(a) Activities eligible for a RIS Program grant include:

(1) Feasibility studies;

(2) Planning activities;

(3) Technical assistance;

(4) Developing or strengthening communication and collaboration between and among participants of a regional innovation cluster;

(5) Attracting additional participants to a regional innovation cluster;

(6) Facilitating market development of products and services of a regional innovation cluster, including through demonstration, deployment, technology transfer, and commercialization activities;

(7) Developing relationships between a regional innovation cluster and entities or clusters in other regions;

(8) Interacting with the public and State and local governments to meet the goals of the regional innovation cluster;

(9) Purchase of equipment and equipment-related modifications or renovations of a facility, but only to the extent that such equipment and any related modifications or renovations are used to support another eligible activity as described in this section (the recipient may be required to secure and record the Federal interest in the equipment); and

(10) Any other activity determined appropriate by the Assistant Secretary and consistent with section 27(b) of Stevenson-Wydler.

(b) An ineligible activity includes, but is not limited to:

(1) Use of Federal funds or matching share for equity investments;

(2) Acquisition or improvement of real property;

(3) Construction except to the extent provided in paragraph (a)(9) of this section; and

(4) Lending programs, such as a direct loan program or capitalizing a revolving loan fund.