Northern Border Regional Development
Program Funding
Annual program obligations reported to SAM.gov.
Program Objective
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 60-county region of Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and 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, and competitive grant rounds are open twice a year.
Eligibility
Eligible Applicants
- U.S. State Government
- Department/Agency of U.S. State
- Federally Recognized Tribal Government
- Municipality/Township Government
- County Government
- Local Government Consortium
- Nonprofit Organization
- Not-for-Profit Organization
Government - General
· Interstate
· Intrastate
· State (includes District of Columbia, public institutions of higher education and hospitals)
· Local (includes State-designated lndian Tribes, excludes institutions of higher education and hospitals
· Public nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals)
· Other public institution/organization
· Federally Recognized lndian Tribal Governments
· Private nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals)
· Quasi-public nonprofit institution/organization
· State
Beneficiaries
- Unrestricted by Entity Type
No additional information.
How to Apply
Award Procedure
All Direct Grants are reimbursement based. Applicants must sign NBRC Grant Agreement, pursuant to 2 CFR 200. Applicants must further complete NEPA, before NBRC will issue a Notice to Proceed. Awards are approved by the Commission, and all applicants must be SAM.gov banking-enabled.
Decision Timeline
- Approval: From 15 to 30 days
- Appeal: From 15 to 30 days
All applications and pre-applications are first reviewed for eligibility. Upon being invited to apply, applicants are instructed to review Direct Grant program materials, which share scoring criteria. These include Approach and Methodology, Budget Documentation, Capacity and Qualifications, Project Readiness, Project Impact and Economic Impact.
Program details & compliance
Description
A Commission may make grants to States and local governments, Indian tribes, and public and nonprofit organizations for projects, approved in accordance with section 15503—
(1) to develop the transportation infrastructure of its region;
(2) to develop the basic public infrastructure of its region;
(3) to develop the telecommunications infrastructure of its region;
(4) to assist its region in obtaining job skills training, skills development and employment-related education, entrepreneurship, technology, and business development;
(5) to provide assistance to severely economically distressed and underdeveloped areas of its region that lack financial resources for improving basic health care and other public services;
(6) to promote resource conservation, tourism, recreation, and preservation of open space in a manner consistent with economic development goals;
(7) to promote the development of renewable and alternative energy sources;
(8) to grow the capacity for successful community economic development in its region; and
(9) to otherwise achieve the purposes of this subtitle.
And the Commission invests in the growth of the forest economy sector.
Mission Categories
Primary: Economic Development
Other categories:
ForestrySmall Business
Use of Funds
Allowed Uses
Eligible purposes include transportation infrastructure, basic public infrastructure, telecommunication infrastructure, business and workforce development, basic healthcare, and resource conservation, tourism and recreation. Detailed definitions are found at nbrc.gov
Restrictions
• Application preparation • Food and beverages* • Travel* • Meals and lodging* • Alcohol • Entertainment • Appraisals of property to be purchased or used as match • Allowance or payment of debts • Maintenance, including routine, deferred, and short-term operational needs • Any costs committed or spent before receiving a Partial and/or Full Notice to Proceed from NBRC. This includes NBRC award funds, and any funds documented as match for the project
Matching Requirements
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
Reporting & Compliance
Applicable 2 CFR 200 Subparts
- Subpart B — General Provisions
- Subpart C — Pre-Federal Award Requirements
- Subpart D — Post-Federal Award Requirements
- Subpart E — Cost Principles
- Subpart F — Audit Requirements
Formula
Maximum Commission Contributions.—
(1) In general.—Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), the Commission may contribute not more than 50 percent of a project or activity cost eligible for financial assistance under this section from amounts appropriated to carry out this subtitle.
(2) Distressed counties.—The maximum Commission contribution for a project or activity to be carried out in a county for which a distressed county designation is in effect under section 15702 may be increased to 80 percent.
(3) Special rule for regional projects.—A Commission may increase to 60 percent under paragraph (1) and 90 percent under paragraph (2) the maximum Commission contribution for a project or activity if—
(A) the project or activity involves 3 or more counties or more than one State; and
(B) the Commission determines in accordance with section 15302(a) that the project or activity will bring significant interstate or multicounty benefits to a region.