[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 13, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 13CFR301.4]

[Page 601-603]
 
                TITLE 13--BUSINESS CREDIT AND ASSISTANCE
 
CHAPTER III--ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
 
PART 301_ELIGIBILITY, INVESTMENT RATE AND PROPOSAL AND APPLICATION 
 
       Subpart D_Investment Rates and Matching Share Requirements
 
Sec.  301.4  Investment rates.


    (a) Minimum Investment Rate. There is no minimum Investment Rate for 
a Project.
    (b) Maximum Investment Rate.
    (1) General rule. Except as otherwise provided by this paragraph (b) 
or paragraph (c) of this section, the maximum EDA Investment Rate for 
all Projects shall, after the application of Table 1 in paragraph 
(b)(1)(ii) of this subsection, not exceed the sum of: (x)

[[Page 602]]

Fifty (50) percent, plus (y) up to an additional thirty (30) percent 
based on the relative needs of the Region in which the Project is 
located, as determined by EDA.
    (i)(A) Relative needs. In determining the relative needs of the 
Region in which the Project is located, EDA will prioritize allocations 
of its Investment Assistance to ensure that the level of economic 
distress of a Region, rather than a preference for a specific geographic 
area or a specific type of economic distress, is the primary factor in 
allocating its Investment Assistance. In making this determination, EDA 
will take into consideration the following measures of economic 
distress:
    (1) The severity of the unemployment rate and the duration of the 
unemployment in the Region;
    (2) The per capita income levels and the extent of underemployment 
in the Region;
    (3) The outmigration of population and the extent to which such 
outmigration is causing economic injury in the Region; and
    (4) Such other factors as EDA deems relevant in determining the 
relative needs of the Region in which the Project is located.
    (B) A Project is eligible for the maximum allowable Investment Rate 
as determined by EDA between the time EDA receives the application for 
Investment Assistance and the time that EDA awards Investment Assistance 
to the Project; however, the burden is on the Eligible Applicant to 
establish the relative needs of the Region in which the Project is 
located.
    (ii) Table 1. Table 1 of this paragraph sets forth the maximum 
allowable Investment Rate for Projects located in Regions subject to 
certain levels of economic distress. In cases where Table 1 produces 
divergent results (i.e., where Table 1 produces more than one (1) 
maximum allowable Investment Rate based on the Region's levels of 
economic distress), the higher Investment Rate produced by Table 1 shall 
be the maximum allowable Investment Rate for the Project.

                                 Table 1
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              Maximum
                                                             allowable
          Projects located in regions in which:             investment
                                                               rates
                                                           (percentage)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(A) The twenty-four (24) month unemployment rate is at                80
 least 225% of the national average; or.................
(B) The per capita income is not more than 50% of the                 80
 national average.......................................
(C) The twenty-four (24) month unemployment rate is at                70
 least 200% of the national average; or.................
(D) The per capita income is not more than 60% of the                 70
 national average.......................................
(E) The twenty-four (24) month unemployment rate is at                60
 least 175% of the national average; or.................
(F) The per capita income is not more than 65% of the                 60
 national average.......................................
(G) The twenty-four (24) month unemployment rate is at                50
 least 1% greater than the national average; or.........
(H) The per capita income is not more than 80% of the                 50
 national average.......................................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (2) Projects subject to a Special Need. EDA shall determine the 
maximum allowable Investment Rate for Projects subject to a Special Need 
(as determined by EDA pursuant to Sec.  301.3(a)(1)(iii)) based on the 
actual or threatened overall economic situation of the Region in which 
the Project is located. However, unless the Project is eligible for a 
higher Investment Rate pursuant to paragraph (b)(5) of this section, the 
maximum Investment Rate for any Project subject to a Special Need shall 
be eighty (80) percent.
    (3) Projects under part 303.
    (i) The minimum Investment Rate for Projects under part 303 of this 
chapter shall be fifty (50) percent.
    (ii) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b)(3)(iii) of this 
section or in paragraph (b)(5) of this section, the maximum allowable 
Investment Rate for Projects under part 303 of this chapter shall be the 
maximum allowable Investment Rate set forth in Table 1 for the most 
economically distressed county or other equivalent political unit (e.g., 
parish) within the Region. The maximum allowable Investment Rate shall 
not exceed eighty (80) percent.

[[Page 603]]

    (iii) In compelling circumstances, the Assistant Secretary may waive 
the application of the first sentence in paragraph (b)(3)(ii) of this 
section. The Assistant Secretary shall not delegate the authority to 
grant a waiver under this paragraph.
    (4) Projects under part 306. The maximum allowable Investment Rate 
for Projects under part 306 of this chapter shall generally be 
determined based on the relative needs (as determined under paragraph 
(b)(1) of this section) of the Region which the Project will serve. 
However, for Projects of a national scope under part 306 of this chapter 
and for all other Projects under part 306 of this chapter (after the 
application of paragraph (b)(1) of this section), the Assistant 
Secretary has the discretion to establish a maximum Investment Rate of 
up to one hundred (100) percent where the Project:
    (i) Merits, and is not otherwise feasible without, an increase to 
the Investment Rate; or
    (ii) Will be of no or only incidental benefit to the Eligible 
Recipient.
    (5) Special Projects. Table 2 of this paragraph sets forth the 
maximum allowable Investment Rate for certain special Projects as 
follows:

                                 Table 2
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              Maximum
                                                             allowable
                        Projects                            investment
                                                               rates
                                                           (percentage)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Projects of Indian Tribes...............................             100
Projects under part 307 of this chapter located in                   100
 Presidentially-Declared Disaster areas for which EDA
 receives an application for Investment Assistance for
 post-disaster economic recovery efforts pursuant to a
 supplemental appropriation within eighteen (18) months
 of the date of such declaration........................
Projects of States or political subdivisions of States               100
 that the Assistant Secretary determines have exhausted
 their effective taxing and borrowing capacity, or
 Projects of non-profit organizations that the Assistant
 Secretary determines have exhausted their effective
 borrowing capacity.....................................
Projects under parts 305 or 307 that receive performance             100
 awards pursuant to Sec.   308.2 of this chapter........
Projects located in a District that receive planning                 100
 performance awards pursuant to Sec.   308.3 of this
 chapter................................................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (c) Federal Funding Opportunity notices may provide additional 
Investment Rate criteria and standards to ensure that the level of 
economic distress of a Region, rather than a preference for a geographic 
area or a specific type of economic distress, is the primary factor in 
allocating Investment Assistance.