1. 2013 RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANT PROGRAM
Summary:
Program: ACA 2013 Rural Economic Development Grant Program
Total Funding: $1.5 million
Program Release Date: August 28, 2012
Applications Due: Monday, October 1, 2012 4:00 PM. (Arizona time)
Questions Due: Friday, September 14, 2012 4:00 PM. (Arizona time)
Awards Announced (est.): Thursday, November 1, 2012
ACA Contact: Shawnda Henderson
Grants/Procurement Manager
Arizona Commerce Authority
602-845-1237
shawndah@azcommerce.com
Section 1: The Rural Economic Development Grant Program Overview
1.1 Purpose
The Rural Economic Development Grant Program (the “Program”) helps rural communities
with limited budgets initiate and sustain economic development projects within their
jurisdictions that directly result in base industry job growth and capital investment. Grants will
be issued to rural cities, towns, counties, non-profit economic development groups and tribal
communities for use in projects that involve the attraction of new businesses from outside
Arizona and/or the expansion of existing Arizona businesses. Successful applications to the
Program (“Applications”) will be aligned with these Program goals and will identify projects
that represent cost effective opportunities for achieving them. The Program will utilize a
competitive process, with each Application comprehensively analyzed by an evaluation
committee.
1.2 Available Funding
The total amount of funds available for distribution under the Program is $1,500,000. As
further described herein, funds will be allocated based on the applications’ alignment with
program goals and satisfaction of the other criteria set forth herein. The ACA reserves the right
to award less than $1,500,000 in grants depending on the number and quality of Applications
received.
1.3 Eligible Projects

2. Grants will be awarded for private sector business creation, expansion or location projects
(“Projects”). Applications may seek funding for more than one Project. Projects must be
completed within 12 months of commencement. (Grant awards are anticipated to be finalized
in November 2012.)
1.4 Eligible Applicants
Program grants (“Grants”) will be awarded only to (i) rural communities and/or (ii) non-profit
organizations officially charged with performing economic development work for a rural
community or communities. Grant recipients (“Grantees”) will pass Grant funds through to the
Projects indentified in their Applications. A rural community is (i) any Arizona city or town with
a population of 50,000 or less based on 2010 census data, (ii) any Arizona county with a
population of 750,000 or less based on 2010 census data or (iii) a Native American tribe located
in Arizona.
Section 2: Application Submission Process
2.1 Application Submission
Entities submitting Applications (“Applicants”) must provide five (5) paper copies and one (1)
electronic copy of each Application. Electronic copies may be sent by E-mail or delivered on a
DVD or CD. Both electronic and hard copies must be received by the due date and time
indicated. Electronic copies may be delivered via email to shawndah@azcommerce.com.
Applications must be submitted by an authorized representative of the eligible organization.
Each Applicant may submit only one Application.
2.2 Deadline for Submission
The deadline to submit an Application is Monday, October 1, 2012 4:00 PM. (Arizona time)
2.3 Deadline for Questions
The deadline to submit questions about the Application requirements is Friday, September 14,
2012. Questions must be submitted in writing.
2.4 Awardees Selected
Awardees are anticipated to be selected on or around November 1, 2012.
Section 3: Application Organization
A complete Application will include the following sections:
Application Summary (on provided form - see Exhibit A)
Applicant’s Qualifications

3. Project Narrative
Project Budget
Letters of Support
3.1 Project Summary
The Project Summary must be completed on the form attached as Exhibit A.
3.2 Applicant’s Qualifications
The Applicant’s Qualifications section must include (i) a one (1) page narrative summary of the
Applicant’s team that will be responsible for administering the Grant and overseeing the Project
and (ii) an organization chart showing the Applicant’s team members within the Applicant’s
overall reporting hierarchy.
3.3. Project Narrative
The Project Narrative should not exceed five (5) pages and must include the following
elements.
3.3.1 Project Title
The title of the proposed Project must briefly describe the nature of the Project.
3.3.2 Project and Project Timeline
Describe the Project in detail, including all Project activities and who will perform them.
Provide a Project timeline showing the anticipated timing of key Project activities.
3.3.3 Project Outcomes
Describe, in detail, the intended Project outcomes and explain how the Project activities will
lead to those outcomes. Examples of desirable Project outcomes include job creation, wage
increases, employee training, capital investment (other than with Grant funds), foreign direct
investment and increased exports. The Project outcomes must be identified in the Project
timeline. Grant payments will be tied to the Project outcomes.
3.3.4 Award Request and Project Budget
Indicate the amount of the Grant requested and provide a line item budget for the proposed
use of the Grant funds. The budget must align with the Project work plan, timeline and
outcomes. Expenses not delineated in the Project budget will not be eligible for
reimbursement with Grant funds except by special exception. Examples of reimbursable
Projects costs include expenses associated with the following activities:

