Inviting Applications for Rural Business Opportunity Grants, 15406-15411 [2010-6860]
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15406
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 59 / Monday, March 29, 2010 / Notices
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As important as the decisions to be
made is the identification of the types
of decisions that will not be made
within the revised forest plan. The
authorization of project-level activities
on the forests is not a decision made in
the forest plan but occurs through
subsequent project specific decisionmaking. The designation of routes,
trails, and areas for motorized vehicle
travel are not considered during plan
revision. Some issues (e.g., hunting
regulations), although important, are
beyond the authority or control of the
national forests and will not be
considered. In addition, some issues,
such as wild and scenic river suitability
determinations, may not be undertaken
at this time, but addressed later as a
future forest plan amendment. The Hells
Canyon National Recreation Area
(HCNRA), administered by the
Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, is
managed under the HCNRA
Comprehensive Management Plan, a
part of the Wallowa-Whitman National
Forest land management plan. The
HCNRA Comprehensive Management
Plan was revised in 2003 and is not
being considered for modification in
this revision process.
Applicable Planning Rule
On December 18, 2009 the
Department reinstated the previous
planning rule, commonly known as the
2000 planning rule in the Federal
Register (Federal Register, Volume 74,
No. 242, Friday, December 18, 2009,
pages 67059 through 67075). The
transition provisions of the reinstated
rule (36 CFR 219.35 and appendices A
and B) allow use of the provisions of the
National Forest System land and
resource management planning rule in
effect prior to the effective date of the
2000 rule (November 9, 2000),
commonly called the 1982 planning
rule, to amend or revise plans. The
Malheur, Umatilla, and WallowaWhitman National Forests have elected
to use the provisions of the 1982
planning rule including the requirement
to prepare an EIS, to complete plan
revisions. Although the 2008 planning
rule is no longer in effect, information
gathered prior to the court’s injunction
is useful for completing the plan
revisions using the provisions of the
1982 planning rule. The Blue Mountains
Plan Revision Team has concluded that
the analyses begun or developed during
the revision process to date are
appropriate for continued use in the
revision process.
Roadless Area Management Direction
The proposed action includes
management direction for all National
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Forest System lands within the planning
area, including lands identified as
inventoried roadless areas (IRAs) in the
Final Environmental Impact Statement
for the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation
Rule (RACR). There is currently a legal
dispute regarding the status of the
RACR, with one Federal Court
(Wyoming District Federal Court, Judge
Brimmer) finding the rule to be in
conflict with law and enjoining its
implementation and a different Federal
Court (Northern California District
Federal Court, Judge Laporte) reinstating
that rule and prohibiting the Forest
Service from taking any action that
would have been prohibited under the
RACR. The Forest Service is hopeful
that current legal proceedings will
resolve these conflicting court rulings.
The Proposed Action includes plan
direction that retains the undeveloped
character of all three national forests by
including Management Areas that
restrict road construction and timber
harvest. This is based on analysis of the
resources and management situation
that the Forest Service has done in
developing the Proposed Action and on
extensive public involvement.
Comments received in the scoping
process will help the agency determine
the scope of issues related to roadless
area management and guide the
development of alternatives and
analysis of environmental effects. The
decision for the final plan will be
consistent with the legal status of the
RACR at the time the plan is signed.
Description of the Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the
scoping process, which guides the
development of the environmental
impact statement. In scoping, the
agency, with the assistance of the
public, determines the scope of the
issues to be addressed and identifies the
significant issues related to the
proposed action (see 40 CFR 1501.7).
It is important that reviewers provide
their comments at such times and in
such a way that they are useful to the
Agency’s preparation of the revised plan
and the EIS. Therefore, comments
should be provided prior to the close of
the comment period and should clearly
articulate the reviewers’ concerns and
contentions. The submission of timely
and specific comments can affect a
reviewer’s ability to participate in
subsequent objection, administrative
appeal or judicial review.
Comments received in response to
this solicitation, including the names
and addresses of those who comment,
will be part of the public record for this
proposed action. Comments submitted
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anonymously will be accepted and
considered.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1600–1614; 36 CFR
219.35 (74 FR 67073–67074).
Dated: March 22, 2010.
Mary Wagner,
Regional Forester, Forest Service Pacific
Northwest Region.
[FR Doc. 2010–6748 Filed 3–26–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–M
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business—Cooperative Service
Inviting Applications for Rural
Business Opportunity Grants
Rural Business—Cooperative
Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Rural Business—
Cooperative Service (RBS), an Agency
within the Rural Development mission
area, announces the availability of
grants under the Rural Business
Opportunity Grant (RBOG) program for
fiscal year (FY) 2010, to be
competitively awarded based on the
terms of this notice and RBOG program
regulations found at 7 CFR part 4284,
subpart G in the following amounts:
1. Up to $250,000 per application.
These dollar limits do not apply to
Federally Recognized Native American
Tribes’’ (FRNAT), and Rural Economic
Area Partnerships, for which the RBOG
appropriation for FY 2010 provided
specific funding.
Grant applications may be submitted
for a work period not to exceed two
years.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to
review the regulations prior to
submitting an application.
While not precluding any of the
previous uses of these funds, the
Agency is particularly interested in
recruiting applications that will
establish ‘‘best practice’’ projects in the
area of regional economic and
community development using key
strategies of the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Regions can be either multijurisdictional areas within a State,
territory, or Federally-designated Tribal
land or can cross State, territory, or
Tribal boundaries, and are herein
referred to as ‘‘Great Regions’’
applicants. A Great Region application
focusing on one or more of the key
strategies outlined below may be
eligible for additional discretionary
points in the application scoring as
outlined in the selection criterion in 7
CFR 4284.639(f). Projects should be
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designed to help rural communities in
the region create wealth so they are selfsustaining, repopulating and thriving
economically, especially using any of
the following USDA key strategies in
sustainable ways:
1. Local and regional food systems as
a strategy for encouraging production
agriculture and related industries in
new wealth creation;
2. Renewable energy generation,
energy conservation, and/or climate
change adaptation or mitigation as
strategies for quality job creation;
3. Use of broadband and other critical
infrastructure as a strategy to facilitate
local entrepreneurship and expansion of
market opportunities for small
businesses;
4. Access to capital in rural areas as
a strategy to ensure continuous business
development and job creation/retention;
and
5. Innovative utilization of natural
resources as a strategy to expand
business opportunities.
Applicants are encouraged to consider
all available resources in their
geographic area that can contribute to
supporting their chosen strategies * * *
After selection, grantees may be
provided with targeted technical
assistance by USDA or other Federal
agencies as available and appropriate.
The deadline for the receipt of
applications in the respective Rural
Development State Office is 4 p.m. local
time on June 28, 2010. Any applications
received after that time will not be
considered for FY 2010 funding;
however, the Agency reserves the right
to extend the application deadline.
Prospective applicants may submit an
application for an informal eligibility
pre-review no later than April 28, 2010.
The pre-review is intended to provide
feedback to the prospective applicant,
but is not binding on the Agency.
DATES:
Entities wishing to apply for
a grant should contact a Rural
Development State Office for additional
information and copies of the
application package. All applications
should be submitted to the Rural
Development State Office serving the
State or territory where the project, or a
majority of the project, would be
located. Electronic applications must be
submitted through the Grants.gov Web
site at: https://www.grants.gov, following
the instructions found on this Web site.
Applicants whose projects would serve
a multi-State area do not need to apply
to each State Office. Following is the
contact information for Rural
Development State Offices:
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ADDRESSES:
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Alabama
Iowa
USDA Rural Development State Office,
Sterling Centre, Suite 601, 4121
Carmichael Road, Montgomery, AL 36106–
3683. (334) 279–3400/TDD (334) 279–3495.
