The Florida Senate

265.609  Youth and Children's Museum; grants.--

(1)  The Division of Cultural Affairs of the Department of State is authorized to grant moneys from the Cultural Institutions Trust Fund, including matching grants, to youth and children's museums recommended by the Florida Arts Council and approved by the Secretary of State. The division shall, by rule, establish criteria for awarding grants, including criteria based upon the quality of the proposed grant recipient, the potential public exposure and public benefit of the exhibits of the proposed grant recipient, and the ability of the proposed grant recipient to properly administer grant funds, and any other criteria the division determines are necessary and appropriate to further the purposes of this section. The division shall grant moneys from the trust fund in accordance with state law.

(2)  For purposes of this section, the term "youth and children's museum" means a public or private nonprofit institution located in this state operating on a permanent basis for the primary purpose of sponsoring, producing, and exhibiting multidisciplinary, participatory programs oriented toward visitors ages 6 months through 15 years, and their families, teachers, and caregivers.

(3)  A youth and children's museum shall be open to the public, have a full-time staff, be an organization not for profit pursuant to s. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and be incorporated pursuant to chapter 617 or administered as a part of local or state government in order to receive a grant from the fund.

(4)  The secretary may appoint review panels representing various disciplines to assist the Florida Arts Council in the grant review process. Review panel members shall serve for 1-year terms. Each panel shall include persons actively involved in the specific discipline for which the panel is to review grants. The panels shall review grant applications and make recommendations to the council concerning the relative merits of the applicants. The division shall, by rule, establish criteria for reviewing grant applications to ensure compliance with applicable state laws relating to discrimination and conflicts of interest.

(5)  The division may grant moneys quarterly from the trust fund to youth and children's museums in advance of an exhibit or program for which the moneys are granted, pursuant to a grant agreement or a contract. Before the end of the contract period, the grant recipient shall file with the division a complete accounting of all moneys received from the trust fund. The division may adopt rules requiring a postaudit of such accounting to be conducted by an independent certified public accountant.

History.--ss. 16, 17, ch. 90-267; s. 25, ch. 91-201; s. 5, ch. 91-429; s. 31, ch. 95-242; s. 8, ch. 96-418.