USDA Rural Business Development Grant · 2020-06-12 · USDA Rural Business Development Grant Pre-Application Toolkit SECTION 2: PROJECT ELIGIBITY 1) Rural Area. Grant funds must

USDA Rural Business Development Grant Pre-Application Toolkit

Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG)

Pre-Application Template This template is locked and restricted in what can be edited. This is to assist in identifying where the applicant needs to provide information. To assist, items that require a response or action have been highlighted in violet. Legal Name of Applicant: City of Pullman Requested Grant Amount: $37,139.00 Before submitting a pre-application, please ensure that the template has been filled out in its entirety to ensure all items (identified in the Table of Contents) are addressed. The Agency reserves the right to request additional information to assist with the application process in order to make eligibility and grant award determinations. The template is designed to be a tool to assist with the application process as identified in RD Instruction 4280-E Rural Business Development Grants. RD Instruction 4280-E, Rural Business Development Grants provides the official guidance for the RBDG program If you any questions or require assistance on preparing an RBDG application. Please contact a Business-Cooperative Program Specialist for assistance.


TABLE of CONTENTS/CHECKLIST

Section 1. Applicant Eligibility

☒Applicant Type

☒Organizational Documents

☒Financial Statements

☒SAM Registration and DUNS Number

Section 2. Project Eligibility

☒Rural Area

☒Type of Project

Section 3. Project Narrative

☒Project Need

☒ Project Benefits

☒ Service Area

☒ Business Assisted

☒ Overall Economic Impact

☒ Estimated Jobs

☒ Capacity and Expertise

☒ Selection Methodology and Rationale

☒ Leveraging

☒ Local, Area, or Regional Strategy Plan

☒ Performance Criteria

☒ Letters of Support


Section 4: Proposed Scope of Work

☒ Specific Utilization of Grant Funds

☒ Grant Timeline

☒ Identifying Who Will Be Conducting Activities

☒ Grant Accomplishment Metrics

☐ Matching Funds

☒ Project Budget

Section 5: Forms and Attachments Complete and submit the following forms:

☒ Form SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance”

☒ Form SF-424A, “Budget Information-Non-Construction Programs”

☒ Form SF-424B, “Assurances - Non-Construction Programs”

☒ Form AD-3030, “Representations Regarding Felony Conviction and Tax Delinquency Status for Corporate

Applicants”

Attachments to be submitted:

☐ Organizational documents

☒ Last three (3) years financial statements

☒ Resumes

☒ Letters of Support (Not required – requested for scoring purposes)

☐ Evidence of Matching Funds (Not required – requested for scoring purposes)


SECTION 1: APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY

1) Applicant Type (with legal authority and responsibility to carry out purpose of proposed grant) Please select the appropriate eligible applicant type and attach requested organization documents evidencing the organization’s legal existence and the organization has the authority to perform the activities proposed in the application. (An applicant must not have any delinquent debt to the Federal Government to be eligible).

☒Public Body/Government Entity. (defined as Public Bodies include States, counties, cities, townships, and incorporated towns and villages, boroughs, authorities, districts, and education institutions organized under State and Federal laws, and Indian Tribes). If you are this type of applicant, please attach the following to this pre-application;

☐ Evidence of legal organization (for the state and Indian Tribes, provide the relevant statute

that created the entity)

☐ Current certified list of governing body with terms of office

☐Nonprofit Entity. If you are this type of applicant, please attach the following to this pre-application;

☐ Articles of incorporation, including any amendments

☐ Bylaws, including any amendments

☐ Certificate of Good Standing with the Secretary of State. This may be a print out of a search at http://www.sos.wa.gov/, which shows existence and good standing.

