interim Rule, this NOFA
and the application and guidance. Each FA application will be reviewed
and scored by multiple readers. Each TA application will be read and
scored by one reader. Readers may include Fund staff and other experts
in community development finance and/or Native community development.
As part of the review process, the Fund may contact the Applicant by
telephone or through an on-site visit for the purpose of obtaining
clarifying or confirming application information. The Applicant may be
required to submit additional information to assist the Fund in its
evaluation process. Such requests must be responded to within the time
parameters set by the Fund.
3. Application Scoring; Ranking: (a) Application Scoring: The Fund
will evaluate each application on a 100-point scale, comprising the
five criteria categories described above, and assign numeric scores. An
Applicant must receive a minimum total score in order to be considered
for an award. In the case of an Applicant that has previously received
funding from the Fund through any Fund program, the Fund will consider
and will deduct points for: (i) The Applicant's noncompliance with any
active award or award that terminated in calendar year 2005 (for FY
2006 Funding Round Applicants) and calendar year 2006 (for FY 2007
Funding Round Applicants), in meeting its performance goals, financial
soundness covenants (if applicable), reporting deadlines and other
requirements set forth in the assistance or award agreement(s) with the
Fund during the Applicant's two complete fiscal years prior to the
application deadline of this NOFA (generally FY 2004 and FY 2005 for FY
2006 Funding Round Applicants and FY 2005 and FY 2006 for FY 2007
Funding Round Applicants); (ii) the Applicant's failure to make timely
loan payments to the Fund during the Applicant's two complete fiscal
years prior to the application deadline of this NOFA (if applicable);
(iii) performance on any prior Assistance Agreement as part of the
overall assessment of the Applicant's ability to carry out its
Comprehensive Business Plan; and (iv) funds deobligated from a FY 2003,
FY 2004 or FY 2005 FA award (if the Applicant is applying for a FA
award under this NOFA) if (A) the amount of deobligated funds is at
least $200,000 and (B) the deobligation occurred subsequent to the
expiration of the period of award funds availability (generally, any
funds deobligated after the September 30th following the year in which
the award was made). Any award deobligations that result in a point
deduction under an application submitted pursuant to either funding
round of this NOFA will not be counted against any future application
for FA through the NACA Program. All questions regarding outstanding
reports or compliance should be directed to the Grants Manager by e-
mail at grantsmanagement@cdfi.treas.gov; by telephone at (202) 622-
8226; by facsimile at (202) 622-7754; or by mail to CDFI Fund, 601 13th
Street, NW., Suite 200 South, Washington, DC 20005. These are not toll
free numbers. The Fund will respond to reporting or compliance
questions between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, starting the date
of the publication of this NOFA through February 10, 2006 (for the FY
2006 Funding Round) and February 12, 2007 (for the FY 2007 Funding
Round). The Fund will not respond to reporting or compliance phone
calls or e-mail inquiries that are received after 5 p.m. on February
10, 2006 (for the FY 2006 Funding Round) and February 12, 2007 (for the
FY 2007 Funding Round) until after the applicable funding application
deadline.
(b) Ranking: The Fund then will rank the applications by their
scores, from highest to lowest, based on each Applicant's scores for
all five criteria categories added together.
4. Award Selection: The Fund will make its final award selections
based on the rank order of Applicants by their scores and the amount of
funds available. Subject to the availability of funding, the Fund will
award funding in the order of the ranking. In addition, the Fund may
consider the institutional and geographic diversity of Applicants when
making its funding decisions.
