1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Rural Jobs and Investment Act of 2018 . 2. Rural innovation stronger economy grant program Subtitle D of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act ( 7 U.S.C. 1981 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 379I. Rural innovation stronger economy grant program (a) Definitions In this section: (1) Eligible entity The term eligible entity means a rural jobs accelerator partnership established after the date of enactment of this section that— (A) organizes key community and regional stakeholders into a working group that— (i) focuses on the shared goals and needs of the industry clusters that are objectively identified as existing, emerging, or declining; (ii) represents a region defined by the partnership in accordance with subparagraph (B); (iii) includes 1 or more representatives of each of— (I) an institution of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1001 )); (II) a private entity; and (III) a government entity; (iv) may include 1 or more representatives of— (I) an economic development or other community or labor organization; (II) a financial institution, including a community development financial institution (as defined in section 103 of the Community Development Banking and Financial Institutions Act of 1994 ( 12 U.S.C. 4702 )); (III) a philanthropic organization; and (IV) a rural cooperative, if the cooperative is organized as a nonprofit organization; and (v) has, as a lead applicant— (I) a District Organization (as defined in section 300.3 of title 13, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation)); (II) an Indian tribe (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act ( 25 U.S.C. 5304 )), or a consortium of Indian tribes; (III) a State or a political subdivision of a State, including a special purpose unit of a State or local government engaged in economic development activities, or a consortium of political subdivisions