☐Native American Tribe. If you are this type of applicant, please attach the following to this pre-application;

☐ Evidence that it is a Federally-recognized tribal group (provide relevant statute that created

the entity)

☐ List of council members with terms of office

2) Applicant Financial Strength. The applicant must provide evidence they have sufficient financial strength (positive net worth and dependable sources of revenue) to conduct the proposed project. Please provide the following for review:

☒ Attach latest three (3) years financial statements. (If the applicant is less than 3 years old include all

balance sheets(s), income statement(s) and cash flow statements(s))

3) System for Awards Management (SAM). The applicant must provide its Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and be registered in the System for Awards Management (SAM) prior to submitting an application. The SAM registration must be current and active at time of application, as well as, be maintained throughout the application consideration period.

DUNS #: 097252167

SAM/CCR Registration Cage Code41BJ1 Expiration Date: 5/9/2020

http://www.sos.wa.gov/


SECTION 2: PROJECT ELIGIBITY

1) Rural Area. Grant funds must be directed for projects benefitting rural areas or towns outside the urbanized periphery of any city with a population of 50,000 or more. Project will be benefitting a rural area: ☒Yes ☐No

2) Types of projects. Grant funds may be used for business opportunity type grants or business enterprise type grants of this section. (Typically, only 10 percent (10%) of Washington’s RBDG allocation can be utilized for Business Opportunity Projects, which has been approximately $36,000).

Please select if your proposed project is applying as a Business Enterprise Project or Business Opportunity Project.

☒Business Enterprise Projects.

Grant funds may be used to finance and/or develop Small and Emerging Businesses in Rural Areas including, but not limited to, the following activities: • Training and technical assistance, such as

project planning, business counseling/training, market research,

• feasibility studies, business plans, professional/technical reports, or product/service improvements

• renovation of buildings or plants,

• purchase of machinery or equipment,

• Distance adult learning for job training and advancement

• Technology-based economic development

• Leadership and entrepreneur training

• Long-term business strategic planning

• Capitalization of revolving loan funds including funds that will make loans for start-ups and working capital

Project must have a reasonable prospect that it will result in the development or financing of a Small and Emerging Business. Proposed assistance to small and emerging businesses must be addressed in Section 3: Project Narrative.

☐Business Opportunity Projects. Grant funds may be used for business opportunity projects activities, such as, but not limited to: • Community economic development • Technology-based economic development • Feasibility studies and business plans • Leadership and entrepreneur training • Rural business incubators • Long-term business strategic planning

Project must have a reasonable prospect that it will result in the economic development of a rural area. Proposed overall economic development must be addressed in Section 3: Project Narrative. Proposed project is consistent with any local and area-wide strategic plans for community and economic development, coordinated with other economic development activities in the project service area, and consistent with any local or regional strategic plan. Plan must be identified in Section 3: Project Narrative.


SECTION 3: PROJECT NARRATIVE

1) Project Need. Provide an explanation of why the project is needed.

Pullman’s downtown is at a crossroads. Pullman, a rural border community of 34,000 persons, has a

population mostly derived from Washington State University professors, staff and 21,000 students. Over

the last two decades, stores, restaurants and bars in the Pullman’s downtown core have suffered from

competition from big box stores and neighboring business districts, disinvestment, and a lack of

connection to primary job and living centers. Nevertheless, there remains historic character, cultural

gems, distinctive businesses and public spaces in this core. Happily, there has been recent momentum;

however, and this project is a great project to capitalize on and spur that momentum. More significantly,

Pullman’s downtown has the rare opportunity to have a river flowing through it with trails alongside it,

creating foot-traffic for a six block area. This will assist the objective of catalyzing the trend of

reinvestment in the downtown core, desperately needed at this moment in time due to increasing

challenges presented by a neighboring business district in Idaho and more recently, the COVID-19

crisis. The opportunity of enhancing the river and creating trails has been a gradual but continuous

process since the 1990’s with collaborative efforts from the City of Pullman and Pullman Civic Trust, a

citizen grassroots organization. In 2018, the City of Pullman hired a consultant to draft a strategic plan

to put Pullman’s downtown on a trajectory to being the showcase Pullman deserves and to give

businesses in the downtown a better chance at success. The plan highlighted that downtown area stores

captured about 9% of total retail including restaurant sales in the market area which includes Whitman,

WA and Latah, ID Counties. The same report listed campus connections, wayfinding and using the river

as an amenity as primary opportunities. This project involves those three objectives, along with

increasing pedestrian and customer access to downtown businesses.

