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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 22 / Thursday, February 4, 2021 / Notices
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2021. Applicants for set aside funds must indicate that they are applying for set aside funds and may not submit a duplicate application for regular RBDG
funds. Eligible applications for set aside funding that are not funded due to insufficient funds will be allowed to compete for available FY2021 regular RBDG funds in the State where the Project is located.
Persistent poverty counties:
The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020, SEC. 740
designates funding for projects in Persistent Poverty counties. Persistent Poverty counties as defined in SEC. 740
is any county that has had 20 percent or more of its population living in poverty over the past 30 years, as measured by the 1990 and 2000
decennial censuses, and 20072011
American Community Survey 5-year average, or any territory or possession of the United States. Another provision in SEC. 740 expands the eligible population in Persistent Poverty counties to include any county seat of such a persistent poverty county that has a population that does not exceed the authorized population limit by more than 10 percent. This provision expands the current 50,000 population limit to 55,000 for only county seats located in Persistent Poverty counties. Therefore, beneficiaries of technical assistance services located in Persistent Poverty county seats with populations up to 55,000 per the 2010 Census are eligible.
A. Program Description 1. Purpose of the Program. The purpose of the program is to promote economic development and job creation projects through the awarding of grant funds to eligible entities. Applications will compete in two separate categories, business opportunity grants and business enterprise grants, for use in funding various business projects that serve rural areas. Business opportunity projects may be used to establish business support centers or provide funds for job training and leadership development in rural areas. Business opportunity projects must be consistent with any local and area-wide strategic plans for community and economic development, coordinated with other economic development activities in the project area, and consistent with any Rural Development State Strategic Plan.
Business enterprise projects must be used to finance or develop small and emerging businesses in rural areas.
Enterprise funded project purposes must be in compliance with 7 CFR
4280.417a2 which includes the acquisition and development of land,
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access streets and roads, and the conversion or modernization of buildings, machinery and equipment.
2. Statutory and Regulatory Authority.
These Programs are authorized under 5
U.S.C. 301: 940c and 7 U.S.C. 1932c and implemented by 7 CFR part 4280, subpart E. Assistance provided under this subpart will be made to eligible entities and will be used for funding various business opportunity and business enterprise projects that serve Rural Areas.
Awards under the RBDG Programs will be made on a competitive basis using specific selection criteria contained in 7 CFR part 4280, subpart E. Information required to be in the application package includes Standard Form SF 424, Application for Federal Assistance; a copy of applicants organizational documents; a proposed scope of work; Resolution of the Board of Directors; SF LLL, Restrictions on Lobbying; RD 4001, Equal Opportunity Agreement; RD 4004, Assurance Agreement; Assurance Statement for the Uniform Act;
paperwork required in accordance with 7 CFR part 1970, Environmental Policies and 7 CFR 4280.427
Application.
3. Definition of Terms. The definitions applicable to this notice are published at 7 CFR 4280.403.
4. Application Awards. The Agency will review, evaluate, and score applications received in response to this notice based on the provisions found in 7 CFR part 4280, subpart E, and as indicated in this notice. However, the Agency advises all interested parties that the applicant bears the burden in preparing and submitting an application in response to this notice whether or not funding is appropriated for these Programs in FY 2021.
B. Federal Award Information Type of Awards: Grants.
Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2021.
Available Funds: Anyone interested in submitting an application for funding under these Programs is encouraged to consult the Rural Development Notices of Solicitation of Applications website at http www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom/
notices-solicitation-applications-nosas.
Anticipated Award Dates: If Applicable, Set Aside awards: May 31, 2021. Regular awards: August 31, 2021.
Performance Period: June 1, 2021, through September 30, 2023.
Renewal or Supplemental Awards:
None.
C. Eligibility Information 1. Eligible Applicants.

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Grants may be made to a Public Body/
Government Entity; an Indian Tribe; or a Nonprofit entity primarily serving rural areas. In accordance with 7 CFR
4280.416d, applicants that are not delinquent on any Federal debt or not otherwise disqualified from participation in these Programs are eligible to apply. The Agency will check the System for Award Management SAM to determine if the applicant has been debarred or suspended. Applicants must be registered in the System for Award Management SAM prior to submitting an application and maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application under consideration by the Agency. All other restrictions in this notice will apply.
The Agency requires information to make an eligibility determination through applications that must include, but are not limited to, the following:
a An original and one copy of SF
424, Application For Federal Assistance For Non-construction;
b Copies of applicants organizational documents showing the applicants legal existence and authority to perform the activities under the grant;
c A proposed scope of work, including a description of the proposed Project. Grant funds may be used for projects identified in 4280.417a as either a business opportunity type grant or a business enterprise type grant. The scope of work must include details of the proposed activities to be accomplished and timeframes for completion of each task, the number of months duration of the Project, and the estimated time it will take from grant approval to beginning of Project implementation. In accordance with 7
CFR 4280.421, a Project must reasonably be expected to be completed within 1
full year after it has begun.
d A written narrative that includes, at a minimum, the following items:
1 An explanation of why the Project is needed, the benefits of the proposed Project, and how the Project meets the grant eligible purposes;
2 Area to be served, identifying each governmental unit, i.e. town, county, Indian reservation, etc., to be affected by the Project;
3 Description of how the Project will coordinate Economic Development activities with other Economic Development activities within the Project area;
4 Business to be assisted, if appropriate; and Economic Development to be accomplished;
5 An explanation of how the proposed Project will result in newly
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