All applications must include the following:

(a) Application forms. The following forms must be completed, signed, and submitted as part of the application. Any additional forms that may be required will be published in the applicable annual notification.

(1) SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance.”

(2) SF-424 A, “Budget Information—Non-Construction Programs.”

(b) Proposal. Each proposal must contain the following items. Additional items may be requested and will be published in the applicable annual notification.

(1) Title page.

(2) Table of contents.

(3) A summary of the proposal should briefly describe the Center, the goals of the Project, and the amount requested.

(4) Applicants must discuss how the following are met:

(i) Eligibility requirements in § 4284.520; including how they identify as an Institution of Higher Education or Nonprofit Institution.

(ii) Project eligibility requirements in § 4284.522; and

(iii) Eligible use of grant and Matching Funds requirements in § 4284.525.

(5) The proposal narrative should address how the Center will improve the economic conditions of Rural Areas by providing Technical Assistance including Cooperative Development. In particular, the Applicant must:

(i) Substantiate that the Center will use RCDG funds to serve Rural Areas in the United States as defined in § 4284.503.

(ii) Provide a description of the contributions that this Project is likely to make that will improve the economic conditions of the Rural Areas served by the Center.

(iii) Discuss how the Center, in carrying out the activities, will seek, where appropriate, the advice, participation, expertise, and assistance of representatives of business, industry, educational institutions, the Federal Government, Tribal Governments, and State and local governments.

(iv) Discuss how the Center intends to take all practicable steps to develop continuing sources of financial support for the Center, particularly from sources in the private sector. Applicants should indicate what financial support has been received in the past three (3) years from private sources and share plans of how the Applicant intends to secure long term sustainability of the Center.

(v) Merit evaluation criteria must be addressed in narrative form by the Applicant.

(A) Experience. Describe the Center's experience in Technical Assistance including Cooperative Development. Include the Center's role and accomplished outcomes for each organization assisted. Described experience must be within the last three (3) years. Centers that are not yet established should discuss the expertise and track record of Key Personnel expected to perform activities related to the Project. Provide the following for each organization assisted:

(1) Name of organization;

(2) Organization's complete address;

(3) Indicate whether the service location is Rural;

(4) Indicate whether the organization is Cooperatively or Mutually owned;

(5) Discussion on the Applicant's role(s) in providing Technical Assistance, including Cooperative Development;

(6) Date(s) of service;

(7) Indicate if a Cooperatively or Mutually Owned Business was established as a result of the Cooperative Development services provided;

(8) Date the Cooperatively or Mutually Owned Business was established;

(9) Indicate whether the Cooperatively or Mutually Owned Business is active or inactive;

(10) Discussion on any New Cooperative Approach used; and

(11) Discussion on the outcomes of the assistance, including but not limited to, the retention of Cooperatively or Mutually Owned Businesses, jobs created and/or saved, or other economic conditions (e.g., number of housing units, number of childcare spaces, etc.).

(B) Work plan and budget. All tasks in the work plan and budget must be for allowable uses of funds. For each task, the following must be provided:

(1) A detailed narrative description, for each of the Technical Assistance, Cooperative Development, and Networking tasks as well as any Subawards for loans and/or grants. Applicants must identify project partners for Networking tasks;

(2) A detailed breakdown of all estimated Project Costs including Operating Costs, with grant and Matching Funds identified separately;

(3) Key Personnel that will be responsible for overseeing and/or conducting each task;

(4) A specific timeframe corresponding to the actual time each task is estimated to be completed; and

(5) Zip code for each of the organizations being assisted who are located in Underserved and Economically Distressed areas.

(C) Qualifications of Key Personnel. Key Personnel are expected to be qualified, committed, and available during the Period of Performance. The following must be provided for each Key Personnel identified in the work plan and budget.

(1) Name of Key Personnel;

(2) A summary of formal training and/or skills and years of experience directly related to the task(s) to be performed as outlined in the work plan and budget; and

(3) For Key Personnel to be hired, list the necessary qualifications needed to complete Project task(s).

(D) Verification of Matching Funds. Applicants must provide authentic documentation from the source(s) of Matching Funds to confirm the eligibility and availability of both cash and in-kind contributions that meet the Matching Funds requirements as defined in §§ 4284.503 and 4284.522. If selected for funding, Matching Funds will be reverified before a Financial Assistance Agreement is executed.

(vi) Applicants must certify that Matching Funds will be spent at the same time grant funds are anticipated to be spent and that expenditures of Matching Funds shall be pro-rated or spent in advance of grant funding, such that for every dollar of the grant funds requested, at least 25 cents (5 cents for 1994 Institutions) of Matching Funds will be expended.

(vii) To measure the success of the Project in a quantitative way, Applicants must have baseline and target performance metrics and will have a baseline metric of zero. Applicants must provide a target metric for each of the following performance metrics:

(A) Number of Rural groups assisted.

(B) Number of Cooperatives assisted.

(1) Number of jobs created/saved.

(2) Number of jobs created/saved in Underserved and Economically Distressed areas.

(C) Number of Mutually Owned Businesses (LLC/LLP) assisted.

(1) Number of jobs created/saved.

(2) Number of jobs created/saved in Underserved and Economically Distressed areas.

(D) Number of other businesses assisted.

(1) Number of jobs created/saved.

(2) Number of jobs created/saved in Underserved and Economically Distressed areas.

(E) Number of Business Plans developed.

(F) Number of Cooperatives incorporated.

(G) Number of Feasibility Studies completed.

(H) Number of workshops/seminars conducted.

(I) Number of conferences held.

(1) Number of conferences conducted with other Centers.

(2) Number of conferences conducted with other organizations.

(J) If working with housing, number of housing units created/saved.

(K) For consumer co-ops (grocery, retail) number of people with access to goods or services.

(L) Financial loss avoided as a result of `no-go' decision in the Cooperative Development process.

(M) Any additional performance measures as outlined in your Financial Assistance Agreement, or specified in the annual notification.

(1) It is permissible to have a zero in a performance metric. Jobs created targets must be calculated based upon actual jobs to be created by the Center because of RCDG funding or actual jobs to be created by Cooperatively or Mutually Owned Businesses as a result of the assistance from the Center. Jobs saved targets must be calculated only on actual jobs that would have been lost if the Center did not receive RCDG funding or actual jobs that would have been lost without assistance from the Center.

(2) Additional performance metrics can be suggested, for example; where jobs created or jobs saved may not be a relevant indicator (e.g., housing). These additional criteria must be specific and measurable performance metrics to be included in a Federal Financial Assistance Agreement.