Grant funds may not be used towards any of the uses identified in paragraphs (a) through (n) of this section.

(a) Duplicate current services or substitute support previously provided. If the current service is inadequate, however, grant funds may be used to expand the level of effort or services beyond what is currently being provided.

(b) Pay costs of preparing the application package for funding under this program or any other program.

(c) Pay costs for any expenses incurred prior to receipt of a full application, except for those permitted under Departmental Regulations.

(d) Fund political activities.

(e) Pay for assistance to any private business enterprise which does not create and/or support jobs in the United States.

(f) Pay any judgment or debt owed to the United States.

(g) Fund Agriculture Production either directly or through horizontally integrated livestock operations except for commercial nurseries, timber operations or limited Agricultural Production related to Technical Assistance Projects. The following are not considered Agriculture Production:

(1) Aquaculture, including conservation, development, and utilization of water for aquaculture;

(2) Commercial fishing;

(3) Commercial nurseries engaged in the production of ornamental plants and trees and other nursery products such as bulbs, flowers, shrubbery, flower and vegetable seeds, sod, and the growing of plants from seed to the transplant stage;

(4) Forestry, which includes businesses primarily engaged in the operation of timber tracts, tree farms, and forest nurseries and related activities such as reforestation; or

(5) The growing of mushrooms or hydroponics.

(h) To finance comprehensive area-wide type Planning. This does not preclude the use of grant funds for Planning for a given Project.

(i) To make loans when the rates, terms, and charges for those loans are not reasonable or would be for purposes not eligible under 7 CFR part 4274, subpart D.

(j) For programs operated by cable television systems.

(k) To fund a part of a Project that is dependent on other funding unless there is a firm commitment of the other funding to ensure completion of the Project.

(l) To pay for Technical Assistance that duplicates assistance provided to implement an action plan funded by the Forest Service (FS) under the National Forest-Dependent Rural Communities Economic Diversification Act for 5 continuous years from the date of grant approval by the FS. To avoid duplicate assistance, the grantee shall coordinate with FS and the Agency to ascertain if a grant has been made in a substantially similar geographical or defined local area in a State for Technical Assistance under the FS program. The grantee will provide documentation to FS and the Agency regarding the contact with each agency.

(m) Pass through grants. Pass through grants are for, but not limited to:

(1) The purchase, refurbishing, or remodeling of real estate for use as a business incubator without charging a fair market rental;

(2) The purchase of equipment for use by an ultimate recipient without charging a fair market rental; and

(3) The making of a Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) loan without taking appropriate security to reasonably assure repayment of the loan.

(n) For a Project that would result in the transfer of existing employment or business activity more than 25 miles from its existing location.