USDA Rural Development State Office,
Federal Building, Room 873, 210 Walnut
Street, Des Moines, IA 50309. (515) 284–
4663/TDD (515) 284–4858.
Alaska
Kansas
USDA Rural Development State Office, 800
West Evergreen, Suite 201, Palmer, AK
99645–6539. (907) 761–7705/TDD (907)
761–8905.
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1303
SW. First American Place, Suite 100,
Topeka, KS 66604–4040. (785) 271–2700/
TDD (785) 271–2767.
Arizona
Kentucky
USDA Rural Development State Office, 230
N. 1st Ave., Suite 206, Phoenix, AZ 85003.
(602) 280–8701/TDD (602) 280–8705.
USDA Rural Development State Office, 771
Corporate Drive, Suite 200, Lexington, KY
40503. (859) 224–7300/TDD (859) 224–
7422.
Arkansas
USDA Rural Development State Office, 700
West Capitol Avenue, Room 3416, Little
Rock, AR 72201–3225. (501) 301–3200/
TDD (501) 301–3279.
Louisiana
California
Maine
USDA Rural Development State Office, 430 G
Street, # 4169, Davis, CA 95616–4169.
(530) 792–5800/TDD (530) 792–5848.
USDA Rural Development State Office, 967
Illinois Avenue, Suite 4, P.O. Box 405,
Bangor, ME 04402–0405. (207) 990–9160/
TDD (207) 942–7331.
Colorado
USDA Rural Development State Office, 655
Parfet Street, Room E–100, Lakewood, CO
80215. (720) 544–2903/TDD (720) 544–
2976.
USDA Rural Development State Office, 3727
Government Street, Alexandria, LA 71302.
(318) 473–7921/TDD (318) 473–7655.
Maryland (see Delaware)
Connecticut (see Massachusetts)
Massachusetts/Rhode Island/Connecticut
USDA Rural Development State Office, 451
West Street, Suite 2, Amherst, MA 01002–
2999. (413) 253–4300/TDD (413) 253–4590.
Delaware/Maryland
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1221
College Park Drive, Suite 200, Dover, DE
19904. (302) 857–3580/TDD (302) 857–
3585.
Michigan
USDA Rural Development State Office, 3001
Coolidge Road, Suite 200, East Lansing, MI
48823. (517) 324–5190/TDD (517) 324–
5169.
Florida/Virgin Islands
USDA Rural Development State Office, 4440
NW. 25th Place, P.O. Box 147010,
Gainesville, FL 32614–7010. (352) 338–
3400/TDD (352) 338–3499.
Minnesota
USDA Rural Development State Office, 375
Jackson Street, Suite 410, St. Paul, MN
55101–1853. (651) 602–7800/TDD (651)
602–3799.
Georgia
USDA Rural Development State Office,
Stephens Federal Building, 355 E. Hancock
Avenue, Athens, GA 30601–2768. (706)
546–2162/TDD (706) 546–2034.
Mississippi
USDA Rural Development State Office,
Federal Building, Suite 831, 100 West
Capitol Street, Jackson, MS 39269. (601)
965–4316/TDD (601) 965–5850.
Hawaii
USDA Rural Development State Office,
Federal Building, Room 311, 154
Waianuenue Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720. (808)
933–8380/TDD (808) 933–8321.
Missouri
USDA Rural Development State Office, 601
Business Loop 70 West, Parkade Center,
Suite 235, Columbia, MO 65203. (573)
876–0976/TDD (573) 876–9480.
Idaho
USDA Rural Development State Office, 9173
West Barnes Drive, Suite A1, Boise, ID
83709. (208) 378–5600/TDD (208) 378–
5644.
Montana
USDA Rural Development State Office, 900
Technology Boulevard, Suite B, P.O. Box
850, Bozeman, MT 59771. (406) 585–2580/
TDD (406) 585–2562.
Illinois
USDA Rural Development State Office, 2118
West Park Court, Suite A, Champaign, IL
61821. (217) 403–6200/TDD (217) 403–
6240.
Nebraska
USDA Rural Development State Office,
Federal Building, Room 152, 100
Centennial Mall North, Lincoln, NE 68508.
(402) 437–5551/TDD (402) 437–5093.
Indiana
USDA Rural Development State Office, 5975
Lakeside Boulevard, Indianapolis, IN
46278. (317) 290–3100/TDD (317) 290–
3343.
Nevada
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1390
South Curry Street, Carson City, NV
89703–5146. (775) 887–1222/TDD (775)
885–0633.
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New Jersey
USDA Rural Development State Office, 8000
Midlantic Drive, 5th Floor North, Suite
500, Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054. (856) 787–7700/
TDD (856) 787–7784.
New Hampshire (see Vermont)
New Mexico
USDA Rural Development State Office, 6200
Jefferson Street, NE., Room 255,
Albuquerque, NM 87109. (505) 761–4950/
TDD (505) 761–4938.
New York
USDA Rural Development State Office, The
Galleries of Syracuse, 441 South Salina
Street, Suite 357, Syracuse, NY 13202–
2541. (315) 477–6400/TDD (315) 477–6447.
North Carolina
USDA Rural Development State Office, 4405
Bland Road, Suite 260, Raleigh, NC 27609.
(919) 873–2000/TDD (919) 873–2003.
USDA Rural Development State Office,
Federal Building, Room 208, 220 East
Rosser, P.O. Box 1737, Bismarck, ND
58502–1737. (701) 530–2037/TDD (701)
530–2113.
Ohio
USDA Rural Development State Office,
Federal Building, Room 507, 200 North
High Street, Columbus, OH 43215–2418.
(614) 255–2400/TDD (614) 255–2554.
Oklahoma
USDA Rural Development State Office, 100
USDA, Suite 108, Stillwater, OK 74074–
2654. (405) 742–1000/TDD (405) 742–1007.
Oregon
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1201
NE Lloyd Blvd., Suite 801, Portland, OR
97232. (503) 414–3300/TDD (503) 414–
3387.
Pennsylvania
USDA Rural Development State Office, One
Credit Union Place, Suite 330, Harrisburg,
PA 17110–2996. (717) 237–2299/TDD (717)
237–2261.
Utah
USDA Rural Development State Office,
Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building, 125
South State Street, Room 4311, Salt Lake
City, UT 84138. (801) 524–4320/TDD (801)
524–3309.
Vermont/New Hampshire
USDA Rural Development State Office, City
Center, 3rd Floor, 89 Main Street,
Montpelier, VT 05602. (802) 828–6000/
TDD (802) 223–6365.
Virgin Islands (see Florida)
Washington
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1835
Black Lake Boulevard SW., Suite B,
Olympia, WA 98512–5715. (360) 704–
7740/TDD (360) 704–7760.
West Virginia
USDA Rural Development State Office, 75
High Street, Room 320, Morgantown, WV
26505–7500. (304) 284–4860/TDD (304)
284–4836.
Wisconsin
USDA Rural Development State Office, 4949
Kirschling Court, Stevens Point, WI 54481.
(715) 345–7600/TDD (715) 345–7614.
Wyoming
USDA Rural Development State Office, 100
East B, Federal Building, Room 1005, P.O.
Box 11005, Casper, WY 82602–5006. (307)
233–6700/TDD (307) 233–6733.
U.S. Territories
Guam (see Hawaii)
Puerto Rico
USDA Rural Development State Office, IBM
Building, Suite 601, 654 Munos Rivera
Avenue, San Juan, PR 00918–6106. (787)
766–5095/TDD (787) 766–5332.
