APPENDIX D

Project Funding Sources

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

USDA Water and Environmental Programs for Rural Utilities:

1.&n= bsp; Colonias and Native American Grants Program. = This program makes funding available to public bodies, tribes, and nonprofits to help designated colonias and tribes pay for all or part of the cost of water and waste disposal facilities. The typical grant amount is between $100,000 and $500,000.

2.&n= bsp; Water and Waste Disposal (WWD) Loan and Grant Pr= ogram. = This program makes 40-year, low-interest loans (fixed 4 to 5.75%) and sometimes grants to public bodies, tribes, and nonprofits to develop and repair water, sewer, storm drainage and solid waste systems. The colonias surrounding Douglas, AZ are eligible to receive funding from this program (as well as participate in the following programs) because they are unincorporated areas with less than 10,000 population. Typical am= ount of assistance from is between $500,000 and $3 million.

3.&n= bsp; Water and Waste Disposal (WWD) Guaranteed Loan P= rogram. = Under this program, the USDA guarantees loans made by banks to provide an incenti= ve for commercial lending to finance water, sewer, storm drainage and solid wa= ste systems. This program is lender-driven, meaning that there must be a bank willing to make the loan.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Typical amount of assistance is $5= 00,000 to $3 million, and non-profits (e.g. mutual water companies) are targeted f= or participation.

4.&n= bsp; Technical Assistance and Training (TAT) Grant. = This grant program makes funding available to nonprofit corporations who will provide technical, planning, and/or training assistance available to small rural utilities. Funding is limited, so grants are competitive and tend to go only to projects helping = the neediest areas (USDA 2004). &nb= sp;

USDA Community Facilities Programs:

1. = Community Facilities (CF) Direct Loan=

The CF direct loan program provides loans to for the development of essential community facilities for public use – such as clinics, public buildin= gs, day care centers, recreational facilities, sidewalks, libraries, and fire a= nd police stations - in rural areas and towns with a population of 20,000 or l= ess. This type of loan may be made to an eligible public body, nonprofit corporation, or Indian tribe which (a) can demonstrate its inability to fin= ance the proposed project from its own resources or from commercial credit at reasonable rates and terms, (b) has authority to develop, own, and operate = the proposed facility, and (c) can legally borrow money and make payments on de= bts obligated.

Repayment of the loan must be based on tax assessments, revenues, fees, or other sour= ces of money sufficie= nt for operation and maintenance, reserves, and debt retirement. A feasibility study may be required before a loan is given. For t= he direct loan program there are three levels of interest rates available (poverty, intermediate, and market) each on a fixed basis. The poverty rate is set at 4.5%. The market rate is indexed to the eleventh bond buyers rate as determined by the U. S. Treasury Department. T= he intermediate rate is set halfway between the market and the poverty rates.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>

2. Community Facilities (CF) Guaranteed Loan

Loans and guarantees are available to public entities such as municipalities, counties, and special-purpose districts, as well as to non-profit corporati= ons and tribal governments. Appli= cants must have the legal authority to borrow and repay loans, to pledge security= for loans, and to construct, operate, and maintain the facilities. They m= ust also be financially sound and able to organize and manage the facility effectively.

Community Programs can guarantee loans made and serviced by lenders such as banks, savings and loans, mortgage companies which are part of bank holding compan= ies, banks of the Farm Credit System, or insurance companies regulated by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Community Programs m= ay guarantee up to 90% of any loss of interest or principal on the loan. = For the guaranteed loan program, the interest rate is the lender’s custom= ary interest rate for similar projects. The interest rates for guaranteed loans may be fixed or variable and= are determined by the lender and borrower, subject to RHS review and approval.<= o:p>

3. Community Facilities (CF) Grant

USDA CF grants are made to public bodies and nonprofit organizations to assist in the development of essential community facilities for public use in small, poor, and needy communities. Grants may be made for up to 75 percent of the cost to develop the project. Priority is given to applications received from applicants located in and serving rural areas and towns with populations of 5,000 or less and where the median household income of the population to be served by the proposed facility is below the higher of the poverty line or = 60 percent of the State nonmetropolitan median household income. Grant funds are highly competitive and are based on a priority selection process (USDA 2004).

