NASULGC's Farm Bill Provisions

453. Rural Entrepreneurship Development Program

Summary<= /o:p>

Authorizes $20 million annually for a program of rur= al entrepreneurship research and education projects, with the advice and assistance of certain regional rural development centers and Regional Administrative Councils.<= o:p>

Legislative Language

SEC. 453. RURAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM .

(a) RESEARCH PROJECTS REQUIRED.—The Secretary shall conduct research and education projec= ts to obtain data, develop conclusions, demonstrate technologies, and facili= tate multi-jurisdictional initiatives that promote the purposes of this sectio= n, including research and education projects that— <= /p>

(1) facilitate and increase investigation and education in order to—

(A) provide the necessary education, training, and technical assistance in high schools, community colleges, colleges, universities and through non-formal outreach education delivery systems to start up and grow rural businesses;

(B) provide the necessary education, training, and technical assistance in English as well as other languages serving the needs of minority and immigrant populations; <= /o:p>

(D) determine the best meth= ods to train entrepreneurs in preparing business plans, recordkeeping, compliance with tax rules, financial management, and general business practices;

(E) promote entrepreneurship among rural youth, minority populations, women, and low-income rural residents; and

(F) create networks of entr= epreneurial support and enabling culture among the business community, government at = all levels, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and other sect= ors; and

(2) facilitate the conduct = of projects in order to—

(A) study, to the extent pr= acticable, the unique entrepreneurial development systems that best align with the unique needs and strengths of rural areas and rural communities;

(B) study rural entrepreneu= rs and the education, training, and technical assistance they employ;

(C) study rural entrepreneu= rial development organizations with regard to the education, training, and technical assistance they provide, and determine what are the most promis= ing strategies for building a more integrated system of program delivery to r= ural entrepreneurs;

(D) take advantage of the experience and expertise of rural entrepreneurs and rural entrepreneurial development organizations through their direct participation and leadersh= ip in projects;

(E) transfer practical, rel= iable, and timely information to rural entrepreneurs and rural entrepreneurial development organizations concerning entrepreneurial education, training, technical assistance, and the development of local and regional entrepreneurial systems in rural areas and rural communities; =

(F) promote partnerships am= ong rural entrepreneurs, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions at= all levels, and governmental institutions and agencies at all levels; and

(G) pro= vide assistance to local governments regarding the important mix of policies a= nd programs that can help create and promote entrepreneurial-ready communiti= es in rural America.

(b) AGREEMENTS.— The Secretary shall carry out this section through agreements entered into wi= th land-grant colleges or universities (including their State Cooperative Extension Services, Agricultural Experiment Stations, and their Regional Rural Development Centers), other universities or colleges, community colleges and other two-year institutions of higher education, elementary = and secondary schools, the State cooperative extension services, nonprofit organizations, or Federal, State or local governmental entities. All agreements shall be awarded on a competitive basis according to criteria = set forth by the Regional Administrative Councils established under subsection (f).

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall select projects to be carried out under this section on t= he basis of—–

(A) the relevance of the pr= oject to the purposes of this section;

(B) the appropriateness of = the design of the project;

(D) the= national or regional applicability of the findings and outcomes of the proposed project.

(2) PRIORITY.—In carr= ying out projects under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to projects that—

(A) closely coordinate rese= arch and education activities (including outreach education efforts);

(B) will best disseminate t= he findings of the project in a readily usable manner to rural entrepreneurs= and to rural community leaders;

(D) involve a multidiscipli= nary systems approach; and

(E) inv= olve cooperation between rural entrepreneurs, nonprofit organizations, entrepr= eneurial development organizations, educational institutions at all levels, and government agencies at all levels.

(3) PROJECT DURATION.—= ;The Secretary may approve projects to be conducted under this section that ha= ve a duration of more than 1 fiscal year.

(d) DIVERSIFICATION OF RESEARCH.—The Secretary shall conduct projects and studies under th= is section in areas that are broadly representative of the diversity of the rural areas of the Unites States and the diversity of rural entrepreneurs= hip in the United States, including entrepreneurship involving youth, racial groups, microenterprises, and women, with a f= ocus on either food and other agriculturally-based businesses (but not directly production agriculture), or non-agricultural business. =

(e) PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION.—The Secretary shall—

(1) administer the programs= and projects conducted under subsection (a) through the Cooperative State Research Service in close cooperation with the Extension Service, Agricultural Research Service (or its successor agency), and other appropriate agencies;

(2) establish a minimum of 4 Regional Administrative Councils in accordance with subsection (f); and <= o:p>

(3) wit= h the advice of the Regional Administrative Councils, identify the applicab= le regional rural development center as the regional host institution or organization responsible for carrying out such programs or projects, or identify another regional host institution where appropriate. =

(f) REGIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCILS.—

(1) MEMBERSHIP.—The membership of the Regional Administrative Councils shall include representatives of—

(A) nonprofit organizations= that are involved in the direct services to rural entrepreneurs, small busines= ses, and microenterprises, or that have demonstrab= le experience in rural entrepreneurship;

(B) regional and state agen= cies involved in rural economic development;

(C) State Cooperative Exten= sion Services in the region that are involved in providing direct services to rural entrepreneurs, small businesses, and microente= rprises, or to rural communities that are engaged in entrepreneurship development efforts;

(D) representatives from philanthropic organizations with a strong interest in rural entrepreneurs= hip and rural development activities in the region;

(E) self-employed rural entrepreneurs and owners of rural small businesses with more than 5 and f= ewer than 50 employees;

(F) institutions of higher education with demonstrable experience in rural entrepreneurship or relat= ed activities;

(G) elementary and secondary educators with demonstrable experience in rural entrepreneurship;

(H) the director or representative of the R= egional Rural Development Center located in= the region;

(I) owners of rural busines= ses with 5 or fewer employees;

(J) State cooperative exten= sion services with demonstrable experience in rural entrepreneurship;

(K) nonprofit organizations= with demonstrable experience in rural entrepreneurship;

(L) tribal governments; and=

(M) oth= er persons knowledgeable about rural entrepreneurship and its impact on rural communities.

(2) RESPONSIBILITIES .̵= 2; The Regional Administrative Councils shall—

(A) promote the programs established under this section at the regional level; <= /p>

(B) establish goals and cri= teria for the selection of projects authorized under this section within the applicable region;

(C) appoint a technical com= mittee to evaluate the proposals for projects to be considered for selection und= er this section;

(D) review the recommendati= ons of the technical committee, and coordinate its activities with the regional = host institution; and

(E) pre= pare and make available an annual report concerning projects funded under this section, together with an evaluation of the project activity.<= /span>

(3) CONFLICT OF INTEREST.&#= 8212;A member of the Regional Administrative Council or a technical committee may not participate in the discussion or recommendation of a proposed project= if the member has or had a professional or business interest in, including t= he provision of consultancy services to, the organization whose proposal is under review.

(4) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2014, = to remain available until expended.