§2211c. Development and certification of poverty measurement methods; application of methods
(a) Development and certification
(1) In general
The Administrator of the Agency, in consultation with microenterprise institutions and other appropriate organizations, shall develop no fewer than two low-cost methods for implementing partner organizations to use to assess the poverty levels of their current incoming or prospective clients. The Administrator shall develop poverty indicators that correlate with the circumstances of the very poor.
(2) Field testing
The Administrator shall field-test the methods developed under paragraph (1). As part of the testing, institutions and programs may use the methods on a voluntary basis to demonstrate their ability to reach the very poor.
(3) Certification
Not later than April 1, 2005, the Administrator shall, from among the low-cost poverty measurement methods developed under paragraph (1), certify no fewer than two such methods as approved methods for measuring the poverty levels of current, incoming, or prospective clients of microenterprise institutions for purposes of assistance under section 2211a of this title.
(b) Application
The Administrator shall require that, with reasonable exceptions, all implementing partner organizations applying for microenterprise assistance under this subpart use one of the certified methods, beginning not later than October 1, 2006, to determine and report the poverty levels of current, incoming, or prospective clients.
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