USDA Housing Assistance Programs:

1. Housing Repair and Rehabilitation Loan

Rural Housing Repair and Rehabilitation Loans are loans funded directly by the Government. These loans are available to very low-income rural reside= nts who own and occupy a dwelling in need of repairs. Funds are available= for repairs to improve or modernize a home, or to remove health and safety hazards. This loan of up to $20,000 is at a 1% rate of interest and m= ay be repaid over a 20 year period. A real estate mortgage is required for loans of $2,500 or more. Full title se= rvices are required for loans of $7,500 or more.&= nbsp; Repaired properties do not need to meet other RHS code requirements,= but the installation of water and waste systems and related fixtures must meet local health department requirements. Water supply and sewage disposal syst= ems should normally meet RHS requirements.

2. Housi= ng Repair and Rehabilitation Grant

Rural Housing Repair and Rehabilitation Grants = are funded directly by the Government. A grant is available to dwelling owner/occupant who is 62 years of age or older. Funds may only be used for repairs or improvements to remove health and safety hazards, or to comp= lete repairs to make the dwelling accessible for household members with disabilities. The amount of the grant is based on the applicant's ability to repay and must be used in conjunction with the Repair and Rehabilitation Loan. The lifetime maximum grant amount is $7,500. Grants may be recaptured if the property is sold in less than three years.

3. Self-Help Technical Assistance Grant

The Technical Assistance Grant is funded direc= tly by the Government. These grants provide financial assistance to non-prof= it organizations who will provide technical assistance to low- and very low-in= come households to build their own homes in a rural area. Funds may be use= d to pay salaries, rent, and office expenses of the non-profit organization.

4. Mutual Self-Help Lo= ans

The Section 502 Mutual Self-Help Housing Loan program is used primarily to help very low- and low-income households construct their own homes. The program = is targeted to families who are unable to buy clean, safe housing through conventional methods. Families participating in a mutual self-help project perform approximately 65 percent of the construction labor on each other's homes under qualified supervision. The savings from the reduction in labor costs allows otherwise ineligible families to own their homes. If families cannot meet their mortgage payments during the construction phase, the funds for these payments can be included in the loan.

5. Individual Water an= d Waste Grant

This program provides Government funds to households residing in an area recogni= zed as a colonia before October 1, 1989. Grant funds may be used to connect service lines= to a residence, pay utility hook-up fees, install plumbing and related fixture= s, i.e. a bathroom sink, bathtub or shower, commode, kitchen sink, water heate= r, outside spigot, or bathroom, if lacking. These grants are available to households who own and occupy the dwelling. These grants are available only in Arizona, = California, New Mexico, and <= st1:State w:st=3D"on">Texas.

6. Multi-family Progra= m: Housing Preservation Grant

The Housing Preservation Grant (HPG) program provides grants to sponsoring organizations for the repair or rehabilitation of low- and very low-income housing. The grants are competitive and are made available in areas w= here there is a concentration of need. Those assisted must own very low- or low-income housing, either as homeowners, landlords, or members of a cooperative.

7. Farm Labor Housing = Loans and Grants

Farm Labor Housing loans and grants are provided to buy, build, improve, or repa= ir housing for farm laborers, including persons whose income in earned in aquaculture (fish and oyster farms) and those engaged in on-farm processing. Funds can be used to purchase a site or a leasehold interest in a si= te; to construct housing, day care facilities, or community rooms; to pay fees = to purchase durable household furnishings; and to pay construction loan interest. Loans are generally= for 33 years at 1% interest, and grants may cover up to 90% of development costs. Loans and grants are m= ade to farmers, associations of farmers, family farm corporations, Indian tribes, nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and associations of farmworkers.&= nbsp;The District Director has the authority to approve loans to individuals of up to $100,000 though higher amounts may also be approved (USDA 2004).=