Rhode Island (see Massachusetts)
South Carolina
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Texas
USDA Rural Development State Office,
Federal Building, Suite 102, 101 South
Main, Temple, TX 76501. (254) 742–9700/
TDD (254) 742–9712.
Virginia
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1606
Santa Rosa Road, Suite 238, Richmond, VA
23229–5014. (804) 287–1550/TDD (804)
287–1753.
North Dakota
USDA Rural Development State Office, Strom
Thurmond Federal Building, 1835
Assembly Street, Room 1007, Columbia, SC
29201. (803) 765–5163/TDD (803) 765–
5697.
South Dakota
USDA Rural Development State Office,
Federal Building, Room 210, 200 Fourth
Street, SW., Huron, SD 57350. (605) 352–
1100/TDD (605) 352–1147.
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Tennessee
USDA Rural Development State Office, 3322
West End Avenue, Suite 300, Nashville,
TN 37203–1084. (615) 783–1300.
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Western Pacific (see Hawaii)
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Overview
Federal Agency: Rural Business—
Cooperative Service (RBS).
Funding Opportunity Type: Rural
Business Opportunity Grants (RBOG).
Announcement Type: Initial
Solicitation Announcement.
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance Number: 10.773
Dates: Application Deadline: Unless
extended by the Agency, completed
applications for these funds must be
received in the respective Rural
Development State Office no later than
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4 p.m. on June 28, 2010, to be eligible
for FY 2010 grant funding. Any
applications received after that time will
not be considered for FY 2010 funding;
however, the Agency reserves the right
to extend the application deadline.
Electronic applications must be
submitted through the Grants.gov Web
site at: https://www.grants.gov, following
the instructions found on this Web site.
Application pre-review: Prospective
applicants may submit an application
for an informal eligibility pre-review no
later than April 28, 2010. The prereview is intended to provide feedback
to the prospective applicant, but is not
binding on the Agency.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
While all of the many eligible
purposes for Rural Business
Opportunity Grants will continue to be
considered, the Agency is particularly
interested in recruiting applications that
will establish ‘‘best practice’’ projects in
the area of regional economic and
community development using key
strategies of the USDA as identified
below. To ensure that a broad range of
communities have the opportunity to
benefit from the program, no grant will
exceed $250,000. These limits do not
apply to funding for rural areas
designated as FRNATs or Rural
Economic Area Partnerships.
Multi-County and Multi-State
applicants, referred to as ‘‘Great
Regions’’ applicants, can be either multijurisdictional areas within a State,
territory, or Federally recognized Tribes
with land in multiple States or a
consortium of Federally recognized
Tribes.
Great Regions applications should
focus on the economic integration and
cohesion of their self-defined
geographic area. The Great Regions
approach is intended to combine the
resources of the Agency with those of
State and local governments,
educational institutions, and the private
and nonprofit sectors to implement
regional economic and community
development strategies. Accordingly,
the Agency will alert the grantee of
other potential assistance both within
USDA and across the Federal
government in support of their project
including USDA’s various programs and
sources of expertise.
The Agency encourages applications
that promote substantive economic
growth, including job creation, as well
as specifically addressing the
circumstances of those sectors within
the region that have fewer prospects and
the greatest need for improved
economic opportunity.
Applications should demonstrate:
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A. Clear leadership in organizing and
coordinating a regional initiative;
B. Evidence that the applicant region
has a common economic basis that
supports the likelihood of success in
implementing its strategy;
C. Evidence that the participants in
the regional plan have the capacity to
assess their circumstance, determine a
long term sustainable vision for the
region, and implement a comprehensive
strategic plan, including identifying
performance measures and establishing
a system to collect the data to allow
assessment of those performance
measures;
D. Evidence that the participants in
the regional plan are willing to work
collaboratively with a broad range of
institutions (e.g., Federal agencies,
State, local, and Tribal governments,
non-profits, universities and colleges,
private firms, philanthropic
organizations);
E. Evidence that the participants in
the regional plan will seek contributions
or investments in the regional strategy
from a board range of institutions;
F. Evidence that participants in the
regional plan are willing to assure broad
citizen participation in its regional
work;
G. Evidence of consideration of the
demographic diversity within the
region; and,
H. Evidence of adequate funding
support to disadvantaged communities.
A Great Regions project should be
designed to help rural communities in
the region create prosperity so they are
self-sustaining, repopulating and
economically thriving. A Great Region
application focusing on one or more of
the following key strategies may be
eligible for additional discretionary
points in the application scoring as
outlined in the selection criterion in 7
CFR 4284.639(f).:
1. Local and regional food systems
that encourage agriculture and related
industries in new wealth creation—
Section 6015 of the Food, Conservation,
and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill)
defines ‘‘locally or regionally produced
agricultural food products’’ to be any
agricultural food product that is raised,
produced, and distributed in:
(I) The locality or region in which the
final product is marketed, so that the
total distance that the product is
transported is less than 400 miles from
the origin of the product; or (II) the State
in which the product is produced.
Local or regional food systems are the
infrastructure behind locally or
regionally produced agricultural food
products*. This includes both the land,
buildings, equipment, professional
services such as veterinary care or crop
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consulting, and feed, seed, fertilizer and
other inputs necessary to produce the
crops and livestock leading to these
food products and the harvesting,
transportation, processing, storage,
handling, distribution, and retail
networks required to give consumers
real access to locally or regionally
produced food products. Best practice
projects should acknowledge the role of
producers and consumers, individually
or collectively, including through the
creation of new or expansion of existing
cooperatives.
*(This definition is included for
informational purposes only and
Applicants should not be constrained by
it in formulating their geographic
boundaries for RBOG application
purposes.)
2. Renewable energy generation and
energy conservation as strategies for
quality job creation as well as climate
change reduction and mitigation—As
America turned from the 19th to the
20th Century, rural areas provided
much of the workforce and natural
resources that powered the Industrial
Revolution. While those jobs created
prosperity in rural communities, they
often came at the price of worker health
and the quality of water, air, and soil in
the region. As new technologies emerge
to create power and fuels from
renewable sources, rural Americans
look forward to new opportunities to
harness the sun that shines on the desert
Southwest, the wind that sweeps across
the heartland, and to turn agricultural
wastes and by-products into power and
fuel sources for generations to come.
But, from manufacturing photovoltaic
films to repairing wind turbines to
mastering biomass crop production,
harvesting, and storage, realizing those
opportunities requires workforce
recruitment and development.
There are similar job opportunities in
energy conservation, from conducting
energy audits for farmers and other rural
business owners to jobs in the home
improvement business reducing home
heating and cooling costs. As is often
the case in rural areas, though, sparse
population can make entrepreneurship
difficult to support.
Best practice projects in this area will
demonstrate rural/urban connections
and explore the interface of Federal and
State level incentives with permitting
and regulatory frameworks.
3. Access to broadband and other
critical infrastructure as a strategy for
facilitating local entrepreneurship and
attracting people into rural areas—The
Rural Utilities Service, another of the
agencies forming the Rural Development
mission area, has been financing
expansion of electricity into rural areas
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since 1935 and telecommunications
since 1949. In both the Farm Bill and
the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act, Congress modernized
USDA’s telecommunications mission by
providing Rural Utilities Service with
tools to expand access to broadband in
rural areas. Availability of high-speed
Internet access has become one of the
factors Americans consider in choosing
where to live, along with the availability
of clean water, sanitary sewer systems,
and the quality and availability of
housing, schools, and other essential
community facilities. Over its 75-year
history, Rural Utilities Service and its
predecessor, the Rural Electrification
Administration, have improved the
quality of life for millions of rural
Americans and made modern commerce
possible. However, it is not enough to
make fiber-optic cable, wireless
services, or even satellite capability
available to rural communities. For the
economic promise of broadband
technologies to be realized, they must be
used. Buyers and sellers must be able to
find each other quickly and easily
anywhere and anytime. Health care and
other service providers must use
available technology to improve the
quality of the services they offer.
