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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 161 / Tuesday, August 24, 2021 / Notices FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service Docket No. RBS21COOP0020

Stakeholder Listening Session and Request for Information on the Rural Cooperative Development Grant Program Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.
ACTION: Request for information.
AGENCY:

The Rural BusinessCooperative Service RBCS is hosting a listening session and opening a request for information for public input about the Rural Cooperative Development Grant RCDG program. The RCDG
program provides financial assistance to nonprofit corporations and/or institutions of higher education to start or expand cooperative development centers that provide technical and business development assistance to individuals and businesses to start, expand, or improve cooperatives and other mutually owned businesses. RBCS
is currently considering how it can streamline application requirements, establish a multiyear award process, and provide more relevant performance metrics for the program.
DATES: The listening session will be held virtually on:
September 16, 2021, at 2:00 p.m.4:00
p.m. ET
https attendee.gotowebinar.com/
register/2283339721495353867
Comments must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time EST
on https www.regulations.gov.
ADDRESSES: Federal eRulemaking Portal:
Go to https www.regulations.gov and, in the Search box, type in the Docket No. RBS21COOP0020. A link to the Notice will appear. You may submit a comment here by selecting the Comment button or you can access the Docket tab, select the Notice, and go to the Browse & Comment on Documents Tab. Here you may view comments that have been submitted as well as submit a comment. To submit a comment, select the comment button, complete the required information, and select the Submit Comment button at the bottom. Information on using Regulations.gov, including instructions for accessing documents, submitting comments, and viewing the docket after the close of the comment period, is available through the sites FAQ link at the bottom. Comments on this information collection must be received by October 25, 2021.

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Natalie Melton, Program Management Division, Cooperative Programs, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, STOP 3250, 1400
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 202503250, telephone 202 720
1400, or email cpgrants@usda.gov.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication Braille, large print, audio tape, etc.
should contact the USDA Target Center at 202 7202600 or 844 4332774
toll-free nationwide.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Overview of RCDG
The RCDG program is authorized under section 310Be of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act Con Act 7 U.S.C.
1932 e as amended by the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 Pub. L. 115
334. The 7 CFR part 4284, subparts A
and F are the regulations that govern this program. Terms you need to understand are defined in 7 CFR
4284.504. The primary objective of the RCDG program is to improve the economic condition of rural areas through cooperative development.
Grants are awarded on a competitive basis to non-profit corporations or higher education institutions. Grant funds may be used to pay for up to 75
percent of the cost of establishing and operating centers for rural cooperative development and 95 percent of the cost of establishing and operating centers for rural cooperative development when the applicant is a 1994 Institution as defined by 7 U.S.C. 301. The 1994
Institutions are commonly known as Tribal Land Grant Institutions. Centers may have the expertise on staff, or they can contract out for the expertise to assist individuals or entities in the startup, expansion or operational improvement of rural cooperative or mutually owned businesses.
This notice and listening session request information on RBCSs plan to consider ways streamline the application requirements, establish a multiyear award process, update performance metrics and assess program performance. The public input provided in response to this notice from interested stakeholders will advise RBCS on this plan.
Instructions Response to this notice is voluntary.
Each individual or institution is requested to submit only one response as directed in the ADDRESSES section of this notice. Submission must not exceed 10 pages and fonts must be 12 point or
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larger, with a page number on each page. Responses should include the name of the persons or organizations filing the comment. Comments containing references, studies, research, and other empirical data that are not widely published should include copies or electronic links of the referenced materials. Comments containing profanity, vulgarity, threats, or other inappropriate language or content will not be considered. Comments submitted in response to this notice are subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act FOIA 5 U.S.C. 552.
Responses to this notice may also be posted, without change, on a Federal website.
Therefore, we request that no business proprietary information, copyrighted information, or personally identifiable information be submitted in response to this notice. In accordance with FAR 52
2153b, responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract.
Additionally, the U.S. Government will not pay for response preparation or for the use of any information contained in the response.
To inform the Federal governments decision-making, RBCS now seeks public input on the following questions.
1. The authorizing statute prioritizes applications that can demonstrate a proven track record in carrying out activities to promote and assist the development of cooperatively and mutually owned businesses. How can applicants demonstrate they have a proven track record?
2. The authorizing statute prioritizes applications that can demonstrate expertise in providing technical assistance in rural areas. What criteria or factors should the Agency use to determine expertise and experience of the Center in promoting and assisting the development of cooperatives and mutually owned businesses? How many years of experience are appropriate to show that an organization has experience in providing cooperative development technical assistance in rural areas?
3. The authorizing statute prioritizes applications that demonstrate how they can improve economic conditions through new cooperative approaches.
How do you interpret the language new cooperative approach? What makes a cooperative approach new?
4. The authorizing statute prioritizes applications that demonstrate commitment to providing technical assistance and other services to underserved and economically distressed areas. Developing cooperatives among low resource and
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