5. Insured CDFIs: In the case of Insured Depository Institutions
and Insured Credit Unions, the Fund will take into consideration the
views of the Appropriate Federal Banking Agencies; in the case of
State-Insured Credit Unions, the Fund may consult with the appropriate
State banking agencies (or comparable entity). The Fund will not
approve a FA award or a TA grant to any Insured Credit Union (other
than a State-Insured Credit Union) or Insured Depository Institution
Applicant that has a CAMEL rating that is higher than a ``3'' or for
which its Appropriate Federal Banking Agency indicates it has safety
and soundness concerns, unless the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency
asserts, in writing, that: (i) An upgrade to a CAMEL 3 rating or better
(or other improvement in status) is imminent and such upgrade is
expected to occur not later than September 30, 2006 (for the FY 2006
Funding Round) or September 30, 2007 (for the FY 2007 Funding Round) or
within such other time frame deemed acceptable by the Fund, or (ii) the
safety and soundness condition of the Applicant is adequate to
undertake the activities for which the Applicant has requested a FA
award and the obligations of an Assistance Agreement related to such a
FA award.
6. Award Notification: Each Applicant will be informed of the
Fund's award decision either through a Notice of Award if selected for
an award (see Notice of Award section, below) or written declination if
not selected for an award. Each Applicant that is not selected for an
award based on reasons other than completeness or eligibility issues
may be offered a debriefing on the strengths and weaknesses of its
application. This feedback will be provided in a format and within a
timeframe to be determined by the Fund, based on available resources.
The Fund will notify Awardees by e-mail or fax using the addresses
maintained in the Awardee's myCDFIFund account (postal mailings will be
used only in rare cases).
[[Page 73884]]
7. The Fund reserves the right to reject an application if
information (including administrative errors) comes to the attention of
the Fund that either adversely affects an applicant's eligibility for
an award, or adversely affects the Fund's evaluation or scoring of an
application, or indicates fraud or mismanagement on the part of an
Applicant. If the Fund determines that any portion of the application
is incorrect in any material respect, the Fund reserves the right, in
its sole discretion, to reject the application. The Fund reserves the
right to change its eligibility and evaluation criteria and procedures,
if the Fund deems it appropriate; if said changes materially affect the
Fund's award decisions, the Fund will provide information regarding the
changes through the Fund's Web site. There is no right to appeal the
Fund's award decisions. The Fund's award decisions are final.
VI. Award Administration Information
A. Notice of Award: The Fund will signify its conditional selection
of an Applicant as an Awardee by delivering a signed Notice of Award to
the Applicant. The Notice of Award will contain the general terms and
conditions underlying the Fund's provision of assistance including, but
not limited to, the requirement that the Awardee and the Fund enter
into an Assistance Agreement. The Applicant must execute the Notice of
Award and return it to the Fund. By executing a Notice of Award, the
Awardee agrees, among other things, that, if prior to entering into an
Assistance Agreement with the Fund, information (including
administrative error) comes to the attention of the Fund that either
adversely affects the Awardee's eligibility for an award, or adversely
affects the Fund's evaluation of the Awardee's application, or
indicates fraud or mismanagement on the part of the Awardee, the Fund
may, in its discretion and without advance notice to the Awardee,
terminate the Notice of Award or take such other actions as it deems
appropriate. Moreover, by executing a Notice of Award, the Awardee
agrees that, if prior to entering into an Assistance Agreement with the
Fund, the Fund determines that the Awardee is in default of any
Assistance Agreement previously entered into with the Fund, the Fund
may, in its discretion and without advance notice to the Awardee,
either terminate the Notice of Award or take such other actions as it
deems appropriate. The Fund reserves the right, in its sole discretion,
to rescind its award if the Awardee fails to return the Notice of
Award, signed by the authorized representative of the Awardee, along
with any other requested documentation, within the deadline set by the
Fund.