Employers must use available
technology to recruit, train, and retain a
modern workforce. As changes in whole
sectors of the American economy—from
wood products to automotive parts to
the poultry industry—ripple through
supply chains in rural communities,
broadband access offers hope for new
markets and new economic
opportunities, but only if it is used.
4. Access to capital in rural areas as
a strategy to ensure continuous business
development and job creation/
retention—Like all business owners,
rural entrepreneurs need access to
capital to start or expand their
businesses. And, like all business
owners, rural entrepreneurs have two
basic choices when they need to raise
capital: Debt financing through a loan or
equity financing through selling a stake
in the business to investors. But, these
tools have not been as readily available
in many rural areas as they have been
in more metropolitan areas, even when
the overall economy was very strong.
The Agency offers a variety of tools
designed to make debt financing more
available and more affordable, such as
capitalizing locally-controlled revolving
loan funds through the Intermediary
Relending Program and reducing lender
risk to make more favorable rates and
terms possible for business owners
through the Business & Industry Loan
Guarantee Program. However, the Farm
Bill authorized only one equity
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financing program, the Rural Business
Investment Program (Section 6027), and
no funding has been requested or
appropriated. The Agency is
particularly interested in recruiting best
practice projects that identify alternative
and replicable equity sources, such as
community-based organizations, private
foundations or networks of private
investors willing to focus on rural
economic and community development.
5. Innovative utilization of natural
resources as a strategy to expand
business opportunities—Creative
integration of local natural resources
can result in multiple avenues for new
or enhanced economic activity that will
increase rural wealth. For example,
forest resources can be used to
encourage eco-tourism resulting in
increased demand for businesses to
provide supporting services or private
pasture land can be used for hunting. If
a region becomes known for its unique
features, it can create additional sources
of income by promoting itself as a
destination. Once there, visitors can
support businesses such as art galleries,
spas, etc.
The Agency is particularly interested
in recruiting best practice projects that
identify alternative and replicable
innovations of natural resource projects
as strategies for long term economic
development. In addition, within the
key strategy categories, the Agency is
also interested in applications that
integrate economically and
environmentally sustainable methods of
growth, in particular in transportation,
housing, and economic development.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Grant.
Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2010.
Total Funding: $7.48 million.
Approximate Number of Awards: 30.
Maximum Award: $250,000, except as
otherwise specifically provided herein.
Anticipated Award Date: September
15, 2010.
Specially designated places: Tribal
lands, Rural Economic Area Partnership
(REAP) Zones.
cprice-sewell on DSK89S0YB1PROD with NOTICES
III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants
Grants may be made to public bodies,
nonprofit corporations, Indian Tribes on
Federal or State reservations and other
Federally-recognized Tribal groups, and
cooperatives with members who are
primarily rural residents and that
conduct activities for the mutual benefit
of the members.
B. Cost Sharing or Matching
Matching funds are not required;
however, regulatory selection criteria
VerDate Nov<24>2008
09:18 Apr 05, 2010
Jkt 220001
encourage applications that leverage
Federal funds.
C. Other Eligibility Requirements
The purpose of the RBOG program is
to facilitate sustainable economic
development opportunities for rural
people.
D. Completeness Eligibility
Applications must be complete to be
considered for FY 2010 funding. The
required elements of a complete
application are in the RBOG program
regulations at 7 CFR Part 4284, Subpart
G. Copies of the regulations are
available from Rural Development State
Offices or can be obtained online from
the Rural Development Web site:
https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/regs/
regs_toc.html.
IV. Fiscal Year 2010 Application and
Submission Information
A. Address To Request Application
Package
Applicants should contact the Rural
Development State Office serving the
State, territory, or Tribal lands in which
the project, or the majority of the
project, would be physically located.
Contact information for Rural
Development State Offices is listed
above.
Applications may be submitted in
paper format; however, applicants are
encouraged to submit applications
through the Grants.gov Web site at
https://www.grants.gov. Applications
will not be accepted by electronic mail.
The Grants.gov Web site provides all
necessary information about how to
submit an electronic application
through the Web site as well as the
hours of operation. Users of Grants.gov
will be able to download a copy of the
full application package, complete it
offline, and then upload and submit the
application and all necessary assurances
and certifications via the Grants.gov
Web site. In addition:
• Applicants are strongly encouraged
not to wait until the final day of
application acceptance to begin the
Grants.gov process;
• In the event of technical difficulties
on the final day of application
acceptance, an applicant may choose to
submit a paper application instead;
however, the application must be
received by the respective Rural
Development State Office by 4 p.m. on
June 28, 2010;
• Applicants must have a Dunn and
Bradstreet Universal Numbering System
(DUNS) number. A DUNS number can
be obtained at no cost by calling toll-free
1–866–705–5711 or online at: https://
fedgov.dnb.com/webform;
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Frm 00010
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
• Applicants submitting through the
Grants.gov Web site will receive an
automatic acknowledgement of the
submission containing a Grants.gov
tracking number;
• The Agency may request that an
applicant provide original signatures on
forms at a later date; and
• Applicants can locate the
downloadable application package for
the RBOG program on the Grants.gov
Web site by using the Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance Number, which is
10.773, or by searching the FedGrants
Funding Opportunity Number, which
can be found at https://
www.fedgrants.gov.
In accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, the information
collection requirement contained in this
Notice is approved by the Office of
Management Budget (OMB) under OMB
Control Number 0570–0024.
B. Content and Form of Submission
An application must be consistent
with the statutory requirements of the
RBOG program, found in 7 U.S.C.
1926(a)(11), as amended. In addition, an
application must contain all of the
required elements articulated in the
RBOG regulations, found at 7 CFR part
4284, subpart G. Each selection criterion
outlined in 7 CFR 4284.639 must be
addressed in the application. Failure to
address any of the criteria will result in
a zero point score for that criterion and
will impact the overall evaluation of the
application. Copies of pertinent
provisions of the regulations can be
obtained from a Rural Development
State Office listed above or can be
obtained electronically from the Rural
Development Web site: https://
www.rurdev.usda.gov/regs/
regs_toc.html.
C. Submission Dates and Times
Application Deadline: Completed
applications for these funds must be
received by the respective Rural
Development State Office no later than
4 p.m. on June 28, 2010 for grant
funding. Any applications received after
that time will not be considered for FY
2010 funding; however, the Agency
reserves the right to extend the
application deadline.
Application pre-review: Prospective
applicants may submit an application
for an informal eligibility pre-review no
later than April 28, 2010. The prereview is intended to provide feedback
to the prospective applicant, but is not
binding on the Agency.
V. Application Review Information
The National Office will score
applications based on the grant
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selection criteria and point scores
contained in 7 CFR part 4284, subpart
G and will select a grantee subject to the
grantee’s satisfactory submission of any
additional items required by 7 CFR part
4284, subpart G and the RBS Letter of
Conditions.
VI. Award Administration Information
A. Award Notices
Successful applicants will receive
notification for funding from the Rural
Development State Office. Applicants
must comply with all applicable statutes
and regulations before the grant award
will be approved. Unsuccessful
applicants will receive notification,
including mediation procedures and
appeal rights, by mail.
Additional requirements that apply to
grantees selected for this program can be
found in the RBOG regulations,
contained in 7 CFR part 4284, subpart
G. This regulation may be obtained at:
https://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/
page1.
