Agency. The Federal agency within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) with responsibility assigned by the Secretary of Agriculture to administer the RBOG Program. At the time of publication, that agency is the Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
Best practice project. An action that has potential applicability in other rural communities and which potentially has instructional value when shared with those communities.
Business support centers. Centers established to provide assistance to businesses in such areas as counseling, business planning, training, management assistance, marketing information, and locating financing for business operations. The centers need not be located in a rural area, but must provide assistance to businesses located in rural areas.
Economic development. The industrial, business and financial augmentation of an area as evidenced by increases in total income, employment opportunities, value of production, duration of employment, or diversification of industry, reduced outmigration, higher labor force participation rates or wage levels, or gains in other measurements of economic activity, such as land values.
Long-term. The period of time covered by the three most recent decennial censuses of the United States to the present.
Planning. A process to coordinate economic development activities, develop guides for action, or otherwise assist local community leaders in the economic development of rural areas.
Priority communities. Communities targeted for Agency assistance as determined by the USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development. Priority communities are those that are experiencing trauma due to natural disasters or are undertaking or completing fundamental structural changes, have remained persistently poor, or have experienced long-term population decline or job deterioration.
Project. The result of the use of grant funds provided under this subpart through technical assistance or planning relating to the economic development of a rural area.
Rural and rural area. Any area other than a city or town that has a population of greater than 50,000 inhabitants including the urbanized area contiguous and adjacent to such a city or town. The population figure used must be in accordance with the latest decennial census of the United States.
State. Any of the 50 States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
Sustainable development. Development planned and designed to consider and balance environmental quality, economic needs, and social concerns.
Technical assistance. A nonconstruction, problem solving activity performed for the benefit of a business or community to assist in the economic development of a rural area. The Agency will determine whether a specific activity qualifies as technical assistance.
United States. The 50 States of the United States of America, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. [64 FR 71986, Dec. 23, 1999, as amended at 67 FR 63538, Oct. 15, 2002] Sec. Sec. 4284.604-4287.619 [Reserved]