---
kind: "section"
citation: "40 U.S.C. § 15901"
title: "40"
title_heading: "Public Buildings, Property, and Works"
number: "15901"
heading: "State capacity building grant program"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/40/15901"
units:
  - "Subtitle V — Regional Economic and Infrastructure Development"
  - "Chapter 159 — Additional Regional Commission Programs"
---

# §15901. State capacity building grant program

- (a) **Definitions.—** In this section:
  - (1) **Commission state.—** The term “[Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) State” means a State that contains 1 or more eligible counties.
  - (2) **Eligible county.—** The term “eligible county” means a county described in subchapter II of chapter 157.
  - (3) **Program.—** The term “program” means a State capacity building grant program established by a [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) under [subsection (b)](#b).
- (b) **Establishment.—** Each [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) shall establish a State capacity building grant program to provide grants to [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) States in the area served by the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) for the purposes described in [subsection (c)](#c).
- (c) **Purposes.—** The purposes of a program are to support the efforts of the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1)—
  - (1) to better support business retention and expansion in eligible counties;
  - (2) to create programs to encourage job creation and workforce development in eligible counties, including projects and activities, in coordination with other relevant [Federal agencies](/usc/40/102.md?p=5), to strengthen the water sector workforce and facilitate the sharing of best practices;
  - (3) to partner with universities in distressed counties (as designated under [section 15702(a)(1)](/usc/40/15702.md?p=a-1))—
    - (A) to strengthen the capacity in eligible counties to train new professionals in fields for which there is a shortage of workers;
    - (B) to increase local capacity in eligible counties for project management, project execution, and financial management; and
    - (C) to leverage funding sources for eligible counties;
  - (4) to prepare economic and infrastructure plans for eligible counties;
  - (5) to expand access to high-speed broadband in eligible counties;
  - (6) to provide technical assistance that results in [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) investments in transportation, water, wastewater, and other critical infrastructure;
  - (7) to promote workforce development in eligible counties to support resilient infrastructure projects;
  - (8) to develop initiatives to increase the effectiveness of [local development districts](/usc/40/15101.md?p=2) in eligible counties; and
  - (9) to implement new or innovative economic development practices that will better position eligible counties to compete in the global economy.
- (d) **Use of Funds.—**
  - (1) **In general.—** Funds from a grant under a program may be used to support a project, program, or related expense of the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) State in an eligible county.
  - (2) **Limitation.—** Funds from a grant under a program shall not be used for—
    - (A) the purchase of furniture, fixtures, or equipment;
    - (B) the compensation of—
      - (i) any State member of the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) (as described in [section 15301(b)(1)(B)](/usc/40/15301.md?p=b-1-B)); or
      - (ii) any State alternate member of the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) (as described in [section 15301(b)(2)(B)](/usc/40/15301.md?p=b-2-B)); or
    - (C) the cost of supplanting existing State programs.
- (e) **Annual Work Plan.—**
  - (1) **In general.—** For each fiscal year, before providing a grant under a program, each [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) State shall provide to the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) an annual work plan that includes the proposed use of the grant.
  - (2) **Approval.—** No grant under a program shall be provided to a [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) State unless the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) has approved the annual work plan of the State.
- (f) **Amount of Grant.—**
  - (1) **In general.—** The amount of a grant provided to a [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) State under a program for a fiscal year shall be based on the proportion that—
    - (A) the amount paid by the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) State (including any amounts paid on behalf of the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) State by a nonprofit organization) for administrative expenses for the applicable fiscal year (as determined under [section 15304(c)](/usc/40/15304.md?p=c)); bears to
    - (B) the amount paid by all [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) States served by the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) (including any amounts paid on behalf of a [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) State by a nonprofit organization) for administrative expenses for that fiscal year (as determined under that section).
  - (2) **Requirement.—** To be eligible to receive a grant under a program for a fiscal year, a [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) State (or a nonprofit organization on behalf of the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) State) shall pay the amount of administrative expenses of the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) State for the applicable fiscal year (as determined under [section 15304(c)](/usc/40/15304.md?p=c)).
  - (3) **Approval.—** For each fiscal year, a grant provided under a program shall be approved and made available as part of the approval of the annual budget of the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1).
- (g) **Grant Availability.—** Funds from a grant under a program shall be available only during the fiscal year for which the grant is provided.
- (h) **Report.—** Each fiscal year, each [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) State shall submit to the relevant [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) and make publicly available a report that describes the use of the grant funds and the impact of the program in the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) State.
- (i) **Continuation of Program Authority for Northern Border Regional Commission.—** With respect to the Northern Border Regional [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1), the program shall be a continuation of the program under section 6304(c) of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 ([40 U.S.C. 15501](/usc/40/15501.md) note; Public Law 115–334) (as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this section).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 118–272, div. B, title II, § 2248(a), Jan. 4, 2025, 138 Stat. 3205.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The date of enactment of this section, referred to in subsec. (i), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 118–272, which was approved Jan. 4, 2025.