USDA Rural Utilities Service (RUS) Electric Prog= rams:

The USDA RUS program = provides leadership and capital to upgrade, expand, maintain, and replace America’s vast rural electric infrastructure. This program is the majority lender for nearly 750 rural electric systems and, since its inception, has approved approximately $57 billion in debt financing to support electric infrastructure in rural areas. About 96% of the USDA-funded elect= ric providers are nonprofit cooperatives, owned and operated by the consumers t= hey serve. Systems supported by t= he USDA provide service to more than 90% of the nation’s counties identi= fied by the Economic Research Service (ERS) as having persistent poverty, out-migration, and/or other economic hardship.

1. Hardship Loans

Hardship loans are used to finance electric distribution and sub-transmission facilities. These direct loan= s are made to applicants that meet rate disparity thresholds and whose consumers = fall below average per capita and household income thresholds. They are also awarded in cases of natural disaster.

2. Municipal Rate Loans

These loans can be used to finance electric distribution and sub-transmission facilities. The interest rate charged to applicants is based on interest rates available in the municipal bond market for similar maturities, and borrowers are required to seek supplemental financing for 30% of their capital requirements.

3. Guaranteed Loans

Under this program, the USDA RUS provides guaranteed loans through the Federal Financing Bank (FFB), Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC), and the National Bank for Cooperatives (CoBank) (USDA 2004b)

Applications for thes= e and other USDA loan and grant assistance programs are available in the department’s state and field offices (see contact info below). (USDA = 2000)

For more information:= www.usda.gov/index.html and= www.rurdev.usda.gov

State office:

Phoenix Corporate Center

&= nbsp; 3003 North Central Avenue, Suite 900

Phoenix, AZ 85012 &= nbsp; &nbs= p; =

(602) 280-8701

Wilcox office (serving Cochise and Graham Counties):

658 North Bisbee Avenue<= /st1:Street>

Wilcox, AZ 85643<= /span>

(520) 384-3529 (ext. 4)

United State Housing and U= rban Development (HUD):

Community Development Block Grants (CDBG)

The CDBG program provides eligible metropolitan cities and urban counties (call= ed "entitlement communities") with annual direct grants that they can use to revitalize neighborhoods, expand affordable housing and economic opportunities, and/or improve community facilities and services. CDBG funding is distributed to loc= al governments who must then use at least 70 percent of the grant money for activities that principally benefit low- and moderate-income persons. In the case of the Douglas-area colonias, grant money is applied for, and distributed, through Cochise County.

The National Affordable Housing Act of 1990, Section 916, set in motion the now permanent requirement that border states= such as Arizona, Texas= , New Mexico and California set aside ten percent of th= eir CDBG funds specifically for colonias. Most of these funds have been expended on water and sewer and housing assistance (HUD 2004a).

For more information: http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/communitydevelopment/programs/index.cfm=

CDBG applications in Cochise County may be obtai= ned from:

&= nbsp; Cochise County Housing Authority

&= nbsp; Old Bisbee High School

&= nbsp; 11 Clawson Ave – 1^st floor

&= nbsp; P.O. Box 167=

&= nbsp; Bisbee, AZ 85603=

&= nbsp; (520) 432-8880

Location

<= /span>

(520) 432-8880

Rural Housing and Economic Development (RHED)

The HUD Rural Housing and Economic Development (RHED) program provides funds intended for either capacity building in the provision of rural housing and economic development or for support in actually producing rural housing or implementing economic development. Such activities include the preparation of plans, acquisition of land and buildings, provision of infrastructure, and job training. These funds are available to local= rural non-profits, community development corporations, tribes, and state community and/or economic development agencies and are competitively awarded on an an= nual basis. In fiscal year 2003, $= 25 million in RHED funds were appropriated – assisting 87 organizations = (HUD website). <= /p>
There are five rating factors that will be used to evaluate and rate your application. They are:      &nb= sp; Capacity of the Applicant and Relevant Organizational Experience (25 points)         &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;           Need and Extent of the Problem (25 points)     = ;           &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp; Soundness of Approach (25 points)    &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;         &= nbsp;   Leveraging Resources (10 points)    &nb= sp;            =             &nb= sp;            =             &nb= sp;            =             &nb= sp;   Achieving Program Results and Evaluation (15 points)

