State of Nebraska
Building
Entrepreneurial
Communities
Act
Application Guidelines
Deadline:
Noon (CDT) – August 24, 2007
STATE OF NEBRASKA
BUILDING ENTREPRENEURIAL COMMUNITIES ACT
APPLICATION GUIDELINES
Deadline: August 24, 2007
12:00 noon (CDT)
Introduction
This document provides for the implementation of the Building Entrepreneurial Communities Act pursuant to Nebraska Revised Statute § 81-12, 125 et seq., as amended.
This publication consists of five parts which provide information concerning the submission of an application, project selection process, applicant eligibility, and granting procedure for the Building Entrepreneurial Communities Act (BECA).
Contents
Part I. Overview of General Requirements. This overview includes definitions, eligible applicants, eligible activities, match requirements, funding levels, and application deadline.
Part II. Application Instructions. This section includes official application format, instructions for completing an application, and project review criteria.
Part III. Application Form. This section contains the application form and is the only section that needs to be copied and included in the application packets.
Part IV. Distress Criteria. Use this listing to determine Distress Criteria eligibility of applicants (50% cash match category).
Part V. Limited Resources. Use this listing to determine Limited Resources eligibility of applicants (25% cash match category and those eligible for planning grants)
For More Information
Please review the application materials carefully. For more information, contact:
Linda Fettig
Executive Director
Nebraska Rural Development Commission
308-749-2291 (phone and cell)
308-749-2223 (fax)
Part I. General Overview of Requirements
Purpose of the Building Entrepreneurial Communities Act (BECA)
The Building Entrepreneurial Communities Program supports economically depressed rural areas of Nebraska in building entrepreneurial communities through grants that create community capacity to build and sustain programs that generate and retain wealth in the community and region.
The Department of Economic Development, with assistance provided by the Rural Development Commission, has established and administers a grant process to provide grants to two or more local units of government or census tracts that are collaborating on a project related to the purpose of the Building Entrepreneurial Communities Program with priority given to projects that best alleviate chronic economic distress.
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants include local units of government or census tracts. At least two local units of government or census tracts must collaborate on the project. At least one of the units of government or census tracts must have chronic economic distress as indicated by:
1. An unemployment rate that exceeds the statewide average unemployment rate;
2. A per capita income below the statewide average per capita income; or
3. A population loss between the two most recent federal decennial censuses.
OR meet the limited resource area criteria as indicated by:
1. A per capita income below the statewide average per capita income by at least twenty percent; or
2. A population loss in the previous 20 years of at least twenty percent.
Note: see Section IV for the distress criteria list and Section V for the limited resource area list
Eligible Activities
Eligible activities must be projects that address one (or more) of the following:
1. Provide education and technical assistance to energize small business development and entrepreneurship;
2. Provide technical assistance to facilitate small business transfer;
3. Build community business capacity and leadership programs;
4. Generate opportunities that will attract and retain young people and families;
5. Provide education about philanthropy and intergenerational transfer of wealth; and
6. Build community endowments to support these activities; (Note: this grant is NOT seed money for endowments, it is for education on how to build endowments.); and
7. Provide for community initiatives to attract new residents.
Planning Grants
Planning grants may be awarded to limited resource areas in amounts not exceeding $5,000 for the purpose of establishing collaborations and developing proposals for submission. There is no match requirement for planning grants.
Match Requirements
Grant recipients shall provide fifty cents of matching funds in CASH for each dollar of grant funds, except that in limited resource areas the CASH match requirement is twenty-five cents for each dollar of grant funds. Matching funds shall be from sources other than state and federal programs. Grants shall be awarded directly to one of the local units of government representing the collaborative project. If the grant application is based on a collaboration with a limited resource area, the grant shall be awarded directly to the limited resource area representing the collaborative project.
Note: the match does NOT have to come from village, city, or county budgets. Examples of local money include LB840 funds, foundations, private donations, fundraisings, and even registration fees from the planned services. If you have questions about proposed match sources, contact the Rural Development Commission for clarification prior to submitting your application.
