§ 6501. Definitions

In this chapter—

• (1) “assistance” means the transfer of anything of value for a public purpose of support or stimulation that is—
  • (A) authorized by a law of the United States;
  • (B) provided by the United States Government through grant or contractual arrangements (including technical assistance programs providing assistance by loan, loan guarantee, or insurance); and
  • (C) not an annual payment by the United States Government to the District of Columbia government under section 502 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act ( Public Law 93–198 , 87 Stat. 813 , D.C. Code, § 47–3406).
• (2) “comprehensive planning” includes, to the extent directly related to area needs or needs of a unit of general local government—
  • (A) preparation, as a guide for governmental policies and action, of general plans on—
    • (i) the pattern and intensity of land use;
    • (ii) providing public facilities (including transportation facilities) and other governmental services; and
    • (iii) the effective development and use of human and natural resources;
  • (B) long-range physical and fiscal plans for an action referred to in subparagraph (A);
  • (C) a program for capital improvements and other major expenditures based on their relative urgency, and definitive financing plans for the expenditures in the earlier years of the program;
  • (D) coordination of related plans and activities of States and local governments and agencies concerned; and
  • (E) preparation of regulatory and administrative measures to support the items referred to in subparagraphs (A), (B), (C), and (D).
• (3) “executive agency” does not include a mixed-ownership Government corporation.
• (4)
  • (A) “grant” (except as provided in subparagraph (C)) means money, or property provided instead of money, that is paid or provided by the United States Government under a fixed annual or total authorization, to a State, to a local government, or to a beneficiary under a plan or program administered by a State or a local government that is subject to approval by an executive agency, if the authorization—
    • (i) requires the State or local government to expend non-Government money as a condition of receiving money or property from the United States Government; or
    • (ii) specifies directly, or establishes by means of a formula, the amount that may be provided to the State or local government, or the amount to be allotted for use in each State by the State, local government, and beneficiaries.
  • (B) “grant” (except as provided in subparagraph (C)) also means money, or property provided instead of money, that is paid or provided by the United States Government to a private, nonprofit community organization eligible to receive amounts under the Community Services Block Grant Act ( 42 U.S.C. 9901 et seq.).
  • (C) “grant” does not include—
    • (i) shared revenue;
    • (ii) payment of taxes;
    • (iii) payment instead of taxes;
    • (iv) a loan or repayable advance;
    • (v) surplus property or surplus agricultural commodities provided as surplus property;
    • (vi) a payment under a research and development procurement contract or grant awarded directly and on similar terms to all qualifying organizations; or
    • (vii) a payment to a State or local government as complete reimbursement for costs incurred in paying benefits or providing services to persons entitled to them under a law of the United States.
• (5) “head of a State agency” includes the designated delegate of the head of the agency.
• (6) “local government” means a unit of general local government, a school district, or other special district established under State law.
• (7) “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Treasury.
• (8) “special-purpose unit of local government” means a special district, public-purpose local government of a State except a school district.
• (9) “State” means a State of the United States, the District of Columbia, a territory or possession of the United States, and an agency, instrumentality, or fiscal agent of a State but does not mean a local government of a State.
• (10) “unit of general local government” means a county, city, town, village, or other general purpose political subdivision of a State.