Technical Assistance and Training Grants
Published on AidPage by
IDILOGIC on Jun 24, 2005
Purpose of this program:
To identify and evaluate solutions to water and waste disposal problems in rural areas; to assist applicants in preparing applications made in accordance with 7 CFR 1780; to improve operation and maintenance of water and waste disposal facilities in rural areas.
Possible uses and use restrictions...
Funds may be used to pay expenses associated with providing technical assistance and/or training (TAT) to identify and evaluate solutions to water problems relating to source, storage, treatment, and distribution, and to waste disposal problems relating to collection, treatment, and disposal; assist applicants that have filed a preapplication with RUS in the preparation of water and/or waste disposal loan and/or grant applications; and to provide training that will improve the management, operation and maintenance of water and waste disposal facilities. Grant funds may not be used to recruit applications, duplicate current services such as those performed by a consultant in developing a project, fund political activities, pay for capital assets, purchase real estate or vehicles, improve and renovate office space or repair and maintain privately owned property, pay construction or O&M costs, and pay costs incurred prior to the effective date of grants made.
Who is eligible to apply...
Private nonprofit organizations that have been granted tax exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service of the United States. Applicants must have proven ability, background, experience, legal authority and actual capacity to provide technical assistance and/or training on a regional basis to associations.
Credentials/Documentation
This program is subject to the provisions of OMB Circular Nos. A-110 and A-122.
Note:This is a brief description of the credentials or documentation required prior to, or along with, an application for assistance.
About this section:
This section indicates who can apply to the Federal government for assistance and the criteria the potential applicant must satisfy.
For example, individuals may be eligible for research grants, and the criteria to be satisfied may be that they have a professional or scientific degree,
3 years of research experience, and be a citizen of the United States. Universities, medical schools, hospitals, or State and local governments may also be eligible.
Where State governments are eligible, the type of State agency will be indicated (State welfare agency or State agency on aging) and the criteria that they
must satisfy.
Certain federal programs (e.g., the Pell Grant program which provides grants to students) involve intermediate levels of application processing, i.e., applications
are transmitted through colleges or universities that are neither the direct applicant nor the ultimate beneficiary. For these programs,
the criteria that the intermediaries must satisfy are also indicated, along with intermediaries who are not eligible.
How to apply...
Application Procedure:
This program is subject to the provisions of OMB Circular Nos. A-110 and A-122. Preapplication form SF 424.1, will be filed with the appropriate Rural Development (RD), formerly FMHA, State or Rural Utilities Service (RUS) National Office between October 1 and December 31 each fiscal year.
Note: Each program will indicate whether applications are to be submitted to the Federal headquarters, regional or local office, or to a State or local government office.
Award Procedure:
Preapplications received by an RD State office will be reviewed and forwarded with any written comments within 7 working days to the RUS National Office, Washington, DC.
Note: Grant payments may be made by a letter of credit, advance by Treasury check, or reimbursement by Treasury check.
Awards may be made by the headquarters office directly to the applicant, an agency field office, a regional office,
or by an authorized county office. The assistance may pass through the initial applicant for further distribution by
intermediate level applicants to groups or individuals in the private sector.
Deadlines and process...
Deadlines
Preapplications must be filed between October 1 and December 31 of each fiscal year.
Note:
When available, this section indicates the deadlines for applications to the funding agency which will
be stated in terms of the date(s) or between what dates the application should be received.
When not available, applicants should contact the funding agency for deadline information.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
Form AD-622 "Notice of Preapplication Review Action" will normally be issued within 45 days after December 31 of each year. SF 424.1 "Application for Federal Assistance (for Non-construction)," will be submitted by the applicant upon notification of funding eligibility.
Preapplication Coordination
This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. An environmental impact assessment is required for this program.
Note:
This section indicates whether any prior coordination or approval is required with governmental or nongovernmental units
prior to the submission of a formal application to the federal funding agency.
Appeals
If an application is rejected, the reasons for rejection are fully stated. The applicant may request a review of this decision with the National Appeals Division of USDA.
Note:
In some cases, there are no provisions for appeal. Where applicable, this section discusses appeal procedures or allowable rework time for resubmission
of applications to be processed by the funding agency. Appeal procedures vary with individual programs and are either listed in this section or
applicants are referred to appeal procedures documented in the relevant Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
Renewals
Not applicable.
Note:
In some instances, renewal procedures may be the same as for the application procedure, e.g., for projects of a non-continuing nature renewals will be treated as new, competing applications; for projects of an ongoing nature, renewals may be given annually.
Who can benefit...
Entities that may be eligible for water and waste disposal loans and grants (10.760) such as municipalities, counties, districts, authorities, and other political subdivisions of a State, organizations operated on a not-for-profit basis, such as associations, cooperatives, or private corporations, Indian tribes on Federal and State reservations and other federally recognized Indian tribes.
Beneficiaries
About this section:
This section lists the ultimate beneficiaries of a program, the criteria they must satisfy and who specifically is not eligible. The applicant and beneficiary will generally be the same for programs that provide assistance directly from a Federal agency. However, financial assistance that passes through State or local governments will have different applicants and beneficiaries since the assistance is transmitted to private sector beneficiaries who are not obligated to request or apply for the assistance.
What types of assistance...
