Community Development Financial Institutions Fund – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Department of the Treasury, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund), U.S. Department of the Treasury, is soliciting comments concerning the Bank Enterprise Award Program (BEA Program) Application.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund), U.S. Department of the Treasury, is soliciting comments concerning the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Program Allocation Tracking System (ATS).

The U.S. Department of the Treasury, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Currently, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund), U.S. Department of the Treasury, is soliciting comments concerning the New Markets Tax Credit Program Certified Development Entity CDE Certification Application.

The Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund), Department of the Treasury, requests comments from the public regarding a proposed CDFI Prize Competition to be administered by the CDFI Fund in Fiscal Year (FY) 2016. The proposed FY 2016 CDFI Prize Competition will reward selected applicants with monetary prizes for proposing innovative ideas and approaches to increasing CDFI investment and access to capital in underserved rural areas. The CDFI Fund expects that, through the proposed competition, it will award no less than $1,000,000 of FY 2016 appropriated funds, through the prize competition authority granted by the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (15 U.S.C. 3719) (the Act). The CDFI Fund expects to publish detailed information regarding the FY 2016 CDFI Prize Competition, including information on how to apply to be considered for prizes to be awarded through the competition, through www.challenge.gov, on or about June 1, 2016. Capitalized terms found in this notice are defined in the regulations that govern the CDFI Program, at 12 CFR 1805.104.

This NOAA update is issued to combine calendar year (CY) 2015CY 2016 tax credit allocation rounds of the NMTC Program, authorized by Title I, subtitle C, section 121 of the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-554), as amended (the Act). On October 23, 2015, in the NOAA for the CY 2015 allocation round of the NMTC Program (the CY 2015 NOAA, 80 Federal Register 64495), the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (the CDFI Fund) announced, among other things, that the CY 2015 NMTC allocation amount would be up to $5.0 billion, subject to Congressional authorization. In the NOAA for the CY 2015 allocation round the CDFI Fund also reserved the right to allocate amounts in excess of or less than the anticipated allocation amount of $5 billion. Pursuant to the passage of the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015 (PATH Act), the authorization for the NMTC Program has been extended for five calendar years (CY 2015 through CY 2019) with $3.5 billion in annual NMTC allocation authority. In order to make NMTC allocation awards in the respective calendar years as set forth in the PATH Act, the CDFI Fund hereby amends the CY 2015 NOAA to combine the CY 2015 and the CY 2016 NMTC authorities into one allocation round (herein referred to as the ``combined CY 2015-2016 allocation round''). Accordingly, the NMTC allocation authority announced in this revised NOAA being made available in the combined CY 2015-2016 allocation round includes both the amount authorized for CY 2015 ($3.5 billion) and the amount authorized for CY 2016 ($3.5 billion), resulting in a total NMTC allocation amount of $7.0 billion for the combined CY 2015-2016 allocation round. Combination of Allocation Authority: The CY 2015 NOAA announced an expected total of up to $5.0 billion of NMTC allocation authority available in the CY 2015 round, subject to Congressional authorization. The PATH Act authorized an annual allocation authority of $3.5 billion for five years (CY 2015 to CY 2019). In order to allocate NMTC authority during the calendar year for which it was authorized, the CY 2015 NOAA is hereby amended to include both CY 2015 ($3.5 billion) and CY $2016 ($3.5 billion), with a total of $7.0 billion in NMTC authority available in the combined CY 2015-2016 allocation round. Allocation Amounts: The CY 2015 NOAA announced that the CDFI Fund, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to award tax credit allocation authority in amounts that are in excess of or less than the anticipated maximum allocation should the CDFI Fund deem it appropriate. The CDFI Fund continues to anticipate that it will not issue more than $125 million in tax credit investment authority per Allocatee. However, those determinations will be made on a case-by-case basis and in the sole discretion of the CDFI Fund. The CDFI Fund continues to reserve the right to allocate NMTC authority to any, all, or none of the entities that submitted applications in response to this NOAA, and in any amount it deems appropriate. All other information and requirements set forth in the CY 2015 NOAA shall remain effective, as published.

Through the NACA Program, the CDFI Fund provides (i) FA awards of up to $1 million to Certified Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) serving Native American, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian populations or Native American areas defined as Federally-designated reservations, Hawaiian homelands, Alaska Native Villages and U.S. Census Bureau-designated Tribal Statistical Areas (collectively, ``Native Communities'') to build their financial capacity to lend to their Target Markets, and (ii) TA grants of up to $150,000 to build Certified, Certifiable, and Emerging CDFIs' organizational capacity to serve their Target Markets and Sponsoring Entities ability to create Certified CDFIs that serve Native Communities. All awards provided through this NOFA are subject to funding availability.

