Agency loan funds will not be used for the payment of microlender administrative costs or expenses and microlenders may not make microloans under this program for any of purposes and uses identified as ineligible in paragraphs (a) through (p) of this section.

(a) Construction costs.

(b) Any amount in excess of that needed by a microborrower to accomplish the immediate business goal.

(c) Assistance that will cause a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest including but not limited to:

(1) Financial assistance to principals, directors, officers, or employees of the microlender, or their close relatives as defined; and

(2) Financial assistance to any entity the result of which would appear to benefit the microlender or its principals, directors, or employees, or their close relatives, as defined, in any way other than the normal repayment of debt.

(d) Distribution or payment to a microborrower when such will use any portion of the microloan for other than the purpose for which it was intended.

(e) Distribution or payment to a charitable institution not gaining revenue from sales or fees to support the operation and repay the microloan.

(f) Microloans to a fraternal organization.

(g) Any microloan to an applicant that has an RMAP funded microloan application pending with another microlender or that has an RMAP-funded microloan outstanding with another microlender that would cause the applicant to owe a combined amount of more than $50,000 to one or more microlenders under this program.

(h) Assistance to USDA Rural Development (Agency) employees, or their close relatives, as defined.

(i) Any illegal activity.

(j) Any project that is in violation of either a Federal, State, or local environmental protection law, regulation, or enforceable land use restriction unless the microloan will result in curing or removing the violation.

(k) Microloans to lending and investment institutions and insurance companies.

(l) Golf courses, race tracks, or gambling facilities.

(m) Any lobbying activities as described in 2 CFR part 418.

(n) Lines of credit.

(o) Subordinated liens.

(p) Use of an Agency funded loan to pay debt service on a previous Agency loan.

[75 FR 30145, May 28, 2010, as amended at 79 FR 76016, Dec. 19, 2014]