RHED applications for fiscal year (FY) 2004 were due May 24, 2004. Notice of funding availability for subsequent years can be obtained through the HUD website (shown below) or by contacting the federal or local field office (HUD 2004b).

For more information: http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/economicdevelopment/programs/rhed/i= ndex.cfm

Federal Office:

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
451 7th Street S.W., Washington, DC <= st1:PostalCode w:st=3D"on">20410
(202) 708-1112   TTY: (202) 708-1455

<= /span>

        &= nbsp;   Local Field Office:

Dept. of Housing and Urban Development
160 North Stone Avenue
Tucson, AZ 85701

(520) 670-6000
Sharon Atwell, Field Office Director

Border Environment= al Corporation Commission (BECC) and North American Development Bank (NADBank = or NADB):

NADBank Border Environment Infrastructure Fund (BEIF)

This fund is designed to receive and administer grants from other institutions that can be combined with loans and guaranties to facilitate project financing. The purpos= e of the BEIF is to make environmental infrastructure projects affordable for communities throughout the U.S.-Mexico border region by combining grant fun= ds with loans or guaranties for projects that would otherwise be financially unfeasible. A primary objecti= ve of the BEIF is to aid communities in the transition from highly subsidized projects to self-sustaining projects supported locally by user fees and additional revenue. In order = to access BEIF funds, projects sponsors must demonstrate local “buy-in” with the commitment of current revenues, capital reser= ves and/or debt at the municipal or utility level. Colonias in the Douglas/Agua Priet= a area are qualified to apply for this funding because they are located within 100 kilometers (62 miles) of the U.S.-Mexico border, and infrastructure projects would address existing human health and ecological issues.

BEIF resources may be used in two ways to support the development of projects:

¨   = ;Transition assistance is designed= to ease a community’s adjustment to higher user fees over time. Grant fu= nds are used to help pay system debt over a five to seven year period, so that = user fees may be gradually raised to the level required for the system to become self-sustaining with proper operations and maintenance. Transition assistan= ce may be applied to debt service and start-up costs.

¨   = ;Construction assistance is design= ed to complete a financial package by covering construction costs not funded by o= ther sources. Grant funds may be used to cover any and all construction costs, including residential hook-ups and construction management (NADBank 2004).

To apply for BEIF fun= ds, projects must first be certified by the Border Environmental Corporation Commission (BECC). Communitie= s must then submit a letter of application to the NADBank that provides the project name, estimated project cost, and amount of BEIF assistance requested (NADB= ank 2004; BECC 2003). =

Applications for BECC certification can be submitted online or mailed to the agency. Applications are available online = at: http://www.cocef.org/papp.htm

Letters of application for BEIF funding may be sent to:

North American Developme= nt Bank
BEIF Program Officer
203 South St. Mary’s, Suite 300
San Antonio, TX 78205
Tel. (210) 231-8000
Fax: (210) 231-6232

Assistance in draftin= g the BEIF application letter can also be obtained by contacting the BEIF Program Officer (information above).

NADBank Institutional Development Cooperation Program (IDP)

As infrastructure projects are complex, expensive to develop and difficult to manage, the need to maximize the operating conditi= ons of existing utility systems is critical.&n= bsp; The IDP, then, seeks to assist project sponsors in undertaking studi= es and implementing reforms that will enable them to meet community needs adequately. Improving the cre= dit rating and quality of the projects and their sponsoring agencies in order to restructure municipal financing and channel more private capital to relevant projects is also a goal of the IDP. Examples of IDP-supported work include financial studies, administra= tive operational analyses, technical operational analyses, legal and regulatory analyses, and information and management system studies. The maximum grant award per projec= t per fiscal year is generally US$250,000.

