---
kind: "section"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 690h"
title: "15"
title_heading: "Commerce and Trade"
number: "690h"
heading: "Operational assistance grants"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/690h"
units:
  - "Chapter 14B — Small Business Investment Program"
  - "Subchapter III — Investment Division Programs"
  - "Part C — Renewable Fuel Capital Investment Pilot Program"
---

# §690h. Operational assistance grants

- (a) **In general—**
  - (1) **Authority—** The [Administrator](/usc/15/662.md?p=2) may make grants to [Renewable Fuel Capital Investment companies](/usc/15/690.md?p=4) to provide [operational assistance](/usc/15/689.md?p=5) to [smaller enterprises](/usc/15/662.md?p=12) financed, or expected to be financed, by such [companies](/usc/15/662.md?p=3) or other entities.
  - (2) **Terms—** A grant under this subsection shall be made over a multiyear period not to exceed 10 years, under such other terms as the [Administrator](/usc/15/662.md?p=2) may require.
  - (3) **Grant amount—** The amount of a grant made under this subsection to a [Renewable Fuel Capital Investment company](/usc/15/690.md?p=4) shall be equal to the lesser of—
    - (A) 10 percent of the resources (in cash or in-kind) raised by the [company](/usc/15/662.md?p=3) under [section 690c(d)(2) of this title](/usc/15/690c.md?p=d-2); or
    - (B) $1,000,000.
  - (4) **Pro rata reductions—** If the amount made available to carry out this section is insufficient for the [Administrator](/usc/15/662.md?p=2) to provide grants in the amounts provided for in [paragraph (3)](#a-3), the [Administrator](/usc/15/662.md?p=2) shall make pro rata reductions in the amounts otherwise payable to each [company](/usc/15/662.md?p=3) and entity under such paragraph.
  - (5) **Grants to conditionally approved companies—**
    - (A) **In general—** Subject to subparagraphs [(B)](#a-5-B) and [(C)](#a-5-C), upon the request of a [company](/usc/15/662.md?p=3) conditionally approved under [section 690c(c) of this title](/usc/15/690c.md?p=c), the [Administrator](/usc/15/662.md?p=2) shall make a grant to the [company](/usc/15/662.md?p=3) under this subsection.
    - (B) **Repayment by companies not approved—** If a [company](/usc/15/662.md?p=3) receives a grant under this paragraph and does not enter into a [participation agreement](/usc/15/689.md?p=6) for final approval, the [company](/usc/15/662.md?p=3) shall, subject to controlling Federal law, repay the amount of the grant to the [Administrator](/usc/15/662.md?p=2).
    - (C) **Deduction of grant to approved company—** If a [company](/usc/15/662.md?p=3) receives a grant under this paragraph and receives final approval under [section 690c(e) of this title](/usc/15/690c.md?p=e), the [Administrator](/usc/15/662.md?p=2) shall deduct the amount of the grant from the total grant amount the [company](/usc/15/662.md?p=3) receives for [operational assistance](/usc/15/689.md?p=5).
    - (D) **Amount of grant—** No [company](/usc/15/662.md?p=3) may receive a grant of more than $100,000 under this paragraph.
- (b) **Supplemental grants—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Administrator](/usc/15/662.md?p=2) may make supplemental grants to [Renewable Fuel Capital Investment companies](/usc/15/690.md?p=4) and to other entities, as authorized by this part, under such terms as the [Administrator](/usc/15/662.md?p=2) may require, to provide additional [operational assistance](/usc/15/689.md?p=5) to [smaller enterprises](/usc/15/662.md?p=12) financed, or expected to be financed, by the [companies](/usc/15/662.md?p=3).
  - (2) **Matching requirement—** The [Administrator](/usc/15/662.md?p=2) may require, as a condition of any supplemental grant made under this subsection, that the [company](/usc/15/662.md?p=3) or entity receiving the grant provide from resources (in a[^1] cash or in kind), other then[^2] those provided by the [Administrator](/usc/15/662.md?p=2), a matching contribution equal to the amount of the supplemental grant.
- (c) **Limitation—** None of the assistance made available under this section may be used for any overhead or general and administrative expense of a [Renewable Fuel Capital Investment company](/usc/15/690.md?p=4).

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. The article probably should not appear.
[^2]: So in original. Probably should be “than”.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 85–699, title III, § 389, as added Pub. L. 110–140, title XII, § 1207, Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1781.)