This NOAA is issued in connection with the CY 2015 allocation round (Allocation Round) of the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Program, as authorized by Title I, subtitle C, section 121 of the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-554) and amended by section 221 of the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 (Pub. L. 108-357), section 101 of the Gulf Opportunity Zone Act of 2005 (Pub. L. 108-357), Division A, section 102 of the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 (Pub. L. 109-432), section 733 of the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-312), section 305 of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (Pub. L. 112-240), and section 115 of the Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014 (Pub. L. 113-295). Through the NMTC Program, the CDFI Fund provides authority to CDEs to offer an incentive to investors in the form of tax credits over seven years, which is expected to stimulate the provision of private investment capital that, in turn, will facilitate economic and community development in Low-Income Communities. Through this NOAA, the CDFI Fund announces the availability of up to $5.0 billion of NMTC investment authority in this Allocation Round, subject to Congressional authorization. In this NOAA, the CDFI Fund specifically addresses how a CDE may apply to receive an allocation of NMTCs, the competitive procedure through which NMTC allocations will be made, and the actions that will be taken to ensure that proper allocations are made to appropriate entities.

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), agencies are required to publish a Notice in the Federal Register notifying the public that the agency is modifying an existing previously approved information collection for OMB review and approval and requests public review and comment on the submission. OPIC received no comments in response to the sixty (60) day notice published in Federal Register on June 12, 2015. The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional thirty (30) days for public comments to be submitted. Comments are being solicited on the need for the information; the accuracy of OPIC's burden estimate; the quality, practical utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize reporting the burden, including automated collected techniques and uses of other forms of technology.

Overseas Private Investment Corporation, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public to take this opportunity to comment on the ``Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery'' for approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et. seq.). This collection was developed as part of a Federal Government-wide effort to streamline the process for seeking feedback from the public on service delivery. This notice announces our intent to submit this collection to OMB for approval and solicits comments on specific aspects for the proposed information collection.

This NOFA is issued in connection with the fiscal year (FY) 2015 funding round of the Bank Enterprise Award Program (BEA Program). The BEA Program is administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund). Through the BEA Program, the CDFI Fund awards formula-based grants to depository institutions that are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) for increasing their levels of loans, investments, service activities, and technical assistance within Distressed Communities, and financial assistance to Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) through equity investments, equity-like loans, grants, stock purchases, loans, deposits, and other forms of financial and technical assistance, during a specified period.

The Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) is amending the CDFI certification regulation with respect to the financing entity requirement and participation as an Eligible CDFI in the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program. This regulatory change creates a means for the CDFI Fund, in its discretion, to permit a CDFI's Affiliate, which applies for CDFI certification, to rely on the Controlling CDFI's activity or track record in order to meet the financing entity requirement, solely for the purpose of the Affiliate participating as an Eligible CDFI under the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program.

The Department of the Treasury, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other federal agencies to comment on proposed information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund), Department of the Treasury, is soliciting comments concerning an evaluation of the CDFI Fund's Bank Enterprise Award (BEA) Program.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund), U.S. Department of the Treasury, is soliciting comments concerning the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Program Application and the Native American CDFI Assistance (NACA) Program Application.

Through the CDFI Program, the CDFI Fund provides (i) FA awards of up to $2 million to Certified Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) to build their financial capacity to lend to their Target Markets, and (ii) TA grants of up to $125,000 to build Certified, Certifiable, and Emerging CDFIs' organizational capacity to serve their Target Markets. All awards provided through this NOFA are subject to funding availability.

The Department of the Treasury, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (the ``CDFI Fund''), the Department of the Treasury, is soliciting comments concerning data collection to support the Capacity Building Initiative. The CDFI Fund intends to collect data on the CDFI industry's needs for different training and technical assistance topics. The CDFI Fund (and its contractors) will assess the demand for capacity-building on specific topics, the type of content to be provided, and the target audience for specific training courses. Additionally, the CDFI Fund (and its contractors) will conduct capacity assessments of program participants to further refine course content. Data collection will be used to evaluate the services being provided through the Capacity Building Initiative as well. Data collection is expected to take place via online surveys, survey forms submitted electronically to the CDFI Fund, in-person and remote focus groups, phone questionnaires, or similar methods. In general, the CDFI Fund does not anticipate publishing the results of these data collections; however, should this information be useful to the public, the CDFI Fund will ensure that no information of a sensitive or proprietary nature is released.

This notice amends the NOAA that was published on July 29, 2013 (78 FR 45604) for the combined calendar year 2013 and 2014 allocation round of the NMTC Program, as authorized by Title I, subtitle C, section 121 of the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-554) and as amended thereafter. Through the NMTC Program, the CDFI Fund provides authority to CDEs to offer an incentive to investors in the form of tax credits over seven years, which is expected to stimulate the provision of private investment capital that, in turn, will facilitate economic and community development in Low- Income Communities. The July 29, 2013 NOAA announced the availability of up to $8.5 billion of NMTC investment authority, $3.5 billion of which was authorized by American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 and an additional $5.0 billion, which was subject to Congressional authorization. Because the CDFI Fund has not received Congressional allocation authority for calendar year 2014 as of the date of this notice, it is amending the July 29, 2013 NOAA to reflect the authorized authority for calendar year 2013 only. Thus, this notice revises the July 29, 2013 NOAA such that the funding opportunity announced therein no longer includes the combined calendar years 2013 and 2014, but is for calendar year 2013 only. Decrease in Allocation Authority: The July 29, 2013 NOAA announced that there would be a total of $8.5 billion of NMTC allocation authority available in the combined calendar year 2013 and 2014 Allocation Round. This notice revises the July 29, 2013 NOAA such that $3.5 billion of NMTC allocation authority is available for calendar year 2013 only. Decrease of Award Amount: The July 29, 2013 NOAA also announced that the CDFI Fund anticipates that it will provide allocation awards of not more than $125 million per Allocatee. Due to not having allocation authority for calendar year 2014 as of the date of this notice, this notice revises the July 29, 2013 NOAA such that the CDFI Fund now expects that it may provide allocation awards of not more than $100 million of allocation per Allocatee. All other information and requirements set forth in the July 29, 2013 NOAA shall remain effective, as published.

