15 USC § 690 - Definitions

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t15/s690"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "15 USC § 690 - Definitions"
title_number: 15
title_name: "COMMERCE AND TRADE"
section_number: "690"
section_name: "Definitions"
chapter_number: 14
chapter_name: "SMALL BUSINESS INVESTMENT PROGRAM"
subchapter_number: "III"
subchapter_name: "INVESTMENT DIVISION PROGRAMS"
part_number: "C"
part_name: "Renewable Fuel Capital Investment Pilot Program"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 85–699, title III, § 381, as added Pub. L. 110–140, title XII, § 1207, Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1774.)"
---


# § 690. Definitions

In this part:

**(1)** **Operational assistance** The term “operational assistance” means management, marketing, and other technical assistance that assists a small business concern with business development.

**(2)** **Participation agreement** The term “participation agreement” means an agreement, between the Administrator and a company granted final approval under section 690c(e) of this title, that—

**(A)** details the operating plan and investment criteria of the company; and

**(B)** requires the company to make investments in smaller enterprises primarily engaged in researching, manufacturing, developing, producing, or bringing to market goods, products, or services that generate or support the production of renewable energy.

**(3)** **Renewable energy** The term “renewable energy” means energy derived from resources that are regenerative or that cannot be depleted, including solar, wind, ethanol, and biodiesel fuels.

**(4)** **Renewable Fuel Capital Investment company** The term “Renewable Fuel Capital Investment company” means a company—

**(A)** that—

**(i)** has been granted final approval by the Administrator under section 690c(e) of this title; and

**(ii)** has entered into a participation agreement with the Administrator; or

**(B)** that has received conditional approval under section 690c(c) of this title.

**(5)** **State** The term “State” means each of the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.

**(6)** **Venture capital** section 683(g)(4) of this title

The term “venture capital” means capital in the form of equity capital investments, as that term is defined in .

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 85–699, title III, § 381, as added Pub. L. 110–140, title XII, § 1207, Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1774.)

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Part effective on the date that is 1 day after , see , set out as a note under , The Congress.