Establishment of the Rural Development Innovation Center

Subtitle D of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1981- 2008w) is amended by adding at the end the following: 379J. Rural Development Innovation Center (a) Definition of rural development mission areas In this section, the term Rural Development Mission Areas means the agencies under the Rural Development Agency at the Department of Agriculture, including the Rural Utilities Service, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, and the Rural Housing Service. (b) Establishment There is hereby established within the Rural Development Mission Areas a Rural Development Innovation Center (the Innovation Center) to promote and facilitate innovation in the administration and implementation of rural development programs and initiatives. (c) Functions The Innovation Center shall— (1) review all processes for Rural Development Mission Area programs to identify inefficiencies, redundancies, and barriers to access, including— (A) unnecessary delays in loan and grant applications processing and approvals; (B) high application costs; and (C) deficiencies in technical assistance for programs; (2) establish and maintain an ongoing public process for public and private stakeholders to provide perspectives on the challenges faced when applying for, utilizing, or participating in Rural Development Mission Area programs; (3) identify and assess any innovative strategies and collaborative models to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of rural development programs and initiatives; (4) foster and maintain partnerships with public and private stakeholders to leverage expertise and resources for the Rural Development Mission Areas; (5) promote cross-agency collaborations and identify best practices in rural economic development; (6) identify and implement technological solutions and software applications to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of Rural Development Mission Area programs, including enhancing data management systems; (7) conduct research, analysis, and evaluation to modernize, simplify, and improve Rural Development Mission Area programs, and ensure that the programs are accessible, transparent, and user-friendly; and (8) disseminate information, guidance, and training materials to Rural Development Mission Area personnel and stakeholders on innovative rural development practices and opportunities. (d) Modernization plan The Innovation Center shall develop, and periodically update, a modernization plan to facilitate innovation in administering and implementing rural development programs and initiatives that— (1) outlines strategies aimed at harnessing the potential of emerging technologies for program delivery and overall service; (2) enhances program efficiencies by identifying and implementing measures to streamline program and administrative processes, reduce redundancies, and optimize resource allocation; (3) expands the availability and accessibility of digital services, leveraging digital platforms and tools to broaden the reach of the programs and improve the overall user experience for rural stakeholders; (4) integrates data-driven solutions to optimize program delivery and maximize impact and effectiveness of the efforts in rural development; and (5) establishes periodic milestones and goals to track the progress of the modernization plan. (e) Report The Secretary shall submit an annual report to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate on— (1) the activities and accomplishments of the Innovation Center, including progress in advancing rural development innovation and the outcome achieved; (2) a comprehensive working plan designed to actively engage public and private stakeholders, as described in subsection (c)(2); and (3) the progress on the modernization plan described in subsection (d)..

Subtitle D of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1981 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 379J. Rural Development Innovation Center (a) Definition of rural development mission areas In this section, the term Rural Development Mission Areas means the agencies under the Rural Development Agency at the Department of Agriculture, including the Rural Utilities Service, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, and the Rural Housing Service. (b) Establishment There is hereby established within the Rural Development Mission Areas a Rural Development Innovation Center (the Innovation Center) to promote and facilitate innovation in the administration and implementation of rural development programs and initiatives. (c) Functions The Innovation Center shall— (1) review all processes for Rural Development Mission Area programs to identify inefficiencies, redundancies, and barriers to access, including— (A) unnecessary delays in loan and grant applications processing and approvals; (B) high application costs; and (C) deficiencies in technical assistance for programs; (2) establish and maintain an ongoing public process for public and private stakeholders to provide perspectives on the challenges faced when applying for, utilizing, or participating in Rural Development Mission Area programs; (3) identify and assess any innovative strategies and collaborative models to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of rural development programs and initiatives; (4) foster and maintain partnerships with public and private stakeholders to leverage expertise and resources for the Rural Development Mission Areas; (5) promote cross-agency collaborations and identify best practices in rural economic development; (6) identify and implement technological solutions and software applications to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of Rural Development Mission Area programs, including enhancing data management systems; (7) conduct research, analysis, and evaluation to modernize, simplify, and improve Rural Development Mission Area programs, and ensure that the programs are accessible, transparent, and user-friendly; and (8) disseminate information, guidance, and training materials to Rural Development Mission Area personnel and stakeholders on innovative rural development practices and opportunities. (d) Modernization plan The Innovation Center shall develop, and periodically update, a modernization plan to facilitate innovation in administering and implementing rural development programs and initiatives that— (1) outlines strategies aimed at harnessing the potential of emerging technologies for program delivery and overall service; (2) enhances program efficiencies by identifying and implementing measures to streamline program and administrative processes, reduce redundancies, and optimize resource allocation; (3) expands the availability and accessibility of digital services, leveraging digital platforms and tools to broaden the reach of the programs and improve the overall user experience for rural stakeholders; (4) integrates data-driven solutions to optimize program delivery and maximize impact and effectiveness of the efforts in rural development; and (5) establishes periodic milestones and goals to track the progress of the modernization plan. (e) Report The Secretary shall submit an annual report to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate on— (1) the activities and accomplishments of the Innovation Center, including progress in advancing rural development innovation and the outcome achieved; (2) a comprehensive working plan designed to actively engage public and private stakeholders, as described in subsection (c)(2); and (3) the progress on the modernization plan described in subsection (d)..