What does Preamble of Rural Grants Transparency Act do?

This bill aims to improve transparency, accessibility, and accountability in the administration of rural development grant programs at the Department of Agriculture. The bill is referred to the Committee on Agriculture.

What does SHORT TITLE. of Rural Grants Transparency Act do?

This bill is formally titled the Rural Grants Transparency Act.

What does FINDINGS. of Rural Grants Transparency Act do?

This section outlines findings related to Federal grant programs. It notes that rural communities often lack the staff and technical expertise to navigate these programs. Applicants experience difficulty understanding eligibility, application steps, timelines, evaluation criteria, and rejection reasons. Providing clear and centralized information can improve access to programs for rural entities. Increased transparency in grant processes is deemed achievable without additional appropriations.

What does DEFINITIONS. of Rural Grants Transparency Act do?

This section defines terms used within the Act. “Covered program” refers to grant programs administered by the Secretary of Agriculture through Rural Development, including programs from the Rural Utilities Service, Rural Housing Service, and Rural Business-Cooperative Service. “Quarterly” means not less frequently than once every 90 days. “Roadmap” means the Rural Grant Transparency Roadmap developed for a covered program under section 4. “Rural development State office contact information” refers to specific program contacts within each State rural development office, excluding general hotlines. “Secretary” means the Secretary of Agriculture.

What does RURAL GRANT TRANSPARENCY ROADMAP. of Rural Grants Transparency Act do?

This section establishes a Rural Grant Transparency Roadmap requirement for the Secretary. The Roadmap must be publicly accessible and maintained for each 'covered program'. Required components include a plain-language program description, application requirements, a checklist, evaluation criteria (for competitive programs), common ineligibility reasons, links to forms, contact information, and a list of funding opportunities. The Roadmap must be accessible through a single webpage on the Rural Development website and written in plain language. The Roadmap must also be accessible to individuals with disabilities, complying with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. The Secretary is required to update the Roadmap quarterly and revise descriptions as needed. The Act clarifies that it does not require the creation of new evaluation criteria or alter existing eligibility requirements.

What does STANDARDIZED GRANT APPLICATION NOTIFICATIONS. of Rural Grants Transparency Act do?

This section requires the Secretary to provide standardized notifications to applicants for covered programs. These notifications include confirmation of receipt, completeness, advancement to review, grant awards or denials, and information on reapplying if denied. Denials must include a plain-language summary of the evaluation criteria and guidance for improving future submissions. The Secretary must use existing systems for providing these notifications and is not required to develop new technology.

What does RURAL GRANT AWARD DATA ACCESSIBILITY. of Rural Grants Transparency Act do?

This section requires the Secretary to maintain a publicly accessible, searchable database of awards made under covered programs. The database must be updated quarterly and include the award recipient's name, project location (county or parish), award amount, program name, and a brief project description. The Secretary is authorized to protect personally identifiable or confidential business information. The Secretary is directed to utilize existing Department of Agriculture resources to implement this section.

What does PUBLICATION OF SCORING CRITERIA. of Rural Grants Transparency Act do?

This section requires the Secretary to publish scoring criteria for each competitive covered program. Published information must include all scoring factors, the weight assigned to each factor, tie-breaker rules, and any statutory or regulatory priority areas. The Act prohibits the Secretary from creating new scoring factors or modifying existing statutory requirements.

What does TRAINING FOR STATE AND LOCAL USDA OFFICES. of Rural Grants Transparency Act do?

This section requires the Secretary to ensure annual training for State, parish, and county rural development offices. The training must cover the Rural Grant Transparency Roadmap for each covered program. Training must also address common challenges faced by applicants for each covered program. Offices must be trained on procedures for providing accurate and consistent information to rural applicants. The implementation of this section will utilize existing personnel of the Department of Agriculture.

What does NO ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATIONS. of Rural Grants Transparency Act do?

This Act does not authorize or require the appropriation of any funds. The Act explicitly states it should not be interpreted as requiring funding.

Back to bills

Rural Grants Transparency Act

Last updated: 6/2/2026 · Introduced: 6/2/2026

Author: Julia Letlow (R-LA)

TL;DR (AI)

This bill mandates the Department of Agriculture to create publicly accessible 'Rural Grant Transparency Roadmaps' for each rural development grant program, outlining application requirements, evaluation criteria, and contact information.
The bill requires the Department of Agriculture to provide standardized notifications to grant applicants, including clear explanations for denials and guidance on improving future submissions.
This legislation directs the Department of Agriculture to establish a searchable database of grant awards, detailing recipient information, project locations, funding amounts, and project descriptions, updated quarterly.

119th Congressin committeeOfficial page

Verified Votes

No verified votes yet.

Community Votes

No community votes yet. Be the first!

Voting as guest · Sign in for verified votes

Other Sections

Includes provisions on preamble, short title., and 9 more.

11 sections

Click "Show details" to explore individual sections. Use the community vote above or visit All Sections to vote per section.

Read official text

Want the full experience?

Create a free account to cast verified votes on each section, get a personalized summary, and track your voting history.

Create Free Account