The New Markets Tax Credit Program (NMTC Program) was established by Congress in 2000 to spur new or increased investments into operating businesses and real estate projects located in low-income communities. The NMTC Program attracts investment capital to low-income communities by permitting individual and corporate investors to receive a tax credit against their Federal income tax return in exchange for making equity investments in specialized financial institutions called Community Development Entities (CDEs). Via a competitive process, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) awards NMTC allocation awards to select CDEs, based upon information submitted in their NMTC Allocation Application. Entities receiving a NMTC allocation must enter into an allocation agreement with the CDFI Fund. The allocation agreement contains the terms and conditions, including all reporting requirements, associated with the receipt of a NMTC allocation. The CDFI Fund requires each CDE to use an electronic data collection and submission system, known as the Allocation Tracking System (ATS) to collect information on investors making Qualified Equity Investments in Community Development Entities.
The ATS enhances the allocatee's ability to report such information to the CDFI Fund in a timely fashion. This information is also used by the Treasury Department to (1) monitor the issuance of QEIs to ensure that no allocatee exceeds its allocation authority; (2) ensure that QEIs are issued within the timeframes required by the NMTC Program regulations and the legal agreements signed between the CDFI Fund and the allocatee; and (3) assist with NMTC Program evaluation efforts.
The increase in the number of responses is partially due to an adjustment in the estimate to correct the annual response per respondent from 1 @ 12 hours per to 12 @ 1 hour per. The increase in burden hours is primarily due to additional allocatees (respondents) from recent NMTC Program Allocation rounds. The increase of 2,976 hours is due to adjustments in estimates.
Total hour burden per respondent is expected to increase as the full QEI structure will be reported, as well as, the reporting of future changes to QEI investors and claimants. This increase is only applicable to CY2012 allocatees. This program change of an additional 510 hours is attributed to agency discretion.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.