H.R. 9101: Rural Grants Transparency Act

The Rural Grants Transparency Act aims to enhance the clarity and accessibility of rural development grant programs managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Its main provisions are as follows:

Objectives

• To improve transparency, accessibility, and accountability in the grant application process for rural communities.
• To assist small towns, rural nonprofits, cooperatives, and areas facing persistent poverty in effectively navigating federal grant programs.

Creation of a Rural Grant Transparency Roadmap

The Secretary of Agriculture is required to develop and maintain a publicly accessible Rural Grant Transparency Roadmap for each covered program. This roadmap must include:

• A plain-language description of the program.
• A step-by-step explanation of application requirements.
• A standardized checklist of required application materials.
• For competitive programs, a summary of evaluation criteria.
• Common reasons for ineligibility or rejection of applications.
• Links to forms and guidance documents.
• Contact information for relevant rural development state offices.
• A quarterly-updated list of funding opportunities.

The roadmap must be available on a single webpage, written in plain language for rural communities, and accessible to individuals with disabilities.

Standardized Notifications for Applicants

The Secretary is tasked with providing standardized notifications to applicants, including:

• Confirmation of application receipt.
• Notice of application completeness or deficiencies.
• Advancement status of the application to review.
• Grant award or denial notification.
• Information for denied applications on potential reapplication.

Public Database of Grant Awards

A searchable public database must be maintained by the Secretary, updated quarterly, that lists:

• The name of the award recipient.
• Location of the awarded project.
• The amount of the award.
• The name of the program.
• A brief description of the awarded project.

While maintaining this data, the Secretary will protect personally identifiable or confidential business information.

Annual Training for USDA Offices

The Secretary will ensure that staff in rural development offices receive annual training on:

• The Rural Grant Transparency Roadmap.
• Common applicant challenges.
• Providing accurate information to applicants.

No Additional Funding Required

The Act does not mandate the approval of additional funds for its implementation, and all requirements must be fulfilled within 180 days after the bill is enacted.

Limitations

This Act does not change any existing evaluation criteria, eligibility or prioritization established by current laws and regulations.

Relevant Companies

None found