The Florida Senate

288.018  Regional Rural Development Grants Program.--

(1)  The Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development shall establish a matching grant program to provide funding to regionally based economic development organizations representing rural counties and communities for the purpose of building the professional capacity of their organizations. The Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development is authorized to approve grants to such regionally based economic development organizations. The maximum amount an organization may receive in any year will be $20,000 and must be matched each year by an equivalent amount of nonstate resources.

(2)  In approving the participants, the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development shall consider the demonstrated need of the applicant for assistance and require the following:

(a)  Documentation of official commitments of support from each of the units of local government represented by the regional organization.

(b)  Demonstration that each unit of local government has made a financial or in-kind commitment to the regional organization.

(c)  Demonstration that the private sector has made financial or in-kind commitments to the regional organization.

(d)  Demonstration that the organization is in existence and actively involved in economic development activities serving the region.

(e)  Demonstration of the manner in which the organization is or will coordinate its efforts with those of other local and state organizations.

(3)  The Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development may expend up to $100,000 each fiscal year from funds appropriated to the Rural Community Development Revolving Loan Fund for the purposes outlined in this section.

History.--s. 32, ch. 96-320.