§25.202. Strategic plan. — Inbound Citations

(b) Includes a strategic plan, which meets the requirements contained in § 25.202;

(3) Poverty rate means, for a given Census tract, the poverty rate reported in Table 19 of the Bureau of the Census CPH-3 series of publications from the 1990 Census of Population and Housing: Population and Housing Characteristics for Census Tracts and Block Numbering Areas.

Revocation of designation means the process by which the Secretary may revoke the designation of an area as an Empowerment Zone or Enterprise Community pursuant to § 25.405.

Round I identifies designations of rural Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities pursuant to subchapter C, part I (Empowerment Zones, Enterprise Communities and Rural Development Investment Areas) of Title XIII of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (Pub. L. 103-66).

Round II identifies designations of rural Empowerment Zones pursuant to subtitle F (Empowerment Zones, Enterprise Communities, Brownfields, and Community Development Financial Institutions) of Title IX of the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 (Pub. L. 105-34).

Round IIS identifies designations of rural enterprise communities pursuant to section 766 of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 (Public Law 105-277).

Round III identifies designations of empowerment zones pursuant to section 111 of the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-554).

Rural area means any area defined pursuant to § 25.503.

Secretary means the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

State means any state in the United States.

State director means the state director for the Rural Development mission area within USDA, as identified in 7 CFR 2003.10.

Strategic plan means a plan for achieving benchmark goals evidencing improvement over identified baseline conditions, developed with the participation and commitment of local governments, tribal governments, state governments, private sector, community members and others, pursuant to the provisions of § 25.202.

USDA means the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

USDA EZ/EC grant program means the grant program authorized by section 766 of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 (Public Law 105-277).

(b) USDA will accept for processing those applications as empowerment zones and enterprise communities which USDA determines have met the criteria required under this part. USDA will notify the states and local governments whether or not the nomination has been accepted for processing. The application must be received by USDA on or before the close of business on the date established by the notice inviting applications or other applicable notice published in the Federal Register. The applications must be complete, inclusive of the strategic plan, as required by § 25.202, and the certifications and written assurances required by § 25.200(b).

The strategic plan will be evaluated for effectiveness as part of the designation process for nominated rural areas described in subpart D of this part. On the basis of this evaluation, USDA may request additional information pertaining to the plan and the proposed area and may, as part of that request, suggest modifications to the plan, proposed area, or term that would enhance its effectiveness. The effectiveness of the strategic plan will be determined in accordance with the four key principles contained in § 25.202(a). USDA will review each plan submitted in terms of the four equally weighted principal objectives, and of such other elements of these principal objectives as are appropriate to address the opportunities and problems of each nominated area, which may include:

(a) The potential effectiveness of the strategic plan, in accordance with the key principles in § 25.202(a);

(b) The strategic plan must be administered in a manner consistent with the principles of the program contained in § 25.202(a).

(1) The lead entity must have legal status and authority to receive and administer funds pursuant to Federal, state and other government or nonprofit programs.

(2) The lead entity must have the capacity to implement the strategic plan, as demonstrated by audited financial statements as of the most recent fiscal year or other documentation that may be requested by USDA.

(3) The membership of the board must be representative of the entire socio-economic spectrum in the designated community including business, social service agencies, health and education entities, low income and minority residents. Board membership may be determined by either broad-based election or by appointment to meet this diversity requirement; however, not more than 45 percent of board members may be selected by appointment. Elections of community residents to the board may be done by any locally acceptable process; however, at least one board member from each of the designated community's census tracts must be elected and representative of the low income residents in their census tract. The Deputy Administrator, Office of Community Development, may waive the 45 percent maximum appointment limit only for Tribal Governmental Organizations where the Deputy Administrator determines, in writing, that a more representative board would be obtained through the appointment process.

(4) The relationship between the designated community's lead entity board and local governments and other major regional and community organizations operating in the same geographic area is critical to the community's success in implementing its strategic plan. Every effort should be made to identify and maintain relationships with local partners. Documentation including, but not limited to, minutes of meetings, benchmark activity reports and annual reports of the lead entity must reflect the contributions of local partnership entities.

(5) The designated community must have written procedures in place describing the means by which citizens of the community and partnership organizations will be kept informed of the community's activities and progress in implementing the strategic plan, consistent with the principal objective of community based partnerships pursuant to § 25.202(a)(2). These procedures must be kept current and compliance with them documented on an ongoing basis.

(5) The designated community must have written procedures in place describing the means by which citizens of the community and partnership organizations will be kept informed of the community's activities and progress in implementing the strategic plan, consistent with the principal objective of community based partnerships pursuant to § 25.202(a)(2). These procedures must be kept current and compliance with them documented on an ongoing basis.