Development State Office. Headquarters Office: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA, Specialty Lenders Division, STOP 3225, Room 6767, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20250-1521. Telephone: (202) 720-1400. Web Site Address: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov. CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS: Grant selection criteria include the extent to which economic development resulting from the proposed project will be sustainable over the long term; the extent to which the project should lead to improvements in the quality of economic activity within the community, such as higher wages, improved benefits, greater career potential, and the use of higher level skills; the amount of leveraging of funds from other sources; service to communities that are experiencing trauma due to a major natural disaster or the closing or major downsizing of a military facility or other major employer; service to communities that have remained consistently poor over the long term or have experienced long term population decline or job deterioration; and the extent of the project's usefulness as a best practice that may serve as a model for other communities. 116 Small Business Development Center 117 Documentation should also include, but not be limited to: (a) endorsement of the proposal by State officials; (b) endorsement of the proposal by the
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