Physical Landscape

Downtown Pullman is located in a rivervalley, where two rivers converge. Four large hills create the

“high ground” around the downtown, with a university on one hill and elementary (K-12) public schools

on the other hills. These hills with schools are the neighborhood centers, which creates a strong sense of

community within a small city. Walking and biking, however, have been a challenge and the hills were

considered constraints to economic development. The river is the historical corridor of downtown. A

trail accompanies the river through downtown, creating the Downtown Riverwalk. Installed by the city

in 2002. The Riverwalk connects to an extensive trail system throughout Pullman, linking the

neighborhood centers. Future plans are to establish an additional 19 mile rail-to-trail from downtown

Pullman to the north-west connecting the towns of Albion and Colfax.

While the Downtown Riverwalk trail receives use during the day by cyclists and pedestrians, it is

avoided beginning at dusk due to a lack of lighting which makes the trail unsafe and difficult to

navigate. Although some lighting exists, it is insufficient in many areas. The project seeks to increase


safety and add character lighting to the bridges on a segment that runs from the WSU Brelsford Visitors

Center, an access point between WSU and downtown, to the historic Union Pacific (UP) train trestle, an

architectural point of interest. Both the beginning and end point are visible to vehicles, as the segment

runs from E Spring Street to Kamiaken Street. (See Image 1, below). The UP trestle will eventually

become the trailhead for the Colfax-Albion-Pullman Trail (CAP Trail). Two bridges additional along the

trail will be lighted as well. Consistent lighting of the Flat Bridge, the Pine Street Bridge, and the UP

Train Trestle Bridge will serve to overcome dark spots along the trail, connect commercial uses north of

the river to the rest of downtown and create a vibrant evening experience for the shops and restaurants in

this quaint downtown. As we submit for this grant, Pullman businesses are being impacted by closures

due to COVID-19, which has resulted in early student departures and closed businesses. Establishing

strong connections between WSU and Downtown Pullman will be even more critical to rebuilding after

the COVID-19 crisis has passed. Due to Pullman’s situation, businesses already experience drops in

sales during the summer months. This lighting project will increase the charm and visibility of

Downtown to critical summer tourists and extend the downtown business market during summer months

and then leading into fall when students return.

Image 1

Click here to enter text.


2) Project Benefits.

Describe the benefits of the proposed project.

The project will benefit all of the businesses in the downtown area by establishing a more navigable path

from WSU to Downtown Pullman. Several of those businesses are listed in Image 1. The entrance to this

section of the Riverwalk is next to large parking areas, a city park, the city pool, and the WSU Brelsford

Visitors Center. The section from Spring Street to the Flat Bridge is darkest segment of the path that

runs from the center of the WSU campus to downtown. This section is being lit for safety reasons. The

project also calls for adding lights to the Flat Bridge, the Pine Street Bridge and for lighting the historic

UP train trestle. Both the beginning and end points of this Riverwalk segment are visible to vehicles, as

the segment runs from E Spring Street to Kamiaken Street. All three bridges are points of interest. The

Flat Bridge connects to WSU, Reaney Park and the public pool. The Pine Street bridge brings trail users

into a public plaza in downtown surrounded by businesses. The historic trestle is currently overlooked

and considered a drawback. However, lighting will turn this historic element into a feature, connecting

businesses and cultural assets on the north side of the Riverwalk to the south side. It also sets up a

second phase of Riverwalk enhancements which includes adding a small riverfront park on the west side

of the trestle and eventually serving as a trailhead to an extended railbanked trail going from Pullman,

through Albion and ending in Colfax (the CAP Trail). This trestle sits along a major route from WSU to

downtown, used by vehicles, pedestrians and public transit.

3) Service Area. Describe the area to be served, identifying each governmental unit (i.e. town, county, etc.) to be affected by the project.

The service area includes the Downtown Pullman area (see map).

4) Businesses Assisted.