Funding Levels
The maximum amount for an award per collaborative project is $75,000 (except for planning grants). Grant recipients have two years to expend the grant funds. No local unit of government or census tract shall receive funding for more than one project in a fiscal year. Grants may be requested for any amount of $500 and above.
The maximum amount for an award per planning grant project is $5,000. Grant recipients have two years to expend the grant funds. No local unit of government or census tract shall receive funding for more than one project in a fiscal year. Grants may be requested for any amount of $500 and above.
Definition of Local Unit of Government
For the purposes of this grant program, the definition of “local units of government” is: counties, municipalities, villages, Native American tribes, or school districts.
Application Deadline
All applications must be received at either the Nebraska Rural Development Commission’s North Platte office or the Nebraska Department of Economic Development’s Lincoln office by noon (CDT) Friday, August 24, 2007. One (1) original application and six (6) complete copies must be submitted. Staple sets in the upper left corner; do not bind. You do not need to include copies of the application guidelines, distress criteria or limited resources listing in your application packets.
No faxed or emailed copies will be accepted. NO EXCEPTIONS.
All courier-delivered or mailed applications should be directed only to:
Building Entrepreneurial Communities
Nebraska Rural Development Commission
Administration Annex
1101 Halligan Drive
North Platte, NE 69103
Applications may be hand-delivered by the applicant to the Commission’s
North Platte address above
OR to:
Building Entrepreneurial Communities
Nebraska Department of Economic Development
Fourth Floor, State Office Building
Lincoln, NE
Do NOT mail or courier-deliver applications to the Lincoln office.
Part II. Building Entrepreneurial Communities Act
Application Process
The following grant application process will be followed:
Step 1. Complete attached Application Form.
¨ The form is a WORD document that can be downloaded and filled in.
¨ Boxes may be adjusted to fit needed responses.
¨ Substituted forms or formats are NOT acceptable.
¨ Do NOT attach an alternate application form.
¨ Application must be typed in 10 or 12 pitch font, preferably Arial font.
¨ Additional pages may be added to the application. Please limit total application to no more than 10 pages (letters of match commitment do not count in page total).
¨ Do NOT include general project letters of support.
¨ Letters of match pledge must state the dollar amount of the pledge, not just general support of the project.
¨ Letters of match pledge must be received as part of application packet. Letters sent to DED or the Commission independent of the application will not be considered.
¨ Be sure your application is signed and dated.
Step 2. Applications will be reviewed for completeness and eligibility. Incomplete and/or ineligible applications will not be considered for funding.
Step 3. All applications must be received either at the Nebraska Rural Development
Commission’s North Platte office or the Nebraska Department of Economic Development’s Lincoln office by noon (CDT) Friday, August 24, 2007. One (1) original application and six (6) complete copies must be submitted. Staple sets in the upper left corner; do not bind. You do not need to include copies of the application guidelines, distress criteria or limited resources listing in your application packets. No faxed or emailed copies will be accepted. NO EXCEPTIONS.
Step 4. An evaluation panel will review the application and make funding
recommendations to the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.
Step 5. The Department of Economic director will make final funding recommendations to the Governor.
Step 6. A public announcement of funding decisions will be made.
Step 7. Successful applicants will be notified by phone and e-mail.
Project Review Criteria
Eligible applications will be evaluated using the following criteria:
Ø At least one applicant has chronic distress per Part VI of this guideline or is a limited resource area per Part V of this guideline.
Ø Match amount, commitment of match, and source. No in-kind match is allowed including salaries of existing staff.
Ø Project sustainability or impact.
Ø Specification of measurable goals and expected outcomes.
Ø Specification of an evaluation and impact assessment process.
Ø Extent to which the project responds to the purpose of the Act.
Ø Ability of the project to be completed within a two-year period.
Ø Extent to which the project fosters regional multi-community cooperation.
Ø A realistic budget itemizing anticipated project expenses and any possible incomes such as registration fees for workshops.
