The Florida Senate

290.036  Community development corporation support program.--

(1)  The secretary is authorized to award administrative grants, within the limits of specific appropriations, to eligible applicants for staff salaries and administrative expenses. Persons, equipment, supplies, and other resources funded in whole or in part by grant funds shall then be utilized to further the purposes of this act. Eligible activities include, but are not limited to:

(a)  Preparing grant and loan applications, proposals, fundraising letters, and other documents essential to securing additional administrative or venture funds to further the purposes of this act.

(b)  Monitoring and administering grants and loans, providing technical assistance to businesses, and any other administrative tasks essential to maintaining funding eligibility or meeting contractual obligations.

(c)  Developing local programs to encourage the participation of financial institutions, insurance companies, attorneys, architects, engineers, planners, law enforcement officers, developers, and other professional firms and individuals providing services beneficial to redevelopment efforts.

(d)  Providing management, technical, accounting, and financial assistance and information to businesses and entrepreneurs interested in locating, expanding, or operating in the service area.

(e)  Coordinating with state, federal, and local governments and other nonprofit organizations to ensure that activities meet local plans and ordinances and to avoid duplication of tasks.

(f)  Preparing plans or performing research to identify critical needs within the service area and developing approaches to address those needs.

(g)  Assisting service area residents in identifying and determining eligibility for state, federal, and local housing programs including rehabilitation, weatherization, home ownership, rental assistance, or public housing programs.

(h)  Developing, owning, and managing housing designed for low-income and moderate-income persons or industrial parks providing jobs to low-income and moderate-income persons.

(2)  A community development corporation applying for an administrative grant pursuant to this section must submit a proposal to the department which includes:

(a)  A map and narrative description of the service area for the community development corporation;

(b)  A copy of the documents creating the community development corporation;

(c)  A listing of the membership of the board;

(d)  The proposed 3-year plan for expenditure of the funds, including goals, objectives, and expected results; and

(e)  Other supporting information which may be required by the secretary.

(3)  The amount of any administrative grant to a community development corporation in any one year shall be any amount up to $100,000. The department may fund up to 18 community development corporations each year as provided for in the General Appropriations Act. The department shall develop a diminishing scale of funding each year based on the annual appropriation to ensure compliance with this section and s. 290.0365.

(4)  The department may provide grants on a multiyear basis, provided that:

(a)  Such grants shall not exceed 3 years.

(b)  Community development corporations designated to receive multiyear grants provide a detailed plan of activities to be accomplished during each year of the grant period.

(c)  All contracts containing multiyear commitments contain the following statement: "The State of Florida's obligation to pay under this contract is contingent upon an annual appropriation by the Legislature."

(5)  A community development corporation that receives an administrative grant shall submit to the department an annual year-end audit performed by an independent certified public accountant.

(6)  In evaluating proposals pursuant to this section, the secretary shall develop and consider scoring criteria including, but not limited to, the following:

(a)  The relative degree of distress of the service area of the community development corporation.

(b)  The demonstrable capacity of the community development corporation to improve the economic health of the service area and carry out the activities contained in the 3-year plan.

(c)  The degree to which the community development corporation would provide assistance to low-income persons.

(d)  The percentage of the community development corporation service area which overlaps an enterprise zone designated pursuant to s. 290.0065.

(e)  The extent to which the community development corporation utilizes the loan program authorized by s. 290.037.

(f)  The number of preceding years during the history of the program in which the community development corporation has not received state administrative support.

(g)  The extent to which the proposal would further the policy and purposes of this act.

(7)  This section shall stand repealed on June 30, 1998.

History.--s. 7, ch. 80-250; s. 12, ch. 82-119; s. 4, ch. 84-240; s. 36, ch. 88-201; s. 8, ch. 89-352; ss. 12, 13, ch. 91-262; s. 31, ch. 93-120; s. 40, ch. 94-136.

Note.--Former s. 288.607.