Project Grants
The funding, for fixed or known periods, of specific projects. Project grants can include fellowships, scholarships, research grants, training grants, traineeships, experimental and demonstration grants, evaluation grants, planning grants, technical assistance grants, survey grants, and construction grants.
How much financial aid...
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
$40,000 to $7,902,632. Average: $1,076,720 (FY 2003).
Note:
This section lists the representative range (smallest to largest) of the amount of financial assistance available. These figures are based upon funds awarded in the past fiscal year and the current fiscal year to date. Also indicated is an approximate average amount of awards which were made in the past and current fiscal years.
Obligations
(Grants) FY 03 $18,304,236; FY 04 est $17,628,375; and FY 05 est $17,628,375. (Note: Grants included in program 10.760, Water and Waste Disposal Systems for Rural Communities.)
Note:
The dollar amounts listed in this section represent obligations for the past fiscal year (PY), estimates for the current fiscal year (CY), and estimates for the budget fiscal year (BY) as reported by the Federal agencies. Obligations for non-financial assistance programs indicate the administrative expenses involved in the operation of a program.
Account Identification
12-0400-0-1-452.
Note:
Note: This 11-digit budget account identification code represents the account which funds a particular program.
This code should be consistent with the code given for the program area as specified in Appendix III of the Budget of the United States Government.
Examples of funded projects...
Recipients of this program received funds to administer technical assistance and training to small communities experiencing water and waste disposal problems.
About this section
This section indicates the different types of projects which have been funded in the past. Only projects funded under Project Grants or Direct Payments for Specified Use should be listed here. The examples give potential applicants an idea of the types of projects that may be accepted for funding. The agency should list at least five examples of the most recently funded projects.
Program accomplishments...
In fiscal year 2003, 17 grants were made.
Criteria for selecting proposals...
Assistance will be directed to those applicants who: (1) Have demonstrated ability to provide technical assistance and/or training to rural associations; (2) propose to serve multi-state, regional, or nationwide areas; (3) maximize use of grant funds for direct staffing of activities that are delivered to the associations; and (4) the population of the associations served have low income.
Assistance considerations...
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
A time limitation is not specified, however, priority will be given to applicants whose time frame for completion of the technical assistance and/or training grant project is 12 months or less.
Formula and Matching Requirements
This program has no statutory formula or matching requirements. Not less than one percent or more than three percent of appropriated Water and Waste Disposal grant funds may be used for TAT grants. Nonprofit organizations with proven ability to provide technical assistance/training are eligible.
Note:
A formula may be based on population, per capita income, and other statistical factors. Applicants are informed whether there are any matching requirements to be met when participating in the cost of a project. In general, the matching share represents that portion of the project costs not borne by the Federal government. Attachment F of OMB Circular No. A-102 (Office of Management and Budget) sets forth the criteria and procedures for the evaluation of matching share requirements which may be cash or in-kind contributions made by State and local governments or other agencies, institutions, private organizations, or individuals to satisfy matching requirements of Federal grants or loans.
Cash contributions represent the grantees' cash outlay, including the outlay of money contributed to the grantee by other public agencies, institutions, private organizations, or individuals. When authorized by Federal regulation, Federal funds received from other grants may be considered as the grantees' cash contribution.
In-kind contributions represent the value of noncash contributions provided by the grantee, other public agencies and institutions, private organizations or individuals. In-kind contributions may consist of charges for real property and equipment, and value of goods and services directly benefiting and specifically identifiable to the grant program. When authorized by Federal legislation, property purchased with Federal funds may be considered as grantees' in-kind contribution.
Maintenance of effort (MOE) is a requirement contained in certain legislation, regulations, or administrative policies stating that a grantee must maintain a specified level of financial effort in a specific area in order to receive Federal grant funds, and that the Federal grant funds may be used only to supplement, not supplant, the level of grantee funds.
Post assistance requirements...
Reports
All grantees will submit quarterly reports to the RUS National Office through the appropriate RD State Office.
Note:
This section indicates whether program reports, expenditure reports, cash reports or performance monitoring are required by the Federal funding agency, and specifies at what time intervals (monthly, annually, etc.) this must be accomplished.
Audits
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A- 133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations," non federal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.
Note:
This section discusses audits required by the Federal agency.
The procedures and requirements for State and local governments and nonprofit entities are set forth in OMB Circular No. A-133.
These requirements pertain to awards made within the respective State's fiscal year - not the Federal fiscal year,
as some State and local governments may use the calendar year or other variation of time span designated as the fiscal year period,
rather than that commonly known as the Federal fiscal year (from October 1st through September 30th).
Records
Financial records, supporting documents, statistical records, and all other records pertinent to the grant must be retained for a period of at least 3 years after closing.
Note:
This section indicates the record retention requirements and the type of records the Federal agency may require.
Not included are the normally imposed requirements of the General Accounting Office.
For programs falling under the purview of OMB Circular No. A-102, record retention is set forth in Attachment C.
For other programs, record retention is governed by the funding agency's requirements.
Regulations...
Authorization
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, as amended, Sections 306(a)(16)(A), Public Law 99-198, 7 U.S.C. 1926(a).
Note:
This section lists the legal authority upon which a program is based (acts, amendments to acts, Public Law numbers, titles, sections, Statute Codes, citations to the U.S. Code, Executive Orders, Presidential Reorganization Plans, and Memoranda from an agency head).
Regulations, Guidelines, And Literature
7 CFR, Part 1775, Technical Assistance and Training Grants.