CFR > Title 7 - Agriculture > SUBTITLE B—Regulations of the Department of Agriculture > CHAPTER XLII—RURAL BUSINESS-COOPERATIVE SERVICE AND RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (parts 4274 to 4290) > PART 4284—GRANTS > SUBPART G—Rural Business Opportunity Grants (§4284.601 to §4284.700) > 4284.639—Grant selection criteria.

4284.639—Grant selection criteria.

Agency officials will select projects to receive assistance under this program according to the following criteria:
(a) A score of 0 to 10 points will be awarded based on the Agency assessment of the extent to which economic development resulting from the proposed project will be sustainable over the long term by local efforts, without the need for continued subsidies by governments or other organizations outside the community.
(b) A score of 0 to 10 points will be awarded based on the Agency assessment of the extent to which the project should lead to improvements in the quality of economic activity within the community, such as higher wages, improved benefits, greater career potential, and the use of higher levels of skills than currently are typical within the economy.
(c) If the grant will fund a critical element of a larger program of economic development, without which the overall program either could not proceed or would be far less effective, or if the program to be assisted by the grant will also be partially funded from other sources, points will be awarded as follows based on the percentage of the cost of the overall program that will be funded by the grant.
(1) Less than 20 percent—30 points;
(2) 20 but less than 50 percent—20 points;
(3) 50 but less than 75 percent—10 points; or
(4) More than 75 percent—0 points.
(d) Points will be awarded for each of the following criteria met by the community or communities that will receive the primary benefit of the grant. However, regardless of the mathematical total of points indicated by paragraphs (d)(1) through (d)(5) of this section, total points awarded under paragraph (d) must not exceed 40.
(1) Experiencing trauma due to a major natural disaster that occurred not more than 3 years prior to the filing of the application for RBOG assistance—15 points;
(2) Undergoing fundamental structural change in the local economy, such as that caused by the closing or major downsizing of a military facility or other major employer not more than 3 years prior to the filing of the application for RBOG assistance—15 points;
(3) Has experienced long-term poverty—10 points;
(4) Has experienced long-term population decline—10 points; and
(5) Has experienced long-term job deterioration—10 points.
(e) A score of 0 to 10 points will be awarded based on the Agency determination of the extent of the project's usefulness as a new best practice as defined in § 4284.603.
(f) The State Director may assign up to 15 discretionary points to an application. If allocation of funds under National Office control is being considered, the Agency Administrator may assign up to 20 additional discretionary points. Assignment of discretionary points by either the State Director or the Agency Administrator must include a written justification. Permissible justifications are geographic distribution of funds, special importance for implementation of a strategic plan in partnership with other organizations, or extraordinary potential for success due to superior project plans or qualifications of the grantee.