Please identify businesses and/or type of businesses to be assisted. (RBDG Enterprise Grant funds must be used to facilitate Small and Emerging Business Enterprises)

All restaurant, bar and retail businesses in downtown are expected to benefit by an enhanced, safe

Downtown Riverwalk pathway between the the WSU Brelsford Visitor’s Center and the historic train

trestle. In particular, the small, independent businesses to be served include Sanctuary Yoga, Porchlight

Pizza, Hero’s and Sports, Atom Heart Music, Noshies, B&L Bicycles, Brused Books, Rico’s Public

House, Neill’s Flowers and Gifts, the Daily Grind, Café Moro, Sam’s Apothecary, Black Cypress, Etsy

Bravo, Paradise Creek Brewery, Roost Coffee, The Foundry, Michelle’s Closet, Flirt, Palouse Candy,

O’Ramen, and Monroe Mens. Importantly, there are seven vacant buildings and storefronts in close

proximity to the trail representing approximately 25,000 SF of space. Further activation of the trail will

assist property owners with filling these vacancies.

For scoring purposes, support letters should be provided to evidence that small business development as a result of the proposed activities. Refer to item “12) Support Letters” of this section (Section 3: Project Narrative)

5) Overall Economic Impact.


Please describe the overall economic development that is expected to be accomplished as a result of the project.

The 215 jobs supported and added will primarily be in the service industries, but also in office. The

median compensation of these jobs in Pullman is $26,614 per year (Emsi 2020.1) Overall total eventual

impact on the local economy for these jobs, including earnings on the initial, direct, indirect and induced

jobs, and taxes on production and imports is estimated at $8.2 million (Emsi 2020.1).

For scoring purposes, support letters should be provided to evidence that small business development as a result of the proposed activities. Refer to item “12) Support Letters” of this section (Section 3: Project Narrative)

6) Estimated Jobs.

Describe how the proposed project will result in newly created, increased or supported jobs in the service area within the next three (3) years.

Over the next three years, the enhanced Rivewalk will support in approximately 125 supported jobs and

an additional 90 created and increased jobs from new and expanding businesses.

Within the next three (3) years the project will result in the following estimated number of jobs.

• Number of jobs created: 125

• Number of jobs saved: 90

For scoring purposes, the estimated number of jobs must be evidenced by a support letter. Please note that the estimated number of jobs provided in this narrative may be different (higher) then what is identified by support letters. Refer to item “12) Support Letters” of this section (Section 3: Project Narrative)

7) Capacity and Expertise.

Provide a description of Applicant’s capability and expertise in doing the work proposed. If consulting with others on tasks, include their applicable experience. Attach resumes and other supporting documentation of experience.

The City of Pullman maintains a professional engineering staff within its Public Works department. This

project will be managed by Ruth Younce, resume attached. Ruth has experience managing similar

projects. We consulted with James Yoder with Avista on this project, and Avista will perform some of

the work proposed. James is the Palouse Area Construction Project Coordinator with Avista for 5 years

and before that I was the Washington State Manager for ELM Locating and Utility Services for 6 years.

We consulted with Bobbie Ryder on this project to plan lighting for the bridges. Bobbie is a Certified

Landscape Architect in the State of Washington.

☒Attach resumes of those who will be completing the work of the grant.

☐If applicable, include a copy of the proposed agreement evidencing the consultant/contractor’s

responsibilities on the grant with a term sufficient to complete the work.

8) Project Selection Methodology and Rationale.


Provide an explanation (method and/or rationale) how the service area was selected and the businesses that will receive assistance. If the businesses haven’t been selected, describe how they will be selected.

The project is one that the Design Committee of the Downtown Pullman Association determined was

one of the most desired initial projects to complete of those recommended by the Downtown Pullman

Strategic Plan. The retail businesses and restaurants in the downtown core desire a stronger physical

connection between WSU and downtown, as well as additional features to attract people to the

downtown area to walk and spend time. This project accomplishes those objectives.

9) Leveraging.

Identify additional resources (if any) that will be contributed towards the proposed project. Examples include; cash match, in-kind labor from applicant or third party, supplies, etc.