IDP grant assistance supports utilities, state a= nd local government agencies, and other sponsors of projects that have been certified by the BECC, or sponsors who are actively developing specific projects for certification by BECC and financing by NADB. In order to be eligible for IDP gr= ant assistance, at a minimum, a project sponsor must have submitted a Step I to= the BECC and be actively working on a Step II for submission to the BECC (NADBa= nk 2004).

Applications for NADB= ank Technical Assistance grants (IDP or PDP) can be obtained online at:

http= ://www.nadb.org/english/program_service/IDP/idp_frame.htm and

http://www.nadbank.org/spanish/program_service/PDP/spa_PDP_frame.htm=

Information and appli= cations are also available from:

North American Development Bank

Technical Assistance Coo= rdinator
203 South St. Mary’s, Suite 300
San Antonio, TX 78205
Tel. (210) 231-8000   Fax. (210) 231-6232

NADBank Project Development Program (PDP)

The primary purpose of this technical assistance program is to help utilities in border communities with the planning and design of environmental infrastruc= ture projects that will be submitted to the BECC for certification and to the NA= DB for financing. PDP assistance is subject to full or partial reimburse= ment as part of a NADB lending package, in accordance with standard banking practices. Eligible activitie= s for PDP grant funding include final design, environmental assessments, feasibil= ity studies, master and facility plans, needs assessments, geological studies, public participation activities, etc.

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Grants may be awarded = in amounts up to US$200,000 per project. In the case of regional projects involving two or more communities, the grant limit per project may be incre= ased to US$300,000 (NADBank 2004).

Applications for NADB= ank Technical Assistance grants (IDP or PDP) can be obtained online at:

http= ://www.nadb.org/english/program_service/IDP/idp_frame.htm and

http://www.nadbank.org/spanish/program_service/PDP/spa_PDP_frame.htm=

Information and applications are also available from:

SWPD Coordinator
203 South St. Mary’s, Suite 300
San Antonio, TX 78205
Tel. (210) 231-8000   Fax. (210) 231-6232

NADBank Solid Waste Environmental Program (SWEP)

The objective of this= NADBank program is to strengthen municipalities’ ability to provide municipal solid waste collection, transfer, transportation and disposal services in a sustainable= and fiscally responsible manner. Through the SWEP, the NADBank seeks to encourage municipal solid was= te projects that include private sector participation; recycling and waste flow reduction measures; and where appropriate, regional facilities that serve m= ore that one community.

Only projects sponsored by public entities and certified be the Border Environme= nt Cooperation Commission (BECC) are eligible for assistance. Direct grants for construction and equipment, as well as loans and transition assistance are available. The SWEP is a $5 million pilot pro= gram funded by a portion of the bank’s net earnings (NADBank 2004).

Letters of application for SWEP funding may be sent to:

North American Developme= nt Bank
SWEP Program Officer
203 South St. Mary’s, Suite 300
San Antonio, TX 78205
Tel. (210) 231-8000
Fax. (210) 231-6232

Assistance in draftin= g the SWEP application letter can also be obtained by contacting the SWEP Program Officer (information above).

General NADBank and BECC Information

For more information = about these and other NADBank programs: www.n= adbank.org

            North American Development Bank   =             &nb= sp;

            BEIF Program Officer

            203 South St. Mary’s, Suite 300

            San Antonio, TX 78205<= /span>

            (210) 231-8000

For more information = about BECC and the project certification process: www.cocef.org

            In the United States:

Border Environmental Corporation Commission

            Post Office Box 221648

            El Paso, TX 79913=

            From US to office (Mexico= ): (01152656) 688-4600

In <= st1:place w:st=3D"on">Mexico:

Border Environment Cooperation Commission
Blv= d. Tomás Fernández 8069
Cd. Juárez, Chihuahua<= /st1:place>, 32470

688-4600

Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona (WIFA)

The Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona (WIFA) is an independent agency of the state authorized to finance the construction, rehabilitation and/or improvement of drinking water, wastewater, wastewater reclamation, o= ther water quality facilities/projects. Generally, WIFA offers borrowers below market interest on loans for 100% of eligible project costs. WIFA staff administer three main programs:

1.      = Clean Water Revolving Fund (CWRF) offers assistance= for eligible publicly-held wastewat= er facilities.

CWRF Funding Cycle 2004 Priority List Application: ht= tp://www.azwifa.gov/QuickLinks/WIFA2004CWRFPPLApplication.pdf

2.      = Drinking Water Revolving Fund (DWRF) makes funding ava= ilable for eligible publicly- and privatel= y-held drinking water systems. =

DWRF Funding Cycle 2004 Priority List Application: ht= tp://www.azwifa.gov/QuickLinks/WIFA2004DWRFPPLApplication.pdf

<= span style=3D'mso-list:Ignore'>3.&n= bsp;      Technical Assistan= ce Program (TAP) offers pre-design and design grants and loans for all eligible wastewater and drinking water systems. Project design loans are for engineering planning, engineering/design and design review. Pre-design technical assistance grants and loans are for all other types of projects, including:

• Project development
• Feasibility study
• System master planning
• Capital improvement plan
• Rate study/impact analysis
• Income survey
• Financial data review
• Special district formation
• Voter education (election)
• Training for personnel

Grants may be awarded to local governments for technical assistance. WIFA cannot award a grant to a profit-making enterprise so private companies receiving DWRF technical assistance will be limited to consultant contributions and loans. To alloca= te limited resources to as many deserving systems as possible, the WIFA Board = of Directors has put a general ceiling on individual project grants. The maxim= um DWRF and CWRF technical assistance grants are approximately $35,000. All gr= ant recipients are required to contribute a local match generally between 25-75= percent based on local fiscal capacity (WIFA 2004).

Project Technical Assistance Master Priority List Application: http://www.= azwifa.gov/QuickLinks/TAApplication2005.pdf

For more information:= www.azwifa.gov

            Water Infrastructure Finance Authority (WIFA)

1110 West Washington, Suite 290

            Phoenix, AZ 85007<= /span>

(toll free) 1-877-298-0425    &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;

Arizona Community Foundation = (ACF)

ACF is a not-for-profit organization that brings together donors, nonprofit organizations seeking funding support, and communities. Its website compiles and lists gra= nt opportunities to address a wide range of areas including the arts and cultu= re, public education, the environment, youth development, community building, a= nd health and human services. Fu= nding is awarded year-round to a wide range of nonprofit organizations and governmental agencies.

Generally, ACF encourages grant requests that incorporate prog= rams that serve Arizona residents only, avoid duplication of existing services, collaborate with ot= her nonprofits, and/or demonstrate measurable outcomes. Organizations with fiscal soundness and/or an ability to leverage other available funding are also favored in awarding grants. More than 13= 00 applications have been reviewed and $8 million have been awarded through on= line applications at www.azfoundation.o= rg (ACF 2004)

For more information: = http://www.azfoundation.org= /index.html

ACF Programs

2122 E. Highland Ave., Suite 400=

Phoenix, AZ <= st1:PostalCode w:st=3D"on">85016

Tel. (602) 381-1400 or (800) 222-8221=

Fax. (602) 381-1575

ACF program officers:= <= /span>Jacky Alling at jalling@azfoundation.= org

            =             &nb= sp;           Rudy Guglielmo at rguglielmo@azfo= undation.org

Cochise Community Foundation (CCF)

The Cochise Community Foundation (CCF) is the Cochise County regional office of the Arizona Community Foundation (see above). It provides services to all commun= ities in Cochise County with annual grant-making emphasizing general community needs, science, math and technology, lifelong learning and literacy, the environment, vocational opportunities and youth mentoring. Other concerns focus on poverty and unemployment. Grant applicants must be tax-exempt organizations located in = Cochise County. Grants are generally not given for general support of operating budgets or capital improvements/construction.<= o:p>

In 2003, = the CCF distributed ten grants (total amount $12,713) from its community-supported endowment funds to nine C= ochise County non-profit organizations. Recipient organizations included the Elfrida Youth Center to increase transportation services, Carmichael Elementary School to establish a science/technology lab, and others (CCF 2004).

