H.R. 1951: Strengthening Rural Cooperatives and Communities Act

This bill, titled the Strengthening Rural Cooperatives and Communities Act, aims to amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to reauthorize rural cooperative development grants. Here’s a breakdown of what the bill proposes:

Key Provisions

• Cooperative Development Definition: The bill expands the definition of cooperative development to include outreach, education, training, and technical assistance. This aims to support the startup, expansion, or ongoing sustainability of both new and existing cooperatives.
• Scoring Criteria for Grants: The bill proposes to award maximum points in the scoring criteria for grant applications that fulfill specific requirements related to cooperative development.
• Support for Vulnerable Communities: It emphasizes a commitment to providing technical assistance and other services specifically targeted at socially vulnerable, underserved, or distressed communities.
• Data Analysis Requirement: The bill mandates that the Secretary analyze data from research related to cooperatives and include these findings in an annual report submitted by an interagency working group.
• Annual Reporting: The interagency working group is required to submit a report to Congress every year describing the activities it has undertaken within 180 days of the enactment of the bill.
• Funding Period Update: The legislation updates the funding period for the cooperative development grants from 2014-2023 to 2025-2029.

Overall, this bill seeks to strengthen support for cooperatives in rural areas, focusing on sustainability and assistance for communities that may need more resources to develop successfully.

Relevant Companies

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