VII. Agency Contacts
For general questions about how to
apply or to receive an application
package, please contact the Rural
Development State Office serving the
State or territory where the project, or a
majority of the project, would be
located.
For specific questions about multijurisdictional ‘‘Great Region’’
applications or information about other
programs or agencies in USDA, please
call 202–720–7558.
cprice-sewell on DSK89S0YB1PROD with NOTICES
Nondiscrimination Statement
‘‘The U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) prohibits discrimination in all
its programs and activities on the basis
of race, color, national origin, age,
disability, and where applicable, sex,
marital status, familial status, parental
status, religion, sexual orientation,
genetic information, political beliefs,
reprisal, or because all or part of an
individual’s income is derived from any
public assistance program. (Not all
prohibited bases apply to all programs.)
Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means for communication of
program information (Braille, large
print, audiotape, etc.) should contact
USDA’s TARGET Center at 202–720–
6382 (TDD). To file a complaint of
discrimination, write to USDA, Director,
Office of Adjudication and Compliance,
1400 Independence Avenue, SW,
Washington, DC 20250–9410, or call
800–795–3272 (voice), or 202–720–6382
09:18 Apr 05, 2010
Jkt 220001
Appeal Process
Dated: March 18, 2010.
David R. Myers,
Designated Federal Official.
[FR Doc. 2010–6743 Filed 3–26–10; 8:45 am]
All adverse determinations regarding
applicant eligibility and the awarding of
points as part of the selection process
are appealable pursuant to 7 CFR part
11. Instructions on the appeal process
will be provide at the time an applicant
is notified of the adverse decision.
Dated: February 18, 2010.
Judith A. Canales,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative
Service.
[FR Doc. 2010–6860 Filed 3–26–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–M
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Okanogan and Wenatchee National
Forests Resource Advisory Committee
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of meeting.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
ADDRESSES:
B. Administrative and National Policy
Requirements
VerDate Nov<24>2008
(TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity
provider, employer, and lender.’’
15411
SUMMARY: The Wenatchee-Okanogan
Resource Advisory Committee will meet
on May 5, May 13, and May 20 at the
Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
Headquarters Office, 215 Melody Lane,
Wenatchee, WA. These meetings will
begin at 9 a.m. and continue until 3 p.m.
On May 5, committee members will
review Kittitas County projects, on May
13, committee members will review
Okanogan County projects, and on May
20, committee members will review
Chelan County and Yakima County
projects proposed for Resource Advisory
Committee consideration under Title II
of the Secure Rural Schools and
Community Self-Determination Act of
2000.
All Wenatchee-Okanogan Resource
Advisory Committee meetings are open
to the public. Interested citizens are
welcome to attend.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Direct questions regarding this meeting
to Robin DeMario, Public Affairs
Specialist, Okanogan-Wenatchee
National Forest, 215 Melody Lane,
Wenatchee, Washington 98801, (509)
664–9200.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dated: March 23, 2010.
Clinton Kyhl,
Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Forest
Supervisor.
BILLING CODE 3410–XY–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Southwest Montana Resource
Advisory Committee Meeting
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of meeting.
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the authorities in
the Federal Advisory Committee Act
(Pub. L. 92–463) and under the Secure
Rural Schools and Community SelfDetermination Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106–
393) the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National
Forest’s Southwest Montana Resource
Advisory Committee will meet on
Monday April 19, 2010, from 1 p.m.
until 4 p.m., in Dillon, Montana. The
purpose of the meeting is to review
funding proposals for Title II funding.
Monday, April 19, 2010, from 1
p.m. until 4 p.m.
DATES:
The meeting will be held at
the Beaverhead-Deerlodge Forest Head
quarters located at 420 Barrett Street,
Dillon, Montana (MT 59725).
Patty Bates, Committee Coordinator,
Beaver head-Deerlodge National Forest,
420 Barrett Road, Dillon, MT 59725
(406) 683–3979; e-mail pbates@fs.fed.us.
Agenda
for this meeting include discussion
about (1) Orientation to the reauthorized
legislation; (2) Purpose of the Secure
Rural Schools Act; (3) Roles and
responsibilities of the Southwest
Montana RAC; (3) Election of
Conmiittee Chairperson; (4) Meeting
structure, processes and agendas; (5)
Budget; and (6) Project solicitation. The
meeting is open to the public. Time for
public input will be provided and
individuals will have the opportunity to
address the Committee.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
PO 00000
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[FR Doc. 2010–6869 Filed 3–26–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
The Department of Commerce will
submit to the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) for clearance the
following proposal for collection of
information under the provisions of the
Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.
Chapter 35).
Agency: Bureau of Industry and
Security (BIS).
E:\FR\FM\29MRN1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 59 (Monday, March 29, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15406-15411]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-6860]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business--Cooperative Service
Inviting Applications for Rural Business Opportunity Grants
AGENCY: Rural Business--Cooperative Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Rural Business--Cooperative Service (RBS), an Agency
within the Rural Development mission area, announces the availability
of grants under the Rural Business Opportunity Grant (RBOG) program for
fiscal year (FY) 2010, to be competitively awarded based on the terms
of this notice and RBOG program regulations found at 7 CFR part 4284,
subpart G in the following amounts:
1. Up to $250,000 per application.
These dollar limits do not apply to Federally Recognized Native
American Tribes'' (FRNAT), and Rural Economic Area Partnerships, for
which the RBOG appropriation for FY 2010 provided specific funding.
Grant applications may be submitted for a work period not to exceed
two years.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the regulations prior
to submitting an application.
While not precluding any of the previous uses of these funds, the
Agency is particularly interested in recruiting applications that will
establish ``best practice'' projects in the area of regional economic
and community development using key strategies of the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA). Regions can be either multi-
jurisdictional areas within a State, territory, or Federally-designated
Tribal land or can cross State, territory, or Tribal boundaries, and
are herein referred to as ``Great Regions'' applicants. A Great Region
application focusing on one or more of the key strategies outlined
below may be eligible for additional discretionary points in the
application scoring as outlined in the selection criterion in 7 CFR
4284.639(f). Projects should be
[[Page 15407]]
designed to help rural communities in the region create wealth so they
are self-sustaining, repopulating and thriving economically, especially
using any of the following USDA key strategies in sustainable ways:
1. Local and regional food systems as a strategy for encouraging
production agriculture and related industries in new wealth creation;
2. Renewable energy generation, energy conservation, and/or climate
change adaptation or mitigation as strategies for quality job creation;
3. Use of broadband and other critical infrastructure as a strategy
to facilitate local entrepreneurship and expansion of market
opportunities for small businesses;
4. Access to capital in rural areas as a strategy to ensure
continuous business development and job creation/retention; and
5. Innovative utilization of natural resources as a strategy to
expand business opportunities.
Applicants are encouraged to consider all available resources in
their geographic area that can contribute to supporting their chosen
strategies * * * After selection, grantees may be provided with
targeted technical assistance by USDA or other Federal agencies as
available and appropriate.
DATES: The deadline for the receipt of applications in the respective
Rural Development State Office is 4 p.m. local time on June 28, 2010.
Any applications received after that time will not be considered for FY
2010 funding; however, the Agency reserves the right to extend the
application deadline.
Prospective applicants may submit an application for an informal
eligibility pre-review no later than April 28, 2010. The pre-review is
intended to provide feedback to the prospective applicant, but is not
binding on the Agency.