Bobbie Ryder has donated 20 hours to this project, with a donation value of $56.15 per hour. Ruth

Younce has donated 30 hours of time to plan the projected on behalf of the City of Pullman and is

expected to provide an additional 30 hours of time to manage the project at an estimated value of $35.39

dollars per hour. James Yoder donated 4 hours of time estimated at $46.36 per hour. Jennifer Hackman,

Economic Development Manager, has donated 15 hours of time to the development of the grant and will

donate an additional 25 hours to coordinate input and communications efforts, and to measure outcomes

on behalf of the City of Pullman at $40.17 per hour. Estimates were derived from available labor market

information indicating national median average compensation of certain standard occupation codes by

experience as well as actual compensation where available. Total in-kind contributions equal $5,038.00.

For scoring purposes, leveraged funds must be documented in writing. Documentation verifying eligible supplemental funds are available and have been committed to the project must be included in your application to qualify for scoring consideration. If there is not a firm commitment in writing of the other (supplemental) funding, it may not be considered for leveraging and scoring purposes. Where there is not sufficient documentation, the project must be feasible without those funds. Examples of acceptable documentation include: a signed letter from the source of funds stating the amount of funds, when the funds will be provided, and what the funds can be used for, an executed grant agreement, and a signed resolution from your governing board authorizing the use of a specified amount of funds for the project (if funds will be contributed by the applicant organization), etc.

10) Local, Area, or Regional Strategic Plans.

Describe how the project coincides with an existing local or regional strategic plan, if applicable.

The project is recommended in the Final Draft Downtown Strategic Plan. The City expects that the City

Council will adopt this plan at an upcoming Council meeting.

11) Performance Criteria.

Suggest one or more relevant criterion to be used to evaluate the performance of the grant project during its operational phase post-award, as benchmarks to assess whether or not the primary goals and objectives proposed in the scope of work are accomplished during the project period. These criteria should relate to the overall project goal of financing and/or assisting small and emerging businesses or conducting business opportunity projects, with a resulting creation or saving of jobs.


Performanace criteria includes reducing the time needed to attract tenants to vacant buildings, number of

jobs supported, number of jobs created. Other criteria include activating the Downtown Riverwalk;

attracting more users. A trail count will be conducted as part of the national annual trails count. Finally,

we expect vacant commercial spaces to lease more quickly than they might otherwise, all things being

equal, and will measure the number of vacancies that lease within 6 months of the project’s completion.

12) Letters of Support.

Letters of support are not required to be submitted, but can positively impact the competitiveness of an application. Five (5) properly prepared letters will maximize an applicant’s score for small business expansion criterion. Support letters evidence that small business development will be support as a result of the project. Support letters need to include the following:

a. Originate from the specific business that could potentially benefit b. Describe how the project will benefit the business c. Provide the number of jobs the business will be able to create and/or save as a result of the project

(within three years (3) of the project). d. If the business meets definition of small and emerging; which is any private and/or nonprofit business

that employs fifty (50) or fewer employees and has less than $1 million in gross revenue. (For retail operations, total sales minus cost of goods sold minus returns or for a service organization, gross revenue minus cost of providing service or for a manufacturing operation it will be total sales minus cost of raw materials minus the cost of production).

• Number of Support Letters provided with pre-application: Click here to enter text.


SECTION 4: PROPOSED SCOPE OF WORK 1) The specific purposes for which grant funds will be utilized.

Grant funds will be used to accomplish lighting as identified in the Engineer’s Estimate. Some specific line item

costs may change slightly; however, the overall budget is expected to remain the same.

2) Timeframes or dates by which action surrounding the use of funds will be accomplished.

The grantee anticipates completing all documentation for the purposes of closing the grant within three

months after notification of grant funding. The grantee also anticipates having all funds used within 12

months after notification of grant funding.

3) Who will be carrying out the purpose for which the grant is made?