1. Failure to meet reporting requirements: If an Awardee, or an
entity that Controls the Awardee, is Controlled by the Awardee or
shares common management officials with the Awardee (as determined by
the Fund) is a prior Fund Awardee or allocatee under any Fund program
and is not current on the reporting requirements set forth in the
previously executed assistance, allocation or award agreement(s), as of
the date of the Notice of Award, the Fund reserves the right, in its
sole discretion, to delay entering into an Assistance Agreement until
said prior Awardee or allocatee is current on the reporting
requirements in the previously executed assistance, allocation or award
agreement(s). Please note that the Fund only acknowledges the receipt
of reports that are complete. As such, incomplete reports or reports
that are deficient of required elements will not be recognized as
having been received. If said prior Awardee or allocatee is unable to
meet this requirement within the timeframe set by the Fund, the Fund
reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to terminate and rescind
the Notice of Award and the award made under this NOFA.
2. Pending resolution of noncompliance: If an Applicant is a prior
Awardee or allocatee under any Fund program and if: (i) It has
submitted complete and timely reports to the Fund that demonstrate
noncompliance with a previous assistance, award or allocation
agreement; and (ii) the Fund has yet to make a final determination as
to whether the entity is in default of its previous assistance, award
or allocation agreement, the Fund reserves the right, in its sole
discretion, to delay entering into an Assistance Agreement, pending
full resolution, in the sole determination of the Fund, of the
noncompliance. Further, if another entity that Controls the Applicant,
is Controlled by the Applicant or shares common management officials
with the Applicant (as determined by the Fund), is a prior Fund Awardee
or allocatee and if such entity: (i) Has submitted complete and timely
reports to the Fund that demonstrate noncompliance with a previous
assistance, award or allocation agreement; and (ii) the Fund has yet to
make a final determination as to whether the entity is in default of
its previous assistance, award or allocation agreement, the Fund
reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to delay entering into an
Assistance Agreement, pending full resolution, in the sole
determination of the Fund, of the noncompliance. If the prior Awardee
or allocatee in question is unable to satisfactorily resolve the issues
of noncompliance, in the sole determination of the Fund, the Fund
reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to terminate and rescind
the Notice of Award and the award made under this NOFA.
3. Default status: If, at any time prior to entering into an
Assistance Agreement through this NOFA, the Fund has made a final
determination that an Awardee that is a prior Fund Awardee or allocatee
under any Fund program is in default of a previously executed
assistance, allocation or award agreement(s), the Fund reserves the
right, in its sole discretion, to delay entering into an Assistance
Agreement, until said prior Awardee or allocatee has submitted a
complete and timely report demonstrating full compliance with said
agreement within a timeframe set by the Fund. Further, if at any time
prior to entering into an Assistance Agreement through this NOFA, the
Fund has made a final determination that another entity that Controls
the Awardee, is Controlled by the applicant or shares common management
officials with the Awardee (as determined by the Fund), is a prior Fund
Awardee or allocatee under any Fund program, and is in default of a
previously executed assistance, allocation or award agreement(s), the
Fund reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to delay entering into
an Assistance Agreement, until said prior Awardee or allocatee has
submitted a complete and timely report demonstrating full compliance
with said agreement within a timeframe set by the Fund. If said prior
Awardee or allocatee is unable to meet this requirement, the Fund
reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to terminate and rescind
the Notice of Award and the award made under this NOFA.
4. Termination in default: If (i) the Fund has made a final
determination that an Awardee that is a prior Fund Awardee or allocatee
under any Fund program whose award or allocation was terminated in
default of such prior agreement; and (ii) the final reporting period
end date for the applicable terminated agreement falls in Calendar Year
2005 (for the FY 2006 Funding Round) or Calendar Year 2006 (for the FY
2007 Funding Round), the Fund reserves the right, in its sole
discretion, to delay entering into an Assistance Agreement. Further, if
(i) the Fund has made a final determination that another entity that
Controls the Awardee, is Controlled by the Awardee or shares
[[Page 73885]]
common management officials with the Awardee (as determined by the
Fund), is a prior Fund Awardee or allocatee under any Fund program
whose award or allocation was terminated in default of such prior
agreement; and (ii) the final reporting period end date for the
applicable terminated agreement falls in Calendar Year 2005 (for the FY
2006 Funding Round) or Calendar Year 2006 (for the FY 2007 Funding
Round), the Fund reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to delay
entering into an Assistance Agreement.