Subject to funding availability, this NOFA is issued in connection with the FY 2014 Funding Round of the NACA Program, which the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) administers.

The mission of the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) is to increase economic opportunity and promote community development investments for underserved populations in distressed communities in the United States. Its long-term vision is to economically empower America's underserved and distressed communities. The purpose of the Community Development Financial Institutions Program (CDFI Program) is to promote economic revitalization and community development through investment in and assistance to Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs). Under the CDFI Program, the CDFI Fund provides financial assistance in the form of grants, loans, equity investments and deposits to CDFIs selected through a merit-based application process. The CDFI Fund provides financial assistance to CDFIs to enhance their ability to make loans and investments, and to provide related services for the benefit of designated investment areas, targeted populations, or both. In addition, through the CDFI Program, the CDFI Fund provides technical assistance grants to CDFIs and entities that propose to become CDFIs, for the purpose of increasing their capacity to serve their target markets. The CDFI Fund is amending its regulations regarding the financial reporting requirements for non-profit organizations. The regulatory change requires CDFI Program awardees that are non-profit organizations to provide audited financial statements within 180 days after the end of the awardee's fiscal year end. This regulatory action conforms to the financial reporting requirements for non-profit awardees to the statutory provisions governing the CDFI Program.

The Department of the Treasury, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on continuing information collections through CIIS, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A). Currently, the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund, Department of the Treasury, is soliciting comments concerning the Community Development Financial Institutions FundAwardee/Allocatee Annual Report (OMB Number 1559-0027), comprising the Institution Level Report (ILR) and the Transaction Level Report (TLR). The two documents comprise certain reporting requirements for participants in the CDFI Program, the Native American CDFI Assistance (NACA) Program, and the New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) Program. The Annual Report forms (and related documents, including the CDFI Program assistance agreement, the NACA Program assistance agreement, and the NMTC Program allocation agreement) may be found at the CDFI Fund's Web site at www.cdfifund.gov.

This NOAA is issued in connection with the combined CY 2013 and 2014 allocation round (Round) of the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Program, as initially authorized by Title I, subtitle C, section 121 of the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000 (Pub.L. 106-554) and amended by section 221 of the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 (Pub.L. 108-357), section 101 of the Gulf Opportunity Zone Act of 2005 (P.L. 108-357), Division A, section 102 of the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 (Pub. L. 109-432), section 733 of the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-312), and the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (the Act). Through the NMTC Program, the CDFI Fund provides authority to CDEs to offer an incentive to investors in the form of tax credits over seven years, which is expected to stimulate the provision of private investment capital that, in turn, will facilitate economic and community development in Low-Income Communities. Through this NOAA, the CDFI Fund announces the availability of up to $8.5 billion of NMTC investment authority, $3.5 billion of which has been authorized in the Act and an additional $5.0 billion, which is subject to Congressional authorization. In this NOAA, the CDFI Fund specifically addresses how an entity may apply to receive an allocation of NMTCs, the competitive procedure through which NMTC allocations will be made, and the actions that will be taken to ensure that proper allocations are made to appropriate entities.

The Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund, a wholly owned government corporation within the U.S. Department of the Treasury, is seeking proposals from entities interested in serving as the Master Servicer/Trustee for the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program, which was authorized under the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111- 240; 12 U.S.C. 4713a) (the Act). This Notice of Request for Proposals describes the duties of the Master Servicer/Trustee, the criteria to be used to select the Master Servicer/Trustee, the selection process, and how to submit proposals.

This NOFA is issued in connection with the FY 2013 funding round of the BEA Program. The BEA Program is administered by the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund, a wholly owned government corporation within the Department of the Treasury. The BEA Program encourages Insured Depository Institutions to increase their levels of loans, investments, services, and technical assistance within Distressed Communities, and financial assistance to CDFIs through equity investments, equity-like loans, grants, stock purchases, loans, deposits, and other forms of financial and technical assistance, during a specified period.

This notice announces the next meeting of the Community Development Advisory Board (the ``Advisory Board''), which provides advice to the Director of the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund).

This notice invites comments from the public on issues regarding the CDFI Fund's proposed report to assess the state of access to capital and credit in Native Communities as consistent with Executive Order 13175. The CDFI Fund will offer three opportunities to engage the public on this topic: (1) Through written comment; and (2) through two virtual meetings conducted as webcasts. All material submitted will be available for public inspection and copying.