RPN CN Certification Form Instructions

OMB Control # XXXX-XXXX
Expires: (XX/XX/XXXX)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
WASHINGTON, DC 20410-0050

Policy Guidance
Status: Current
Subject: Policy Guidance for “Certification of Consistency with Rural Partners Network Community
Network Goals and Implementation Form”
Applicability: Rural Partners Network Community Network “Host Entities” and Partners
Organizations
Date: August XX, 2023
Dear Rural Partners Network Community Network “Host Entities”:
The Rural Partners Network (RPN) Community Network designation may provide your organization
as the “Host Entity” access to preference points or priority/special consideration for selected
competitive Federal grant programs, technical assistance, and other capacity-building opportunities
that will strengthen your rural community and economic development efforts. It can also provide
your RPN Community Network partner organizations with access to preference points or
priority/special consideration for select competitive Federal grant programs.
For specified competitive Federal grant programs, your RPN Community Network partner organizations
submitting requests for activities/projects within your RPN Community Network communities will have
the opportunity to qualify for preference points or priority/special consideration because of you holding
this status as the “Host Entity”.
The relevant applicant’s proposed activities/projects for the Federal grant application are as follows:
•
•
•

The proposed activities/projects will occur solely within the boundaries of the Rural Partners
Network Community Network(s).
The proposed activities/projects will occur within the boundaries of the Rural Partners
Network Community Network(s) and other communities.
The proposed activities/projects will occur outside the boundaries of the Rural Partners
Network Community Network(s), but substantial and direct benefits will accrue within the
Rural Partners Network(s).

As a RPN Community Network designee (“Host Entity”), your primary contact within your
organization as the Host Entity (not the Federal staff stationed in your community) will be
responsible for certifying competitive Federal grant applicants for RPN Community Network
preference points or priority/special consideration.
Please note that activities/projects which substantially and directly benefit RPN Community
Network residents, but which are not proposed within the boundaries of the RPN Community
Network may be considered. Federal agencies will make clear the acceptable definition of
substantially and directly beneficial in the program’s award and funding announcement.

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What This Means for You as the Host Entity of Your Rural Partners Network Community Network
The RPN Community Network designation enables the Federal government to partner with local
leaders who are addressing multiple rural community and economic development challenges in a
collaborative way and have demonstrated a commitment to results. Your role, as Host Entity for
your RPN Community Network, in certifying qualifying grant activities/projects for RPN Community
Network preference points or priority/special consideration virtually guarantees that numerous
entities will approach you seeking endorsement of their activities/projects by asking you to sign the
Certification Form.
We recognize that this will mean some staff time commitments for you in reviewing and processing
requests for these forms, but we believe the potential benefits are significant. The benefits include
ensuring applications are supportive of your local priorities and alignment of potential applications
from multiple organizations. As the Host Entity for your RPN Community Network, you will be
responsible for establishing your criteria and process for determining if you will support the
applicant’s request for the Certification.
HUD has tried to make the process as streamlined as possible. We stand ready to support you as you
undertake this responsibility, and we trust that you will exercise prudent judgment in determining
whether the activities/project have the potential to advance the strategies in your rural community
and help further the goals of the RPN initiative.
The Process for You to Certify a Federal Grant application for Rural Partners Network Community
Network Preference Points or Priority/Special Consideration is as Follows:
1. Partner or non-partner organizations to your RPN Community Network who wish to submit the
“Certification of Consistency with Rural Partners Network Community Network Goals and
Implementation” form (HUD Form XXXX) for preference points or priority/special consideration
with their Federal grant are required to contact your organization to review the request, make the
determination to support the request by signing the form and providing the signed form back to
the applicant to submit or make the determination not to support the request. Thus, you will need
to develop your process for these requests for both your partner organizations and non-partner
organizations.
2. When an organization reaches out to request you to review their grant proposal to determine
whether to certify the preference points or priority/special consideration you should ensure that
the following criteria are met:
a. The applicant is engaged in activities, that in consultation with the RPN Community
Network Host Entity, further the purposes of the initiative; and
b. The applicant's proposed activities/project either directly reflect the goals of the RPN
Community Network or will result in the delivery of services or a project that are consistent
with the goals of RPN Community Network; and
c. The applicant is committed to maintaining an ongoing relationship with the RPN Community
Network Host Entity and its activities. If awarded the Federal grant the applicant should
report on the grant accomplishments, milestones, and outcomes. The applicant should
continue to collaborate with the RPN Community Network Host Entity and partner
organizations in securing additional resources and partnerships, as necessary.

Form HUD-XXXX (XX/XXXX)

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3. If you determine that the applicant organization’s proposed activities/ project meets these
criteria and any other criteria you may have established, you will be responsible for providing
the applicant with the information to fill in the form and approve the contents of the form by
one of these methods:
a. If you are the applicant, you can fill in the form online, provide the RPN Community
Network “Authorized Official” digital signature (the person from your organization
authorized to sign the form), and submit the form with your Grants.gov application.
Filling in the form online will allow the federal government to collect and analyze this
data. In cases where you are unable to get the RPN Community Network Authorized
Official’s digital signature on the form, the form provides alternative instructions.
b. If you are not the applicant, the applicant will be required to work with the RPN Host
Entity to fill in the form and provide a copy of the form with the content for review and
approval. In order to provide your approval, prepare a letter of approval of the form
along with a copy of the filled-in form and share the digital file with the applicant. The
applicant will then upload the letter and copy of the form with the online form to
illustrate your approval.
c. The form is available on the HUD website and is available as an official Grants.gov form.
4. The applicant is responsible for including and submitting the form with their applications. For
HUD grants, HUD staff will review all certification forms and confirm the qualifying
activities/projects. While the certification is the driving document in this process, HUD retains
the right to do additional diligence to confirm that the points are merited and to determine
whether to award the preference points or priority/special consideration.
5. If your organization wants to apply for a Federal grant where RPN Community Network
preference points or priority/special consideration are offered, your designated Host Entity
primary contact may self-certify by filling in the form on behalf of the RPN Community Network
Host Entity. The individual completing and signing the certification must be authorized to make
commitments on behalf of and legally bind the Host Entity, otherwise, the certification may not
be considered valid by the Federal agency making the selection for the awards.
Rural Partners Network Community Network preference points or priority/special consideration
checklist
We recommend that RPN Community Network Host Entity considering requests for certification for
RPN Community Network preference points or priority/special consideration review at least a detailed
summary of the application, including a summary of the proposed activities/project, the location of
the activities/project, and the amount of funding that will be spent for the proposed activities/project
specifically located within your RPN Community Network boundaries and/or benefiting your
community. When developing your process, you may want to request a short description from the
applicant explaining why the proposed project aligns with the goals or priorities, as established, of
your RPN Community Network. At a minimum, you should consider the following questions when
deciding whether to certify an application for preference points or priority/special consideration:
Does the proposed activities/project align with the goals of the RPN initiative? For your
reference, they can be found at Rural.gov.
2. Does the proposed activities/project align with and further your community’s Rural Partners
Network Community Network need, strategies, and goals?
3. Is the applicant committed to maintaining an ongoing relationship with your Rural Partners
Network Community Network?
1.

Form HUD-XXXX (XX/XXXX)