For more information: http://www.azfoundation.org/static/affiliates/Cochise_Communi= ty_Foundation.html

The application deadline for the 2004 Competitive Grant Cycle was June 2, 2004. CCF Grant Application Packets are available for future years from:

        &= nbsp;   Cochise Community Foundation

        &= nbsp;   P.O. Box 800=

        &= nbsp;   St. David, AZ 85630<= /span>

        &= nbsp;   (520) 212-0002

Email: sfairfield@azfoundation.org

Ar= izona Rur= al Infrastructure Committee (RIC)

The Arizona Rural Infrastructure Committee (RIC) is an informal partnership of various groups that meet monthly to address a range of water/wastewater needs of Arizona’s = rural communities. Representatives include various experts from federal and state agencies and non-profit and for-profit entities that work cooperatively to bring answers and solutions = to rural water/wastewater problems. Representatives at RIC meetings often include:

Water Infrastruct= ure Finance Authority (WIFA)

Rural Development= (RD), USDA

Greater Arizona Dev= elopment Authority (GADA)

Arizona Departmen= t of Environmental Quality (ADEQ)

Arizona Departmen= t of Commerce, Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) =

Arizona Departmen= t of Water Resources (ADWR)

Arizona State Environmental Tr= aining And Technology Center (ASETT)=

Arizona Small Utilities Association (ASUA)

Arizona Corporati= on Commission (ACC)

Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC)

Border Environment Cooperation Commission (BECC)

North American Development Bank (NADBank)

Intertribal Counc= il

Banks =

Engineers

RIC meetings are structured to be informal and to provide brainstorming opportunities to find solutions to posed water/wastew= ater issues. They are free and functional for the public, and “as close to= a ‘one-stop shop’ as possible.” Project meetings are held monthly to discuss new problems/projects, recommend possible solutions, and follow-up = on actions for agencies and communities. Typically, three to four projects are presented at a meeting and RIC representatives offer suggestions relating to technical, operational and financing issues. Depending on the project, vari= ous representatives will commit to training, conducting on-site visits, meeting with local elected officials, and providing one-on-one technical assistance. Meetings are spon= sored by the Council of Government (COGs) of that particular area (RIC 2004).

Attending a RIC project meeting can prove to be extremely beneficial when an entity is facing any one of a myriad of situations:

If your area has insufficient water...

If your water is undrinkable...

If your septic ta= nks are overflowing...

If your water/wastewater systems need to be upgraded...

If you're in viol= ation of ADEQ standards...

If your community= 's existing systems can't keep up with its growth...

For more information: http://= www.azdeq.gov/environ/water/compliance/options.html

In Cochise, Graham, Greenlee, and Santa Cruz Counties= :

SouthEastern Arizona Governments Organization (SEAGO)
Phone: (520) 432-5301 or (800) 367-8939 (State Relay number)
Fax: (520) 432-5858
Email: seago@primenet.com

Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADE= Q) Waste Reduction Assistance (WRA) Program

This prog= ram, administered by the ADEQ, awards grant funding to projects devoted to waste reduction, recycling, and composting. WRA projects may include new recycling collections, household hazardous waste collections, electronics recycling programs, mulching or composting operations, material processing operations= and manufacturing facilities that use recycled material as a feedstock. Capital improvements to expand existing programs or these types may also be propose= d. Eligible applicants include private companies, non-profit organizations and political jurisdictions of Ar= izona communities that contribute to the recycling fund through landfill disposal fees. The WRA program Request for Proposals (RFP) is released around Februa= ry of each year (WRA 2004)

