Under the Capital Magnet Fund (CMF) the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund will provide competitively awarded grants to CDFIs and qualified nonprofit housing organizations to finance affordable housing and related community development projects.
The CDFI Fund requests an Emergency PRA Review for OMB Control Number 1559-0036, Capital Magnet Fund Application, in our effort to update the application to be responsive to public comments in light of the recent application round and publication of an updated Interim Rule. The CDFI Fund published the Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) inviting applications for the FY 2016 Capital Magnet Fund funding round on February 8, 2016 as well as the revised Interim Rule. Although the NOFA required Applications to be submitted by March 30, 2016, there was public demand to extend the comment period for the Interim Rule. In response to public demand, the CDFI Fund published a Federal Register Notice on March 17, 2016 announcing the extension of the comment period on the Interim Rule until May 8, 2016. As a result, the CDFI Fund did not receive a comprehensive understanding of public needs for Capital Magnet Fund Information Collections until early May. This delayed the CDFI Fundâs ability to publish the 60 day notice for public comment in timely fashion and to meet the deadline for publishing the 30 day notice for the OMB comment period.
Additionally, in December 2015, the CDFI Fund intentionally discontinued OMB #1559-0043, the Annual Report, with the intention for the Annual Report to be updated to be in alignment with the Application associated with NOFA and Interim Rule that implements the Capital Magnet Fund. Due to the extension for public comments on the Interim Rule, it was not possible for the CDFI Fund to submit the 60-day notice for public comment in enough time to meet the deadline to submit the 30-day notice for OMB.
For these reasons, the CDFI Fund seeks an Emergency PRA Review to renew OMB #1559-0036, the Application, and reinstate the #1559-0043, Annual Report, under OMB #1559-0036, to prevent further lapses in data collections that are necessary to reduce potential fraud, waste, and abuse of Federal award funds.
The burden for completing CMF-related forms increased for two reasons: 1) more realistic estimates related to completing the Application; and 2) the addition of the Annual Report to the ICR. Although the number of applicants decreased to 200 from 250, the number of hours to complete the ICR increased from 50 to 100 for a total of 20000 hours. Of the 150 applicants, approximately 55 receive awards and must complete the Annual Report. The Annual Report takes each Recipient Approximately 40 hours to complete for a total of 2200 hours. Therefore, the total for both ICRs is 22000.
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.