Northern Border Regional Development

 

The Northern Border Regional Commission is a Federal-State governmental agency concerned with the economic well-being of the citizens, businesses, and communities within a thirty-six (36) county region of Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. (12 counties in Maine, 4 counties in New Hampshire, 14 counties in New York, and six counties in Vermont). The region has had chronic and continuous long-term economic distress. The NBRC partnership is made up of a Federal Co-Chair and the Governors of the four participating States.

Active 90.601 Northern Border Regional Commission B - Project Grants Fiscal Year 2017 1
Fiscal Year 2015 25 awards
Fiscal Year 2016 42 awards The 2008 Farm Bill, Public Law 110-346, Statute 122,2230 No additional information. No additional information. Not applicable. Preapplication coordination is required. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. An environmental impact assessment is not required for this listing. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. No Pre-application is required, however, a Letter of Intent to Apply is highly recommend. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. No additional procedures. The application may vary from year to year. Review application Program Manual and other materials at www.nbrc.gov. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines Not applicable. Not applicable. Not applicable. Each State scores the applications received within their state independently. Generally, each state creates a team of reviewers and in addition have access to a group of consultants as referrals who have specialized knowledge on scientific or technical expert opinion to provide guidance when needed. Final decisions about awards are approved jointly between the Federal Co-Chair and the Governor's Alternates (the five members that make up the Northern Border Regional Commission). The scoring system for each state is provided below. If the application is for a multi-state project, each state will score the application independently. While States will consult with one another in order to strive for consistency, a multi-state application may be awarded in one state and not in another. The following funding categories represent eligible activities for NBRC investment dollars. **TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE: Transportation Infrastructure shall mean basic physical structures needed to support and/or create a transportation system; A term connoting the physical underpinnings of transportation systems, including, but not limited to, roads, bridges, rail, port facilities, airports, transit, and sidewalks. In transit systems, all the fixed components of the transit system, such as rights-of-way, tracks, signal equipment, stations, park-and-ride lots, bus stops, maintenance facilities. Regular maintenance or deferred maintenance, such as funding for resurfacing, restoring, rehabilitating and reconstructing will NOT be eligible for funding. Federal roads and bridges will NOT be eligible for funding. **TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE: Broadband and Geographic Information System (GIS) projects (not to include speculative or feasibility-type studies – rather, complete and sustainable projects) will be considered. The physical components of interrelated systems providing services essential to enable, sustain, or enhance communications that encourage business growth and development. Applicants should identify gaps in current regional inventory of telecommunication needs. The gap between a community’s broadband today (existing infrastructure, including capacity, speed and pricing, and level of adoption) and its needs should define the type, technology, size and scale of the project. **BASIC PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE: The term “Basic Public Infrastructure” shall mean water and wastewater facilities, electric and gas utilities, and solid waste landfills - or any structures that aid in the reduction of the need for landfills such as recycling and composting, all of which are fundamental services necessary to promote growth and attract business and which have a useful life of 20 years or more. NBRC investments funds will NOT be used for projects deemed to be “Maintenance” or “Deferred Maintenance.” Maintenance shall mean the work of keeping something in proper condition or upkeep. Deferred Maintenance shall mean to put off, postpone, or procrastinate the act of maintenance. **BUSINESS AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: Business Development shall mean those areas of business development which include entrepreneurship, the creation of new businesses or the retention or expansion of existing businesses in the local communities, and are deemed eligible, projects shall document job-creation or job-retention. Funding of start-up projects, such as business incubators or industrial parks, must have committed business tenants. Expansion of existing business incubators and industrial parks are also allowed. Business Incubator projects must document that a need exists, per standards of research described by the International Business Innovation Association. A plan should also be developed to coincide with standards and operations as set forth by the International Business Innovation Association. “Business Incubation” shall mean a business support process that accelerates the successful development of start-up and fledgling companies by providing entrepreneurs with an array of targeted resources and services. Workforce Development shall mean job training or employment-related education for a specific employer to fill immediate job openings or retain current jobs which are documented as such by that specific employer. Delivery of such training shall be through the use of existing public educational facilities (EPEFs) located in the Region. However, if, the applicant demonstrates (1) sufficient information demonstrating an EPEFs inability (as example, insufficient capacity, curriculum, and/or accessibility) to satisfy the defined need, and the applicant (2) demonstrates a compelling need to use a non-EPEF for such training, then the Federal Co-Chairman can waive this requirement and deem a project eligible. To be deemed eligible, project shall document job-creation or job-retention. Other than for “Workforce Development” projects, as described above, start up or ongoing, operating costs (including, but, not limited to, salaries, vehicles, equipment, and maintenance) will NOT be deemed eligible. BASIC HEALTH CARE: The cost of basic health care facilities, such as clinics, will be eligible. Operating costs of facilities will NOT be deemed eligible. RESOURCE CONSERVATION, TOURISM, RECREATION: While easements and land purchases are eligible under the federal criteria, an economic development case needs to be made to substantiate the use of funds. Construction projects that promote resource conservation, tourism, recreation, and preservation of open space, such as access roads, bridges, signage, etc., are eligible projects. All projects must also be consistent with the economic development goals of the region. **RENEWABLE AND ALTERNATIVE ENERGY: Renewables are generally defined as any naturally occurring, theoretically inexhaustible source of energy, such as biomass, solar, wind, tidal, wave, and hydroelectric power, that is not derived from fossil or nuclear fuel. Facilities that are owned by a for profit entity will NOT be eligible. Publicly owned and non-profit entities are eligible. Performance Reports: As outlined in the GPRA Following 2CFR200. Project files should be saved for a period of three years from project close out. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching is voluntary. By statute (40 U.S.C. §15702) the NBRC is required to annually assess the level of economic and demographic distress among the 36 counties in its service area. Assessing distress is important as the resulting designations reflect whether or not the NBRC can provide grants within a county as well as what level of match is required of NBRC funded projects. Counties are designated as either: Distressed- and are eligible for 80% funding and require a 20% match Transitional - and are eligible for 50% funding and require a 50% match Attainment - are not eligible for funding expect for certain circumstances. In general, NBRC funds may not be provided to projects located within a designated “Attainment County.” However, if a municipality is distressed or the project has a greater effect on distressed and transitional counties surrounding it, there is a possibility that it could be an eligible project see the Program Director. www.nbrc.gov

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. The grant agreement stipulates the time period for completion of the project. All projects must be completed within three years from the date of the grant award. Grantee submits periodic Requests for Reimbursement (SF-270) during the project phase, with 5% withheld until receipt of final closeout. None/Not specified. Mark Scarano
53 Pleasant Street, Suite 3602

Concord, NH 03301 US
admin@nbrc.gov
Phone: 603-369-3001 http://www.nbrc.gov 57-3374-2-0-000 (Project Grants) FY 17 Estimate Not Available FY 15$5,000,000.00; FY 16 est $7,500,000.00; Range up to 250,000 Average $182,000 See www.nbrc.gov Not applicable.