&nbs= p;

For more information: http://w= ww.azdeq.gov/environ/waste/solid/funding.html#wra

ADEQ Southern Regional Office
400 W. Congress, Suite 433
Tucson, AZ 85701<= /span>

        &= nbsp;

&nbs= p;

Program M= anager:        Tammy Shreeve

Tel: (602) 771-4171

Email: shreeve.tam@azdeq.gov

&nbs= p;

WRA Fundi= ng Research and Development:

David Janke

Tel: (602) 771-4174

Email: janke.david@azdeq.gov

Greater Arizona Development Authority (GADA)

The Greater Arizona Development Authority (GADA) was created by the Arizona Sta= te Legislature to assist local and tribal governments and special districts wi= th the development of public infrastructure. Housed in the Arizona Department = of Commerce, this $20 million bond authority leverages funding for infrastruct= ure projects, helping to accelerate project development and lower costs of financing. Both technical and financial assistance are available through the Authority.

For more information: http:= //www.commerce.state.az.us/gada/default02.asp

        &= nbsp;   GADA

        &= nbsp;   1700 West Washington, Suite 420

        &= nbsp;   Phoenix, AZ 85007<= /span>

        &= nbsp;   Tel: (602) 771-1198 or (800) 528-8421 (general Dept. of Commerce line)

        &= nbsp;   Fax: (602) 771-1210

Executive Director: Tom Belshe (602-771-1136)

La Secretaría de Desarrollo Social (SEDESOL)<= /span>

La Secretaría de Desarrollo Social (SEDESOL), or Social Development Secretary, is an agency in Mexico dedicated to advancing social and human development. Through this institution, governme= nt mechanisms are provided to increase social prosperity by promoting the public’s capabilities. = The agency funds programs/projects to assist the urban poor; increase opportuni= ties for women; improve neighborhoods; improve and expand infrastructure; conduct urban planning; develop housing; and more.= Recipients of funding are often constrained to government agencies (= i.e. municipalities) or limited by population (i.e. some ‘Habitat’ program funding may only be awarded to cities with population 50,000 or greater). Application forms f= or SEDESOL grants are in Spanish and available online at: http://www.apps.cofemer.gob.mx/buscador/nuevo_tree.asp?org= =3DSEDESOL&page=3D1

For more information: http://www.sedesol.gob.mx/atencion/main.h= tm

SEDESOL

Paseo de la Refor= ma No. 51 PB (Acceso por la Calle de Lafragua)

Delegación Cuauhtémoc, C.P. 06600, México, D.F.

Tel: (011-52-55) 5141-7972 ó (011-52-55) 5141-7974.

            Fax: (01-55) 5= 328 5000, Ext 51136.

Email: demandasocial@sedesol.gob.mx

To follow up on funding requests, individuals and groups should have ready the= ir registration number and may contact SEDESOL toll free at 01-800-0073-705.

Instituto del Fondo Naci= onal de la Vivienda para los Trabajadores (INFONAVIT)

Instituto del Fondo Nacional de la Vivienda para= los Trabajadores (INFONAVIT), or the National Fount Institute for Housing for Workers, is a soci= al institution that provides loans for housing and housing improvements in Mexico.= Loan resources are distributed thro= ugh employers who then deduct loan repayments from workers’ salaries. The amount of a housing loan availa= ble to a worker will depend on:

a worker’s = age and salary

the money accumul= ated in his/her Housing Sub account

the “Bi-mon= ths” accumulated since the employee has been registered in the system and

the employee̵= 7;s working period

In order to participate in the housing loan program, an employer must be part = of a registered employment sector. An employee then needs to file and agreement with their employer. Employees must also have an open b= ank account, or AFORE (Administración de Fondos Para el Retiro or Founts Administration for the Retirement), and be registered in the Social Security program, the main Public Health Institution in Mexico.

For more information: www.infonavit.gob.mx