ADDRESSES: Entities wishing to apply for a grant should contact a Rural
Development State Office for additional information and copies of the
application package. All applications should be submitted to the Rural
Development State Office serving the State or territory where the
project, or a majority of the project, would be located. Electronic
applications must be submitted through the Grants.gov Web site at:
https://www.grants.gov, following the instructions found on this Web
site. Applicants whose projects would serve a multi-State area do not
need to apply to each State Office. Following is the contact
information for Rural Development State Offices:
Alabama
USDA Rural Development State Office, Sterling Centre, Suite 601,
4121 Carmichael Road, Montgomery, AL 36106-3683. (334) 279-3400/TDD
(334) 279-3495.
Alaska
USDA Rural Development State Office, 800 West Evergreen, Suite 201,
Palmer, AK 99645-6539. (907) 761-7705/TDD (907) 761-8905.
Arizona
USDA Rural Development State Office, 230 N. 1st Ave., Suite 206,
Phoenix, AZ 85003. (602) 280-8701/TDD (602) 280-8705.
Arkansas
USDA Rural Development State Office, 700 West Capitol Avenue, Room
3416, Little Rock, AR 72201-3225. (501) 301-3200/TDD (501) 301-3279.
California
USDA Rural Development State Office, 430 G Street, 4169,
Davis, CA 95616-4169. (530) 792-5800/TDD (530) 792-5848.
Colorado
USDA Rural Development State Office, 655 Parfet Street, Room E-100,
Lakewood, CO 80215. (720) 544-2903/TDD (720) 544-2976.
Connecticut (see Massachusetts)
Delaware/Maryland
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1221 College Park Drive, Suite
200, Dover, DE 19904. (302) 857-3580/TDD (302) 857-3585.
Florida/Virgin Islands
USDA Rural Development State Office, 4440 NW. 25th Place, P.O. Box
147010, Gainesville, FL 32614-7010. (352) 338-3400/TDD (352) 338-
3499.
Georgia
USDA Rural Development State Office, Stephens Federal Building, 355
E. Hancock Avenue, Athens, GA 30601-2768. (706) 546-2162/TDD (706)
546-2034.
Hawaii
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 311, 154
Waianuenue Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720. (808) 933-8380/TDD (808) 933-
8321.
Idaho
USDA Rural Development State Office, 9173 West Barnes Drive, Suite
A1, Boise, ID 83709. (208) 378-5600/TDD (208) 378-5644.
Illinois
USDA Rural Development State Office, 2118 West Park Court, Suite A,
Champaign, IL 61821. (217) 403-6200/TDD (217) 403-6240.
Indiana
USDA Rural Development State Office, 5975 Lakeside Boulevard,
Indianapolis, IN 46278. (317) 290-3100/TDD (317) 290-3343.
Iowa
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 873, 210
Walnut Street, Des Moines, IA 50309. (515) 284-4663/TDD (515) 284-
4858.
Kansas
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1303 SW. First American Place,
Suite 100, Topeka, KS 66604-4040. (785) 271-2700/TDD (785) 271-2767.
Kentucky
USDA Rural Development State Office, 771 Corporate Drive, Suite 200,
Lexington, KY 40503. (859) 224-7300/TDD (859) 224-7422.
Louisiana
USDA Rural Development State Office, 3727 Government Street,
Alexandria, LA 71302. (318) 473-7921/TDD (318) 473-7655.
Maine
USDA Rural Development State Office, 967 Illinois Avenue, Suite 4,
P.O. Box 405, Bangor, ME 04402-0405. (207) 990-9160/TDD (207) 942-
7331.
Maryland (see Delaware)
Massachusetts/Rhode Island/Connecticut
USDA Rural Development State Office, 451 West Street, Suite 2,
Amherst, MA 01002-2999. (413) 253-4300/TDD (413) 253-4590.
Michigan
USDA Rural Development State Office, 3001 Coolidge Road, Suite 200,
East Lansing, MI 48823. (517) 324-5190/TDD (517) 324-5169.
Minnesota
USDA Rural Development State Office, 375 Jackson Street, Suite 410,
St. Paul, MN 55101-1853. (651) 602-7800/TDD (651) 602-3799.
Mississippi
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Suite 831,
100 West Capitol Street, Jackson, MS 39269. (601) 965-4316/TDD (601)
965-5850.
Missouri
USDA Rural Development State Office, 601 Business Loop 70 West,
Parkade Center, Suite 235, Columbia, MO 65203. (573) 876-0976/TDD
(573) 876-9480.
Montana
USDA Rural Development State Office, 900 Technology Boulevard, Suite
B, P.O. Box 850, Bozeman, MT 59771. (406) 585-2580/TDD (406) 585-
2562.
Nebraska
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 152, 100
Centennial Mall North, Lincoln, NE 68508. (402) 437-5551/TDD (402)
437-5093.
Nevada
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1390 South Curry Street, Carson
City, NV 89703-5146. (775) 887-1222/TDD (775) 885-0633.
[[Page 15408]]
New Jersey
USDA Rural Development State Office, 8000 Midlantic Drive, 5th Floor
North, Suite 500, Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054. (856) 787-7700/TDD (856)
787-7784.
New Hampshire (see Vermont)
New Mexico
USDA Rural Development State Office, 6200 Jefferson Street, NE.,
Room 255, Albuquerque, NM 87109. (505) 761-4950/TDD (505) 761-4938.
New York
USDA Rural Development State Office, The Galleries of Syracuse, 441
South Salina Street, Suite 357, Syracuse, NY 13202-2541. (315) 477-
6400/TDD (315) 477-6447.
North Carolina
USDA Rural Development State Office, 4405 Bland Road, Suite 260,
Raleigh, NC 27609. (919) 873-2000/TDD (919) 873-2003.
North Dakota
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 208, 220
East Rosser, P.O. Box 1737, Bismarck, ND 58502-1737. (701) 530-2037/
TDD (701) 530-2113.
Ohio
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 507, 200
North High Street, Columbus, OH 43215-2418. (614) 255-2400/TDD (614)
255-2554.
Oklahoma
USDA Rural Development State Office, 100 USDA, Suite 108,
Stillwater, OK 74074-2654. (405) 742-1000/TDD (405) 742-1007.
Oregon
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1201 NE Lloyd Blvd., Suite 801,
Portland, OR 97232. (503) 414-3300/TDD (503) 414-3387.
Pennsylvania
USDA Rural Development State Office, One Credit Union Place, Suite
330, Harrisburg, PA 17110-2996. (717) 237-2299/TDD (717) 237-2261.
Puerto Rico
USDA Rural Development State Office, IBM Building, Suite 601, 654
Munos Rivera Avenue, San Juan, PR 00918-6106. (787) 766-5095/TDD
(787) 766-5332.
Rhode Island (see Massachusetts)
South Carolina
USDA Rural Development State Office, Strom Thurmond Federal
Building, 1835 Assembly Street, Room 1007, Columbia, SC 29201. (803)
765-5163/TDD (803) 765-5697.
South Dakota
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 210, 200
Fourth Street, SW., Huron, SD 57350. (605) 352-1100/TDD (605) 352-
1147.
Tennessee
USDA Rural Development State Office, 3322 West End Avenue, Suite
300, Nashville, TN 37203-1084. (615) 783-1300.
Texas
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Suite 102,
101 South Main, Temple, TX 76501. (254) 742-9700/TDD (254) 742-9712.
Utah
USDA Rural Development State Office, Wallace F. Bennett Federal
Building, 125 South State Street, Room 4311, Salt Lake City, UT
84138. (801) 524-4320/TDD (801) 524-3309.
Vermont/New Hampshire
USDA Rural Development State Office, City Center, 3rd Floor, 89 Main
Street, Montpelier, VT 05602. (802) 828-6000/TDD (802) 223-6365.
Virgin Islands (see Florida)
Virginia
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1606 Santa Rosa Road, Suite
238, Richmond, VA 23229-5014. (804) 287-1550/TDD (804) 287-1753.
