Solid Waste Management Grant Program

Purpose: To evaluate current landfill conditions to determine threats to water resources. Provide technical assistance and/or training to enhance operator skills in the operation and maintenance of active landfills. Provide technical assistance and/or training to help communities reduce the solid waste stream. Provide technical assistance and/or training for operators of landfills which are closed or will be closed in the near future with the development and implementation of closure plans, future land use plans, safety and maintenance planning, and closure scheduling within permit requirements.

Eligibility:

Entities eligible for Solid Waste Management (SWM) grants are:

1. Private nonprofit organizations with tax exempt status designated by the Internal Revenue Service. A nonprofit organization is defined as any corporation, trust, association, cooperative, or other organization that:
1. Is operated primarily for scientific, education, service, charitable, or similar purposes in the public interest.
2. Is not organized primarily for profit.
3. Uses its net proceeds to maintain, improve, and/or expand its operations.
2. Public bodies.
3. Federally acknowledged or State recognized Native American tribe or group.
4. Academic institutions.

• Entities must be legally established and located within a state as defined in 1775.2.
• Organizations must be incorporated by December 31 of the year the application period occurs to be eligible for funds.
• Private businesses, Federal agencies, and individuals are ineligible for these grants.

Applicants must also have the proven ability; background; experience, as evidenced by the organization's satisfactory completion of project(s) similar to those proposed; legal authority; and actual capacity to provide technical assistance and/or training on a regional basis to associations as provided in 1775.63. Associations are defined as an entity, including a small city or town, that is eligible for Rural Utilities Service (RUS) water and waste financial assistance in accordance with RUS Regulation 1780, part 7. To meet the requirement of actual capacity, an applicant must either:

1. Have the necessary resources to provide technical assistance and/or training to associations in rural areas through its staff, or
2. Be assisted by an affiliate or member organization which has such background and experience and which agrees, in writing, that it will provide the assistance, or
3. Contract with a nonaffiliated organization for not more than 49 percent of the grant to provide the proposed assistance.

Applications will be accepted from October 1 through December 31 of each calendar year. Applications may be hand-delivered to the State Office by close of business December 31, or postmarked by midnight December 31 to be considered submitted on time. Applications received after December 31 will NOT be considered in that year's review and will be returned to the applicant.

Requirements:

Applicant will provide:

1. An original and one copy of SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance (for non-construction).
1. For projects that will serve only one state, the application and other forms will be submitted to the local State Rural Development office.
2. For projects that will serve multiple states, the application and other forms will be submitted to the National USDA, Rural Utilities Service office.
2. Evidence of applicant's legal existence and authority in the form of certified copies of organizational documents and a certified list of directors and officers with their respective terms.
3. Evidence of tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service (for non- profits).
4. Brief written narrative which includes:

a. The need for the project/service.
b. The proposed service(s) to be provided.
c. The benefits of the technical assistance and/or training.
d. Areas to be served, including population and non-metropolitan median household income information.
e. Name of association(s) or type of association(s) that will be served.
f. Experience of the applicant to provide the proposed service, including experience of key staff members and person(s) providing the technical assistance and/or training.
g. The number of months duration of the project or service, and the estimated time from grant approval to beginning of project or service.
h. Method used to select the association(s) that will receive the service.
i. Brief description of how the service will be provided, whether through currently employed personnel or through contracted personnel.
j. Clearly defined goals and objectives and how they will be measured. k. Evaluation method to determine if objective(s) or the proposed activity is being accomplished.
l. Plans for increased self-sustainability for the project/service in future years.

• Latest financial information to show the applicant's financial capacity to carry out the proposed work. A current audit report is preferred. At a minimum, the information should include a balance sheet and an income statement.
• Estimated breakdown of costs including those to be funded by the applicant as well as from other sources.
• Budget and accounting system in place or proposed.
• Provide the Dunn; Bradstreet D-U-N-S number (Data Numbering System) for the organization - if you do not have a DUNS number, go to the web site www.dnb.com to apply. There is no charge for this service, and the number will be received within 30 business days, according to the information on the web site.

Limitations:

Grant funds may NOT be used to:

1. Recruit applications for the Agency’s water and waste loan and/or any loan and/or grant program.
2. Duplicate current services, replacement or substitution of support previously provided such as those performed by an association’s consultant in developing a project.
3. Fund political activities.
4. Pay for capital assets, the purchase of real estate or vehicles, improve and renovate office space, or repair and maintain privately owned property.
5. Pay for construction or operation and maintenance costs.
6. Pay for costs incurred prior to the effective date of the grant.
7. Pay for technical assistance which duplicates assistance provided to implement an action plan funded by the Forest Service (FS) under the National Forest-Dependent Rural Communities Economic Diversification Act (7U.S.C. 6601 note) for five continuous years from the date of grant approval by the FS. To avoid duplicate assistance, coordinate with the State Rural Development office and the Forest Service before submitting an application.

Required Forms

Standard Form 424 Application for Federal Assistance for Non-construction Programs

Standard Form 424A Budget Information for Non-construction Programs

Standard Form 424B Assurances Non-construction Programs

Form AD 1047 Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension & Other Responsibility Matters Primary Covered Transactions

Form AD 1048 Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion - Lower Tier Covered Transactions Form

AD 1049 Certification Regarding Drug-free Workplace Requirements

RD Instruction 1940-Q Exhibit A-1 Disclosure for Lobbying Activities ($100,000) (See your local RD Office.)

Form RD 400-1 Equal Opportunity Agreement

Form RD 400-4 Assurance Agreement

Other forms may be required for approved grants and will be requested at that time by the National Office or the State Rural Development Office.

If you have any questions regarding the Federal Regulation 7 CFR 1775 or the RUS Guide 1775-2, as it pertains to Solid Waste Management Grants, please contact:
LaVonda Pernell, Loan Specialist
202-720-9635 or lavonda.pernell@wdc.usda.gov

Evaluation Procedure:

Applications will be accepted from October 1 through December 31 of each calendar year. Notification of awards will be mailed to the Applicant on or around Earth Day (April 22nd) of the following year. Priority will be given to applications using the following criteria:

a. Applicant demonstrated capability and past performance in providing technical assistance and/or training to rural associations.

b. The extent to which the population of the associations served has low income.

c. Service being provided is to areas with populations below 5,500 or 2,500.

d. Applicant or other sources in-kind contributions that combine with the requested funds to maximize service performed.

e. Technical assistance and/or training will be directly delivered to staff of the associations being served.

f. Applicants proposing to serve regional, multi-state, or nationwide areas.

g. Applicants whose timeframe for completion of service/project is 12 months or less.

h. The extent to which the service/project will be cost effective.

i. Applicants whose proposed service/project coincides with the given objectives of the program given above.

Applicants will be notified using Form AD-622 "Notice of Pre-Application Review Action" indicating the action taken on the application:

a. Ineligible applicants will be notified and advised of their appeal rights.

b. Eligible but not funded applicants will be notified and advised against incurring obligations that cannot be fulfilled without Agency funds. The application will not be retained for future yearsconsideration.

c. Eligible and selected for funding applicant will be notified and instructed on how to complete required forms for funding.

NOTE: If the applicant does not submit the necessary forms within 30 days from the date on the Form AD-622, the Agency may discontinue consideration of the application.

Where to apply: Applications are accepted at any time through our Rural Development State and Area Offices. To locate an office near you go to http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/recd_map.html

FY 2013 Application Guide for the SWM/TAT grant program

FY 2012 Solid Waste Management Grant Recipients

FY 2011 Solid Waste Management Grant Recipients