5. Deobligated awards: An Awardee that receives a FA award pursuant
to this NOFA for which an amount over $200,000 is deobligated by the
Fund subsequent to the expiration of the period of award funds
availability (generally, any funds deobligated after the September 30th
following the year in which the award was made) but within the 12
months prior to the applicable application deadline, may not apply for
a new award through another NOFA for one CDFI or NACA Program funding
round after the date of said deobligation.
B. Assistance Agreement: Each Applicant that is selected to receive
an award under this NOFA must enter into an Assistance Agreement with
the Fund in order to receive disbursement of award proceeds. The
Assistance Agreement will set forth certain required terms and
conditions of the award, which will include, but not be limited to: (i)
The amount of the award; (ii) the type of award; (iii) the approved
uses of the award; (iv) the approved Target Market to which the funded
activity must be targeted; (v) performance goals and measures; and (vi)
reporting requirements for all Awardees. FA and FA/TA Assistance
Agreements under this NOFA generally will have three-year performance
periods; TA-only Assistance Agreements generally will have two-year
performance periods.
The Fund reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to terminate
the Notice of Award and rescind an award if the Awardee fails to return
the Assistance Agreement, signed by the authorized representative of
the Awardee, and/or provide the Fund with any other requested
documentation, within the deadlines set by the Fund.
In addition to entering into an Assistance Agreement, each Awardee
that receives an award either (i) in the form of a loan, equity
investment, credit union shares/deposits, or secondary capital, in any
amount, or (ii) a FA grant in an amount greater than $500,000, must
furnish to the Fund an opinion from its legal counsel, the content of
which will be specified in the Assistance Agreement, to include, among
other matters, an opinion that the Awardee: (A) is duly formed and in
good standing in the jurisdiction in which it was formed and/or
operates; (B) has the authority to enter into the Assistance Agreement
and undertake the activities that are specified therein; and (C) has no
pending or threatened litigation that would materially affect its
ability to enter into and carry out the activities specified in the
Assistance Agreement. Each other Awardee must provide the Fund with a
good standing certificate (or equivalent documentation) from its state
(or jurisdiction) of incorporation.
C. Reporting: 1. Reporting requirements: The Fund will collect
information, on at least an annual basis, from each Awardee including,
but not limited to, an Annual Report that comprises the following
components: (i) Financial Report (not required of Sponsoring Entities);
(ii) Institution Level Report; (iii) Transaction Level Report (for
Awardees receiving FA); (iv) Financial Status Report (for Awardees
receiving TA); (v) Uses of Financial Assistance and Matching Funds
Report (for Awardees receiving FA awards); (vi) Explanation of
Noncompliance (as applicable); and (vii) such other information as the
Fund may require. Each Awardee is responsible for the timely and
complete submission of the Annual Report, even if all or a portion of
the documents actually is completed by another entity or signatory to
the Assistance Agreement. If such other entities or signatories are
required to provide Institution Level Reports, Transaction Level
Reports, Financial Reports, or other documentation that the Fund may
require, the Awardee is responsible for ensuring that the information
is submitted timely and complete. The Fund reserves the right to
contact such additional signatories to the Assistance Agreement and
require that additional information and documentation be provided. The
Fund will use such information to monitor each Awardee's compliance
with the requirements set forth in the Assistance Agreement and to
assess the impact of the NACA Program. The Institution Level Report and
the Transaction Level Report must be submitted through the Fund's web-
based data collection system, the Community Investment Impact System
(CIIS). The Financial Report may be submitted through CIIS, or by fax
or mail to the Fund. All other components of the Annual Report may be
submitted to the Fund in paper form or other form to be determined by
the Fund. The Fund reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to
modify these reporting requirements if it determines it to be
appropriate and necessary; however, suc