Rural Grants Transparency Act
Sponsored By: Representative Letlow, Julia [R-LA-5]
Introduced
Summary
This bill would create _Rural Grant Transparency Roadmaps_ to make USDA Rural Development grant programs easier to find, understand, and apply to. It would also require standardized applicant notices and a public, searchable awards database.
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- Rural applicants: Would get a plain-language Roadmap for each covered program with a step-by-step application guide, a standardized checklist, links to forms, common reasons for rejection, and summaries of evaluation criteria for competitive grants. Roadmaps must be accessible to people with disabilities and updated quarterly (at least every 90 days).
- Local communities and stakeholders: A public, searchable database updated quarterly would list award recipient, county or parish, award amount, program name, and a short project description while protecting personal and confidential business information.
- USDA field offices and staff: Would publish program-specific scoring factors, weights, and tie-breaker rules for competitive programs, post specific program contact information, and provide annual training on the Roadmaps and common applicant challenges. Implementation is required within 180 days of enactment.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Public searchable rural grant awards list
If enacted, the bill would require USDA to keep a public, searchable database of awards for each covered program. The database would be updated at least every 90 days and show the recipient name, county or parish, award amount, program name, and a short project description. USDA would be prohibited from disclosing personal or confidential business information.
Plain language roadmaps for rural grants
If enacted, the bill would require USDA to publish a plain-language Rural Grant Transparency Roadmap for each covered program. Roadmaps would explain how to apply step-by-step, list required documents, show evaluation criteria for competitive grants, common reasons for rejection, and state office contacts. USDA would update each Roadmap at least every 90 days and host them on one accessible webpage. The bill would also set definitions, require implementation within 180 days, and say it does not authorize new appropriations.
Standard application notices for rural grants
If enacted, the bill would require USDA to send standard application notices at key steps. Notices would confirm receipt, say whether an application is complete or missing items, note when it advances to review, and report awards or denials. Denial notices would include a plain-language summary of the most determinative evaluation criteria and tips to strengthen future applications. Agencies should use existing systems to send these notices.
Yearly training for local rural offices
If enacted, the bill would require annual training for State, parish, and county rural development offices. Training would cover the Roadmap, common challenges applicants face, and how to give accurate, consistent help to rural applicants. Existing USDA personnel would carry out the training.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Letlow, Julia [R-LA-5]
LA • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov