The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, signed into law on December 27, 2020, added Section 104A of the Community Development Banking and Financial Institutions Act of 1994 (the âActâ). Section 104A authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to establish the Emergency Capital Investment Program (âECIPâ or the âProgramâ) to support the efforts of low- and moderate-income community financial institutions to, among other things, provide loans, grants, and forbearance for small businesses, minority-owned businesses, and consumers, especially in low-income and underserved communities, including persistent poverty counties, that may be disproportionately impacted by the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic by providing direct and indirect capital investments in low-and moderate-income community financial institutions.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, signed into law on December 27, 2020, added Section 104A of the Community Development Banking and Financial Institutions Act of 1994 (the âActâ). Section 104A authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to establish the Program to support the efforts of low- and moderate-income community financial institutions to, among other things, provide loans, grants, and forbearance for small businesses, minority-owned businesses, and consumers, especially in low-income and underserved communities, including persistent poverty counties, that may be disproportionately impacted by the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic by providing direct and indirect capital investments in low-and moderate-income community financial institutions.
Applications for the ECIP program were previously approved under 1505-0267. Following review of the applications, Treasury is now ready to make awards. Due to the need to make Covid-19 relief investments under the Program as soon as possible, Treasury requests emergency processing and approval by December 13, 2021, for the Applicant Notification Letter. The Applicant Notification Letter collects information from applicants on intent to proceed with an investment from the ECIP, the requested investment amount, and the name and contact information for the institutionâs primary contact for the investment closing process. Applicants are uniquely positioned to alert Treasury of their intention to participate in ECIP, at what amount, and with whom to facilitate the closing, which information is essential to completing the investment process. Given the inability to seek public comment during such a short timeframe, Treasury requests a waiver from the requirement to publish notice in the Federal Register seeking public comments.
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.