Eligibility requirements

Proposals may be submitted by any of the following:

(a) Any community-based organization, network, or coalition of community-based organizations that:

(1) Has demonstrated experience in providing agricultural education or other agriculturally related services to socially disadvantaged farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners;

(2) Has provided to the Secretary documentary evidence of work with, and on behalf of socially disadvantaged farmers, ranchers, or forest landowners during the three-year period preceding the submission of a proposal for assistance under this program; and

(3) Does not engage in activities prohibited under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

(b) An 1890 institution or 1994 institution (as defined in 7 U.S.C. 7601), including West Virginia State University.

(c) An Indian tribal community college or an Alaska Native cooperative college.

(d) A Hispanic-serving institution (as defined in 7 U.S.C. 3103).

(e) Any other institution of higher education (as defined in 20 U.S.C. 1001) that has demonstrated experience in providing agriculture education or other agriculturally related services to socially disadvantaged farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners in a region.

(f) An Indian tribe (as defined in 25 U.S.C. 450b) or a national tribal organization that has demonstrated experience in providing agriculture education or other agriculturally-related services to socially disadvantaged farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners in a region.

(g) Other organizations or institutions that received funding under this program before January 1, 1996, but only with respect to projects that the Secretary considers are similar to projects previously carried out by the entity under this program.