Washington
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1835 Black Lake Boulevard SW.,
Suite B, Olympia, WA 98512-5715. (360) 704-7740/TDD (360) 704-7760.
West Virginia
USDA Rural Development State Office, 75 High Street, Room 320,
Morgantown, WV 26505-7500. (304) 284-4860/TDD (304) 284-4836.
Wisconsin
USDA Rural Development State Office, 4949 Kirschling Court, Stevens
Point, WI 54481. (715) 345-7600/TDD (715) 345-7614.
Wyoming
USDA Rural Development State Office, 100 East B, Federal Building,
Room 1005, P.O. Box 11005, Casper, WY 82602-5006. (307) 233-6700/TDD
(307) 233-6733.
U.S. Territories
Guam (see Hawaii)
Western Pacific (see Hawaii)
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Overview
Federal Agency: Rural Business--Cooperative Service (RBS).
Funding Opportunity Type: Rural Business Opportunity Grants (RBOG).
Announcement Type: Initial Solicitation Announcement.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 10.773
Dates: Application Deadline: Unless extended by the Agency,
completed applications for these funds must be received in the
respective Rural Development State Office no later than 4 p.m. on June
28, 2010, to be eligible for FY 2010 grant funding. Any applications
received after that time will not be considered for FY 2010 funding;
however, the Agency reserves the right to extend the application
deadline. Electronic applications must be submitted through the
Grants.gov Web site at: https://www.grants.gov, following the
instructions found on this Web site.
Application pre-review: Prospective applicants may submit an
application for an informal eligibility pre-review no later than April
28, 2010. The pre-review is intended to provide feedback to the
prospective applicant, but is not binding on the Agency.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
While all of the many eligible purposes for Rural Business
Opportunity Grants will continue to be considered, the Agency is
particularly interested in recruiting applications that will establish
``best practice'' projects in the area of regional economic and
community development using key strategies of the USDA as identified
below. To ensure that a broad range of communities have the opportunity
to benefit from the program, no grant will exceed $250,000. These
limits do not apply to funding for rural areas designated as FRNATs or
Rural Economic Area Partnerships.
Multi-County and Multi-State applicants, referred to as ``Great
Regions'' applicants, can be either multi-jurisdictional areas within a
State, territory, or Federally recognized Tribes with land in multiple
States or a consortium of Federally recognized Tribes.
Great Regions applications should focus on the economic integration
and cohesion of their self-defined geographic area. The Great Regions
approach is intended to combine the resources of the Agency with those
of State and local governments, educational institutions, and the
private and nonprofit sectors to implement regional economic and
community development strategies. Accordingly, the Agency will alert
the grantee of other potential assistance both within USDA and across
the Federal government in support of their project including USDA's
various programs and sources of expertise.
The Agency encourages applications that promote substantive
economic growth, including job creation, as well as specifically
addressing the circumstances of those sectors within the region that
have fewer prospects and the greatest need for improved economic
opportunity.
Applications should demonstrate:
[[Page 15409]]
A. Clear leadership in organizing and coordinating a regional
initiative;
B. Evidence that the applicant region has a common economic basis
that supports the likelihood of success in implementing its strategy;
C. Evidence that the participants in the regional plan have the
capacity to assess their circumstance, determine a long term
sustainable vision for the region, and implement a comprehensive
strategic plan, including identifying performance measures and
establishing a system to collect the data to allow assessment of those
performance measures;
D. Evidence that the participants in the regional plan are willing
to work collaboratively with a broad range of institutions (e.g.,
Federal agencies, State, local, and Tribal governments, non-profits,
universities and colleges, private firms, philanthropic organizations);
E. Evidence that the participants in the regional plan will seek
contributions or investments in the regional strategy from a board
range of institutions;
F. Evidence that participants in the regional plan are willing to
assure broad citizen participation in its regional work;
G. Evidence of consideration of the demographic diversity within
the region; and,
H. Evidence of adequate funding support to disadvantaged
communities.
A Great Regions project should be designed to help rural
communities in the region create prosperity so they are self-
sustaining, repopulating and economically thriving. A Great Region
application focusing on one or more of the following key strategies may
be eligible for additional discretionary points in the application
scoring as outlined in the selection criterion in 7 CFR 4284.639(f).:
1. Local and regional food systems that encourage agriculture and
related industries in new wealth creation--Section 6015 of the Food,
Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill) defines ``locally or
regionally produced agricultural food products'' to be any agricultural
food product that is raised, produced, and distributed in:
(I) The locality or region in which the final product is marketed,
so that the total distance that the product is transported is less than
400 miles from the origin of the product; or (II) the State in which
the product is produced.
Local or regional food systems are the infrastructure behind
locally or regionally produced agricultural food products*. This
includes both the land, buildings, equipment, professional services
such as veterinary care or crop consulting, and feed, seed, fertilizer
and other inputs necessary to produce the crops and livestock leading
to these food products and the harvesting, transportation, processing,
storage, handling, distribution, and retail networks required to give
consumers real access to locally or regionally produced food products.
Best practice projects should acknowledge the role of producers and
consumers, individually or collectively, including through the creation
of new or expansion of existing cooperatives.
*(This definition is included for informational purposes only and
Applicants should not be constrained by it in formulating their
geographic boundaries for RBOG application purposes.)
2. Renewable energy generation and energy conservation as
strategies for quality job creation as well as climate change reduction
and mitigation--As America turned from the 19th to the 20th Century,
rural areas provided much of the workforce and natural resources that
powered the Industrial Revolution. While those jobs created prosperity
in rural communities, they often came at the price of worker health and
the quality of water, air, and soil in the region. As new technologies
emerge to create power and fuels from renewable sources, rural
Americans look forward to new opportunities to harness the sun that
shines on the desert Southwest, the wind that sweeps across the
heartland, and to turn agricultural wastes and by-products into power
and fuel sources for generations to come. But, from manufacturing
photovoltaic films to repairing wind turbines to mastering biomass crop
production, harvesting, and storage, realizing those opportunities
requires workforce recruitment and development.
There are similar job opportunities in energy conservation, from
conducting energy audits for farmers and other rural business owners to
jobs in the home improvement business reducing home heating and cooling
costs. As is often the case in rural areas, though, sparse population
can make entrepreneurship difficult to support.
Best practice projects in this area will demonstrate rural/urban
connections and explore the interface of Federal and State level
incentives with permitting and regulatory frameworks.
3. Access to broadband and other critical infrastructure as a
strategy for facilitating local entrepreneurship and attracting people
into rural areas--The Rural Utilities Service, another of the agencies
forming the Rural Development mission area, has been financing
expansion of electricity into rural areas since 1935 and
telecommunications since 1949. In both the Farm Bill and the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Congress modernized USDA's
telecommunications mission by providing Rural Utilities Service with
tools to expand access to broadband in rural areas. Availability of
high-speed Internet access has become one of the factors Americans
consider in choosing where to live, along with the availability of
clean water, sanitary sewer systems, and the quality and availability
of housing, schools, and other essential community facilities. Over its
75-year history, Rural Utilities Service and its predecessor, the Rural
Electrification Administration, have improved the quality of life for
millions of rural Americans and made modern commerce possible. However,
it is not enough to make fiber-optic cable, wireless services, or even
satellite capability available to rural communities. For the economic
promise of broadband technologies to be realized, they must be used.
Buyers and sellers must be able to find each other quickly and easily
anywhere and anytime. Health care and other service providers must use
available technology to improve the quality of the services they offer.
