PUBLIC LAW 107-171—MAY 13, 2002 116 STAT. 367 "(2) ADDITIONAL SUPPORT. —The Secretary may provide for any additional support staff to the Partnership as the Secretary determines to be necessary to carry out the duties of the Partnership. "(3) INTERMEDIARIES.— The Secretary may enter into a contract with a quaUfied intermediary under which the intermediary shall be responsible for providing administrative and technical assistance to a State rural development council, including administering the financial assistance available to the State rural development council. " (f) MATCHING REQUIREMENTS FOR STATE RURAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCILS. — "(1) IN GENERAL.— Except as provided in paragraph (2), a State rural development council shall provide matching funds, or in-kind goods or services, to support the activities of the State rural development council in an amount that is not less than 33 percent of the amount of Federal funds received from a Federal agency under subsection (g)(2). "(2) EXCEPTIONS TO MATCHING REQUIREMENT FOR CERTAIN FEDERAL FUNDS.—Paragraph (1) shall not apply to funds, grants, funds provided under contracts or cooperative agreements, gifts, contributions, or technical assistance received by a State rural development council from a Federal agency that are used— "(A) to support 1 or more specific program or project activities; or "(B) to reimburse the State rural development council for services provided to the Federal agency providing the funds, grants, funds provided under contracts or cooperative agreements, gifts, contributions, or technical assistance. "(3) DEPARTMENT'S SHARE.— The Secretary shall develop a plan to decrease, over time, the share of the Department of Agriculture of the cost of the core operations of State rural development councils. " (g) FUNDING. — "(1) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRL^TIONS.— There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2003 through 2007. " (2) FEDERAL AGENCIES.— "(A) IN GENERAL. —Notwithstanding any other provision of law limiting the ability of an agency, along with other agencies, to provide funds to the Coordinating Committee or a State rural development council in order to carry out the purposes of this section, a Federal agency may make grants, gifts, or contributions to, provide technical assistance to, or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with, the Coordinating Committee or a State rural development council. "(B) ASSISTANCE.— Federal agencies are encouraged to use funds made available for programs that have an impact on rural areas to provide assistance to, and enter into contracts with, the Coordinating Committee or a State rural development council, as described in subparagraph (A).
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