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The agency will issue a final rule to implement section 6401 of the Agriculture Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill). This program was initially authorized under section 6025 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 Farm Bill) and was re-authorized under the 2018 Farm Bill, with some modifications. Similar to the 2014 Farm Bill, the 2018 Farm Bill does not change the underlying eligible program's provisions (e.g., eligibility, applications, award decisions, scoring and servicing provisions), but rather establishes a funding priority set-aside and process by which applicants may apply for and receive the set-aside funds for each included program.

The 2018 Farm Bill establishes funding priority for all applicable programs under the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (ConAct) (7 U.S.C. 2008v) for projects that support the implementation of a strategic community investment plan on a multisectoral and multijurisdictional basis.

The rule will amend the set aside from the current 10 percent to up to 15 percent of appropriated funds for a fiscal year and update the definition of a strategic community investment plan and its requirements.