4. Capital investment, including without limitation machinery, equipment and plant
construction, expansion or rehabilitation
Employee recruitment and/or training
Professional and outside services related to a base employer expansion/relocation
Examples of costs that will not be reimbursed with Grant funds include but are not limited to
expenses associated with the following activities:
Paying down existing debt
Application preparation
Political activities
Studies or speculative projects
Incubators
Over-the-road or passenger vehicles
Wages
3.3.5 Applications with Multiple Projects
If an Application seeks funding for multiple Projects, the sections above should be separately
completed for each Project.
3.3.6 Additional Information
The ACA reserves the right to seek additional information or clarification from Applicants, in
writing or verbally.
Section 4: Evaluation Criteria
Applications will be evaluated on the following criteria:
Economic impact: Alignment of Project outcomes with Program goals and objectives
o Especially job creation, particularly in base industries; increased wages;
employee training; capital investment; foreign direct investment and increased
exports investment
Leveraged dollars
o Contribution(s) from the Applicant or other funding sources or partners

5. Quality of Project Plan
o Accuracy, clarity, thoroughness and appropriateness of work plan, timeline and
budget
Demonstrated Local support
Support letters from local business, community and elected leadership
Applicant Qualifications
o Track record of administering projects that align with the economic development
goals of the Program
Section 5: Application Review Process
Each complete Application from an eligible Applicant for an eligible Project will be evaluated by
a panel of qualified reviewers. Applications will be scored and ranked competitively based on
the criteria listed in Evaluation Criteria.
Section 6: Award Administration Information
6.1 Notice of Award / Grant Agreement
Upon selection of an Application for a Grant, a notice of award letter with the amount of the
Grant and a Grant agreement setting forth the terms and conditions of the Grant ("Grant
Agreement") will be forwarded to the successful Applicant. The Grant Agreement will
incorporate the Application, these terms and conditions of the Program and the ACA’s standard
terms and conditions for Grants (please contact the ACA if you would like a copy of these terms
and conditions). The Grant Agreement will also precisely identify the conditions precedent of
receiving Grant payments, including Project outcomes as applicable. The Grant Agreement
must be signed and returned to ACA. If the successful Applicant and the ACA do not agree on
the terms and conditions of the Grant Agreement within a reasonable time, the Grant offer will
be rescinded and the ACA may consider whether to award the forfeited funds to another
Applicant.
6.2 Term of Agreement
Grant funds may not be used to reimburse expenses incurred prior to the date a Grant is
awarded. Projects must be started and completed within one year from the time a Grant is
awarded. Any portion of a Grant award not properly requested within that time will be
forfeited, except that the ACA in its sole and absolute discretion may approve requests to
extend the Project period for up to 12 months. A Grant must be closed before a Grantee can
apply for another Grant in a future Program cycle.
6.3 Programmatic and Financial Reports and Outcomes Tracking

6. Grantees shall submit a monthly program activity report to ACA that provides updates on
Project activity outlined in the Application. This report is due to ACA by the 15th of each month
for the previous month. The Grantee shall use the forms provided by the Grantor (ACA) to
submit such reports. The form will be provided to the Grantee upon receipt of the signed Grant
Agreement. The report shall contain such information as is deemed necessary by the ACA. The
ACA may request additional information from time to time and/or may elect to undertake
independent research regarding Project progress, and in either case the Grantee shall be
obligated to cooperate fully with such efforts to obtain or verify information. Grantees shall be
responsible for the accuracy of such reports and for ensuring Project compliance with the terms
and conditions of the Grant Agreements.
6.4 Financial Reimbursement
Grant payments will be made by the ACA to the Grantee for distribution to the Project or
Projects identified in the Grant Agreement. As identified in the Grant Agreement, payments
will be made on a cost-reimbursement basis and/or on the basis of outcome achievement.
Reimbursement amounts shall be determined on the cash basis of accounting. Payment
requests shall be submitted no more frequently than monthly and no less frequently than
quarterly.
Section 8: Transparency
As the ACA is subject to Arizona Public Records laws (A.R.S. §39-101, et seq.), information
submitted to the ACA may be subject to disclosure in response to public records
requests. However, the Public Records law does provide exceptions for business information
that, if released, would undermine the business’ competitive position, and for proprietary or
trademark (or copyright) protected information. The Public Records law also permits us to
redact (block out) personal information such as social security numbers before documents are
released. The ACA will attempt to preserve the confidentiality of information to the extent
permitted by law, but cannot guarantee that such information will not be disclosed, and is not
responsible for the consequences of such disclosure. Additionally, the ACA specifically hereby
reserves the right to use the following information in its marketing materials, including without
limitation press releases: 1) project name and type, 2) Grantee and project company names, 3)
projected economic impact of the project including without limitation number of jobs to be
created, 5) grant uses and 5) amount and other terms of the grant.

7. EXHIBIT A
2013 RURAL GRANT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANT
PROJECT SUMMARY
(to be included with all submitted Applications)
APPLICANT INFORMATION
Applicant Entity Name:
Address:
Contact Name & Title:
Contact Email:
Contact Phone:
PROJECT INFORMATION
Does your Application include: __One Project __Multiple Projects
Please complete below for each project if multiple projects are included.
Project Name:
Brief Project Description:
Grant Amount Requested:
Projected Outcomes
Number of new jobs:
Average Wages:
New Payroll:
Capital Investment:
Other: