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Rural Cooperative Development Grants. Grants are made to fund the establishment and operation of centers for rural cooperative development with their primary purpose being the improvement of economic conditions in rural areas. Grants may be made to nonprofit institutions or institutions of higher education. Grants may be used to pay up to 75 percent of the cost of the project and associated administrative costs. The applicant must contribute at least 25 percent from non-federal sources. Grants are competitive and are awarded based on specific selection criteria.

The Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA) Program. The program encourages agricultural producers to adopt sustainable agricultural practices that allow farmers to maintain or improve profits, produce high quality food and reduce adverse impacts to the environment. ATTRA is located on the University of Arkansas campus at Fayetteville, Arkansas, and functions as an information and technical assistance center staffed with sustainable agriculture specialists accessible nationally by toll-free telephone.

National Sheep Industry Improvement Center. The Center promotes strategic development activities to strengthen and enhance the production and marketing of sheep and goat products in the United States. It does this by encouraging infrastructure development, business development, market and environmental research, and designing unique responses which address the needs of the industries and ensures their long term, sustainable development. The Center has a Board of Directors that oversees its activities and operates a no-year revolving fund for loans, grants, and cooperative agreements. The Center is to be privatized upon receiving total appropriations of $50 million, or by April 4, 2006, whichever comes first.

Achievement of the FY 2001 Performance Goals and Indicators is contingent upon receiving the program resources outlined below.

Program Activity: Cooperative Development Programs	FY 1998 ACTUAL	FY 1999 ACTUAL	FY 2000 ESTIMATE	FY 2001 ESTIMATE
Program Levels	$3m	$3m	$16m	$17m

PERFORMANCE GOALS AND INDICATORS	FY 1998 ACTUAL	FY 1999 ACTUAL	FY 2000 TARGET	FY 2001 TARGET
Assist marketing networks and cooperative partnerships in the establishment and expansion of business outlets.
Number of technical assistance and educational services provided	326	215	200	200
Customer rated quality of technical assistance (0-5 rating scale)	4.4/5	3/5	3/5	3/5
Leverage of research expenditure (dollar value of RBS sponsored research per dollar of RBS research expenditures)	1.25	1.25	1.2	1.2
Research and educational materials provided to customers	105,096	99,600	100,000	100,000
Number of responses to inquiries for information	15,000	16,500	15,000	15,000
Direct resources to those rural communities and customers with the greatest need.
Service to poverty areas (number of improverished or economically depressed counties in which service was provided)	NA	NA	NA	NA

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