§2009bb–4 Multistate and Local Development Districts and Organizations and Northern Great Plains Inc.

Summary

Defines which groups count as multistate or local development districts, how they can get federal help, what local lead groups must do, and what Northern Great Plains Inc. may do. A group qualifies if it was a planning district recognized by the Economic Development Administration on May 13, 2002, or if it is a nonprofit, a public multijurisdictional planning body, a state or local government instrumentality, an organization set up to help multistate cooperation, or a mix of those, and it allows broad community participation. The group must not have been certified by the Authority (after consulting the federal cochair or Secretary) as having misused federal grant money or having an officer who was tied to such misuse. The Authority may give grants to pay administrative costs. Grants can cover up to 80% of those costs and last no more than 3 years. Local contributions can be cash or things like space, equipment, or services. A local development district should act as the lead organization for multicounty areas unless the federal cochairperson names an Indian tribe or other multijurisdictional body instead. Northern Great Plains Inc., a Minnesota nonprofit tied to the Northern Great Plains Rural Development Commission, must be a main resource for the Authority on regional issues, advise on international trade, and may offer research, training, and other support or act on its own behalf.