· No food, beverages, or food service supplies (cups, plates, napkins, etc.) may be purchased with grant funds - match funds may be used for these purposes.
· No “wearable advertising” may be purchased with grant funds (includes items such as t-shirts and caps).
· No promotional advertising items such as pens, pencils, etc. may be purchased with grant funds.
Part III. Application Form
Building Entrepreneurial Communities Act
Proposals must be kept to 10 or fewer typed pages including attachments and addenda
(with the exception of cash match support letters)
Project name:Applicant local units of government or census tracts: Application must be a collaboration of at least TWO local units of government or census tracts with the exception of planning grant applications. (Simply list the collaborating partners here. A detailed description of the project partnership is requested on the next page.)
PLANNING GRANT APPLICATION:
q Please check this box if you are applying for a planning grant
Identify the state legislative district and state senator for each applicant.
Applicant A: ______District #______Senator______
(community)
Applicant B:______District#______Senator______
(Add additional lines as needed for applicant partners)
Designate ONE of the applicant local units of government as the funding recipient. If project will be administered by a third party, fund recipient will redistribute appropriate funds to administrator identified on the next page. If partnering with a limited resource area, fund recipient should be the limited resource area partner.)
Fund Recipient:
Contact Person:
Mailing Address:
Phone:
Fax:
Email:
At least ONE applicant must meet either the distress criteria OR the limited resource area criteria in the next two sections.
Check applicable DISTRESS criteria (if applicable). See Part IV for distress eligibility determination.
Unemployment Per Capita Population
Rate Income Loss
Applicant A: o o o
Applicant B: o o o
Applicant C: q q q
(add lines as needed for additional applicants - only ONE applicant needs to meet any of the distress criteria)
Check LIMITED RESOURCES AREA criteria (if applicable). See Part V for limited resources area eligibility determination.
Per Capita Income Population Loss
Applicant A: q q
Applicant B: q q
(add lines as needed for additional applicants – only ONE applicant needs to meet either of the limited resource area criteria)
Project Partnership: Describe the partnership that will financially support this project: names of communities, organizations, agencies (public and private). (A signed letter of commitment from each partner detailing their CASH match support is required with the application, and is not counted in the 10-page maximum. Only list here those partners who are actual CASH supporters.)
Administering Agency/Entity: (This will be the entity administering the funds and responsible for the monitoring and reporting. This may be one of the applicant partners or their designee. Funds will only be disbursed to a local government application partner who will then redistribute funding to third party designees.) Provide the contact information below IF administering agency/entity is different than funding recipient named above.
Name of Administering Agency/Entity: (if different than funding recipient named above)
Contact Person from Administering Agency/Entity:
Mailing Address:
Phone: Fax:
Email:
Grant Amount Requested: $______
(Planning grants may request up to $5,000. Other grants may request up to $75,000. )
Project Summary: (Please provide a concise summary - approximately 25 words or less - suitable for use in news releases.)
Project Description: This section needs to be filled in by all applicants including those applying fo planning grants.
Ø Please identify the geographic area represented by this project.
Ø How will the project realize multi-area or multi-community cooperation and impact?
Ø List measurable project goals. Describe how they will be documented and measured. (Use precise measurements, not general terms.)
Ø How will the project address program purposes?
Ø How will the project demonstrate sustainability, or how will the project build economic development capacity?
Please provide a timeline for the project. This section needs to be filled in by all applicants including those applying for planning grants. Please state your timeline goals in quarterly segments ending December 31, March 30, June 30, Sept 30 and continuing quarterly until project completion or two years, whichever date is earliest.
Has any portion of this project ever received a grant? If yes, state grant amount, purpose and source:
Is this project an existing project? If so, discuss how the grant will not be used for replacement funding, and explain how the grant will expand the project.
All local units of government applicant partners must sign grant application:
______
Name of Local Government Applicant
______
Signature of Applicant Date
______
Name of Local Government Applicant