Employers must use available technology to recruit, train, and retain a
modern workforce. As changes in whole sectors of the American economy--
from wood products to automotive parts to the poultry industry--ripple
through supply chains in rural communities, broadband access offers
hope for new markets and new economic opportunities, but only if it is
used.
4. Access to capital in rural areas as a strategy to ensure
continuous business development and job creation/retention--Like all
business owners, rural entrepreneurs need access to capital to start or
expand their businesses. And, like all business owners, rural
entrepreneurs have two basic choices when they need to raise capital:
Debt financing through a loan or equity financing through selling a
stake in the business to investors. But, these tools have not been as
readily available in many rural areas as they have been in more
metropolitan areas, even when the overall economy was very strong.
The Agency offers a variety of tools designed to make debt
financing more available and more affordable, such as capitalizing
locally-controlled revolving loan funds through the Intermediary
Relending Program and reducing lender risk to make more favorable rates
and terms possible for business owners through the Business & Industry
Loan Guarantee Program. However, the Farm Bill authorized only one
equity
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financing program, the Rural Business Investment Program (Section
6027), and no funding has been requested or appropriated. The Agency is
particularly interested in recruiting best practice projects that
identify alternative and replicable equity sources, such as community-
based organizations, private foundations or networks of private
investors willing to focus on rural economic and community development.
5. Innovative utilization of natural resources as a strategy to
expand business opportunities--Creative integration of local natural
resources can result in multiple avenues for new or enhanced economic
activity that will increase rural wealth. For example, forest resources
can be used to encourage eco-tourism resulting in increased demand for
businesses to provide supporting services or private pasture land can
be used for hunting. If a region becomes known for its unique features,
it can create additional sources of income by promoting itself as a
destination. Once there, visitors can support businesses such as art
galleries, spas, etc.
The Agency is particularly interested in recruiting best practice
projects that identify alternative and replicable innovations of
natural resource projects as strategies for long term economic
development. In addition, within the key strategy categories, the
Agency is also interested in applications that integrate economically
and environmentally sustainable methods of growth, in particular in
transportation, housing, and economic development.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Grant.
Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2010.
Total Funding: $7.48 million.
Approximate Number of Awards: 30.
Maximum Award: $250,000, except as otherwise specifically provided
herein.
Anticipated Award Date: September 15, 2010.
Specially designated places: Tribal lands, Rural Economic Area
Partnership (REAP) Zones.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants
Grants may be made to public bodies, nonprofit corporations, Indian
Tribes on Federal or State reservations and other Federally-recognized
Tribal groups, and cooperatives with members who are primarily rural
residents and that conduct activities for the mutual benefit of the
members.
B. Cost Sharing or Matching
Matching funds are not required; however, regulatory selection
criteria encourage applications that leverage Federal funds.
C. Other Eligibility Requirements
The purpose of the RBOG program is to facilitate sustainable
economic development opportunities for rural people.
D. Completeness Eligibility
Applications must be complete to be considered for FY 2010 funding.
The required elements of a complete application are in the RBOG program
regulations at 7 CFR Part 4284, Subpart G. Copies of the regulations
are available from Rural Development State Offices or can be obtained
online from the Rural Development Web site: https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/regs/regs_toc.html.
IV. Fiscal Year 2010 Application and Submission Information
A. Address To Request Application Package
Applicants should contact the Rural Development State Office
serving the State, territory, or Tribal lands in which the project, or
the majority of the project, would be physically located. Contact
information for Rural Development State Offices is listed above.
Applications may be submitted in paper format; however, applicants
are encouraged to submit applications through the Grants.gov Web site
at https://www.grants.gov. Applications will not be accepted by
electronic mail.
The Grants.gov Web site provides all necessary information about
how to submit an electronic application through the Web site as well as
the hours of operation. Users of Grants.gov will be able to download a
copy of the full application package, complete it offline, and then
upload and submit the application and all necessary assurances and
certifications via the Grants.gov Web site. In addition:
Applicants are strongly encouraged not to wait until the
final day of application acceptance to begin the Grants.gov process;
In the event of technical difficulties on the final day of
application acceptance, an applicant may choose to submit a paper
application instead; however, the application must be received by the
respective Rural Development State Office by 4 p.m. on June 28, 2010;
Applicants must have a Dunn and Bradstreet Universal
Numbering System (DUNS) number. A DUNS number can be obtained at no
cost by calling toll-free 1-866-705-5711 or online at: https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform;
Applicants submitting through the Grants.gov Web site will
receive an automatic acknowledgement of the submission containing a
Grants.gov tracking number;
The Agency may request that an applicant provide original
signatures on forms at a later date; and
Applicants can locate the downloadable application package
for the RBOG program on the Grants.gov Web site by using the Catalog of
Federal Domestic Assistance Number, which is 10.773, or by searching
the FedGrants Funding Opportunity Number, which can be found at https://www.fedgrants.gov.
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
information collection requirement contained in this Notice is approved
by the Office of Management Budget (OMB) under OMB Control Number 0570-
0024.
B. Content and Form of Submission
An application must be consistent with the statutory requirements
of the RBOG program, found in 7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(11), as amended. In
addition, an application must contain all of the required elements
articulated in the RBOG regulations, found at 7 CFR part 4284, subpart
G. Each selection criterion outlined in 7 CFR 4284.639 must be
addressed in the application. Failure to address any of the criteria
will result in a zero point score for that criterion and will impact
the overall evaluation of the application. Copies of pertinent
provisions of the regulations can be obtained from a Rural Development
State Office listed above or can be obtained electronically from the
Rural Development Web site: https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/regs/regs_toc.html.
C. Submission Dates and Times
Application Deadline: Completed applications for these funds must
be received by the respective Rural Development State Office no later
than 4 p.m. on June 28, 2010 for grant funding. Any applications
received after that time will not be considered for FY 2010 funding;
however, the Agency reserves the right to extend the application
deadline.
Application pre-review: Prospective applicants may submit an
application for an informal eligibility pre-review no later than April
28, 2010. The pre-review is intended to provide feedback to the
prospective applicant, but is not binding on the Agency.
V. Application Review Information
The National Office will score applications based on the grant
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selection criteria and point scores contained in 7 CFR part 4284,
subpart G and will select a grantee subject to the grantee's
satisfactory submission of any additional items required by 7 CFR part
4284, subpart G and the RBS Letter of Conditions.
VI. Award Administration Information
A. Award Notices
Successful applicants will receive notification for funding from
the Rural Development State Office. Applicants must comply with all
applicable statutes and regulations before the grant award will be
approved. Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification, including
mediation procedures and appeal rights, by mail.
B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
Additional requirements that apply to grantees selected for this
program can be found in the RBOG regulations, contained in 7 CFR part
4284, subpart G. This regulation may be obtained at: https://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/page1.
VII. Agency Contacts
For general questions about how to apply or to receive an
application package, please contact the Rural Development State Office
serving the State or territory where the project, or a majority of the
project, would be located.
For specific questions about multi-jurisdictional ``Great Region''
applications or information about other programs or agencies in USDA,
please call 202-720-7558.
Nondiscrimination Statement
``The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits
discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race,
color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex,
marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual
orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or
because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any
public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all
programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for
communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape,
etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-6382 (TDD). To
file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of
Adjudication and Compliance, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington,
DC 20250-9410, or call 800-795-3272 (voice), or 202-720-6382 (TDD).
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.''
Appeal Process
All adverse determinations regarding applicant eligibility and the
awarding of points as part of the selection process are appealable
pursuant to 7 CFR part 11. Instructions on the appeal process will be
provide at the time an applicant is notified of the adverse decision.
Dated: February 18, 2010.
Judith A. Canales,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-6860 Filed 3-26-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P