This section should address who will be conducting the activities for the project, for example: The

Downtown Riverwalk Lighting Project will be administered by the City of Pullman, Ruth Younce, Civil

Engineer. The project will receive input from City Council, and the Downtown Pullman Association

Board. Pullman City Council includes: Mayor Glenn Johnson, Eileen Maccoll, Brandon Chapman, Ann

Parks, Pat Wright, Al Sorenson, Nathan Weller, Dan Records. The Downtown Pullman Association

Board includes Tom Handy, Brice Erickson, Chris Hoyt, Adam Lincoln, and Marie Dymkoski.

4) How the grant purposes will be accomplished.

The City of Pullman will select materials for the project, and any service providers necessary to

complete electrical, material and lighting installation. The Avista Utility Company will install certain

circuits and lighting.

5) Documentation regarding the availability of matching funds

6) Project Budget

Utilize Activity Table and Budget Table below or attach a project budget to include salaries, consultant costs, and other appropriate direct costs of the project.

Summarize the total project budget by Activity, e.g. Feasibility Study, Business Plan, Trainings Sessions,

Workshop, etc. Please label the activity(s) to be accomplished as part of this proposal, add more

activities as it pertains to the project.


Activity Table.

Activity

#

Task Name and

Description

Start

Date End Date

RBDG

Funds

Supplemen

tal Funds

Total

Project

Costs

1 Riverwalk Lighting

Project

6/1/2020 8/30/2020 $ 37,139.00 $5,038.00 $ 42,177.00

TOTAL PROJECT $ 37,139.00 $5,038.00 $ 42,177.00

Provide a budget table for each task that will be completed for each main activity listed above. Please

relabel the line items or add more line items as it pertains to the project.

Budget Table. Add additional task tables as needed.

Task #1

Budget Categories

RBDG Funds Supplemental

Funds Total Project Costs

Personnel $ $ 5,038.00 $ 5,038.00

Contractual $ 32,339.00 $ $ 32,339.00

Equipment $ 4,800.00 $ $ 4,800.00

Other:

Total $ 37,139.00 $ 5,038.00 $ 42,177.00

Provide explanation/clarification of the basis for the above budget figures:

The above budget categories are based on an engineer’s estimate of the project:


ITEM

NO.

ESTIMATED

QUANTITYUNIT PRICE

TOTAL

AMOUNT

1 1 LS 4,500.00 4,500.00$

2 1 LS 500.00 500.00$

3 1 LF 3,500.00 3,500.00

4 580 LF 10.00 5,800.00

5 10 LF 15.00 150.00

6 1 LS 800.00 800.00

7 64 hrs 60.00 3,840.00

8 1042 LF 7.00 7,294.00$

9 4 days 1,200.00 4,800.00

10 1 LS 300.00 300.00

12 1 LS 350.00 350.00

13 3 ea 200.00 600.00

14 500 LF 9.41 4,705.00

-

SUBTOTAL 37,139.00$

Taxes $0.00

TOTAL 37,139.00$

ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE

Globe Lights

Labor and supplies to Install Globe Lights

Wire and Outlet Installation

2" Schedule 80 RNC Conduit

1" schedule 80 RNC Conduit

RIVERWALK LIGHTING

BID ITEM

Mobilization

Outdoor Electrical Service Meter Center

Traffic Control-Sidewalk/Path

Acorn Decorative Light by Avista

Solar Flood light installed

Rental Articulating Boom Lift 150 ft

Underground Circuit by Avista

Avista Labor for Meter box to panel


SECTION 5: FORMS AND ATTACHMENTS Complete and submit the following forms:

☐ Form SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance”

☐ Form SF-424A, “Budget Information-Non-Construction Programs”

☐ Form SF-424B, “Assurances - Non-Construction Programs”

☐ Form AD-3030, “Representations Regarding Felony Conviction and Tax Delinquency Status for Corporate

Applicants”

Attachments to be submitted:

☐ Organizational documents

☐ Last three (3) years financial statements

☐ Resumes

☐ Letters of Support (Not required – requested for scoring purposes)

☐ Evidence of Matching Funds (Not required – requested for scoring purposes)