Rural grant transparency roadmap

(a) Establishment The Secretary shall develop, publish, and maintain a publicly accessible Rural Grant Transparency Roadmap for each covered program. (b) Required components The Roadmap for a covered program shall include— (1) a plain-language description of the program; (2) a step-by-step explanation of application requirements; (3) a standardized checklist of materials required in applications; (4) in the case of a competitive program, a summary of the evaluation criteria used under the program; (5) common reasons for ineligibility for the program, or rejection of an application; (6) electronic links to forms and guidance documents; (7) rural development State office contact information relevant to the program; and (8) a quarterly-updated list of open and upcoming funding opportunities. (c) Format and accessibility The Roadmap for a covered program shall— (1) be accessible through a single, consolidated webpage on the Rural Development website; (2) be written in plain language suitable for small, resource-limited rural communities; and (3) be available in formats accessible to individuals with disabilities in compliance with section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. (d) Limitations This Act shall not be interpreted to— (1) require the Secretary to create new evaluation criteria for any program; or (2) alter eligibility, priorities, or requirements established in statute or regulation. (e) Updates The Secretary shall update the Roadmap quarterly and revise component descriptions as necessary.