The Florida Senate

¹240.609  Postsecondary endowment grants.--

(1)  The Legislature finds and declares that accredited baccalaureate-degree-granting independent nonprofit colleges and universities are an integral part of the higher education system in this state; that significant numbers of persons choose to utilize these institutions for obtaining higher education; that the burdens on public colleges and universities are lessened because of the students that choose to utilize these institutions for their higher education; that having a strong system of baccalaureate-degree-granting independent nonprofit colleges and universities will improve the educational, economic, and social well-being of the state; and that creation of a state program to provide matching endowment grants will improve the academic excellence of these institutions and enhance educational opportunities for Florida citizens, furthering the improvement of the overall educational system in the state.

(2)  There is established the Florida Postsecondary Endowment Grants Program to be administered by the Department of Education. The program shall provide matching endowment grants to independent nonprofit colleges and universities in Florida that meet the requirements of this section. The Legislature shall designate funds for the program to be transferred to the Grants and Donations Trust Fund from available sources. All funds transferred to the trust fund, or retained in the trust fund, shall be invested in accordance with the provisions of chapter 215. Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any undisbursed balance remaining in the trust fund for the program and income from investments and interest related thereto shall remain in the trust fund and shall increase the total funds available for such matching endowment grants.

(3)  The matching endowment grants made available under this section shall be made available to any independent nonprofit college or university which:

(a)  Is located in and chartered by the state.

(b)  Is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

(c)  Grants baccalaureate degrees.

(d)  Is not a state university or community college.

(e)  Has a secular purpose, so long as the receipt of state aid by students at the institution would not have the primary effect of advancing or impeding religion or result in an excessive entanglement between the state and any religious sect.

(4)(a)  The amounts appropriated for the program shall be allocated by the Department of Education to each independent nonprofit college or university that meets the criteria of subsection (3) in the following manner:

1.  Each such college or university that raises an endowment contribution of at least $50,000, but no more than $75,000, from private sources shall receive a matching endowment grant equal to 70 percent of the private contribution.

2.  Each such college or university that raises an endowment contribution in excess of $75,000, but no more than $100,000, from private sources shall receive a matching endowment grant equal to 75 percent of the private contribution.

3.  Each such college or university that raises an endowment contribution in excess of $100,000, but no more than $125,000, from private sources shall receive a matching endowment grant equal to 80 percent of the private contribution.

4.  Each such college or university that raises an endowment contribution in excess of $125,000 from private sources shall receive a matching endowment grant equal to 100 percent of the private contribution.

(b)  The private sources may include combined contributions for a common purpose, but shall not include separate unrelated contributions. The state endowment matching grant shall be disbursed to the independent nonprofit college or university upon certification by the college or university that it has received and deposited the proportionate amount specified in this subsection.

(c)  Contributions may also be eligible for matching if there is a commitment to make a donation of $125,000, and an initial payment of $25,000 is accompanied by a written pledge to provide the balance within 4 years after the date of such initial payment. Payments on the balance must be at least $25,000 per year and shall be made on or before the anniversary date of the initial payment. No matching endowment grant shall be disbursed prior to collection of the total pledged contribution from the private source, but a pledged contribution shall encumber the matching endowment grant for that independent nonprofit college or university.

(5)(a)  By July 1 of each year, each independent nonprofit college or university that desires to participate in the program shall certify to the department its eligibility. The department, upon receipt and acceptance of such certifications, shall reserve an equal amount of the additional funds for the program transferred to the Grants and Donations Trust Fund for that fiscal year for each independent nonprofit college or university that is eligible to participate. An eligible independent nonprofit college or university shall have 3 fiscal years within which to encumber its share of trust funds reserved during the first 3 fiscal years. After the third fiscal year, if any independent nonprofit college or university does not fully utilize or encumber its share of reserved trust funds for any single fiscal year, such reserved funds shall be available in subsequent fiscal years for the purposes of this program.

(b)  Each eligible institution shall certify to the department its contributions for the year ending June 30, 1989. Only the qualified new contributions above the certified base shall be calculated for the purpose of allocating grants during the first 3 years of the program. In subsequent years, only the qualified new contributions above the certified prior year base shall be calculated for the purpose of allocating such grants.

(6)  Matching endowment grants made pursuant to this section to a qualified independent nonprofit college or university shall be placed in a separate restricted endowment by such institution. The interest or other income accruing from the endowment shall be expended exclusively for professorships, library resources, scientific and technical equipment, and nonathletic scholarships. Moreover, the funds in the endowment shall not be used for pervasively sectarian instruction, religious worship, or theology or divinity programs or resources. The records of the endowment shall be subject to review by the department and audit by the Auditor General. If any institution receiving a matching endowment grant pursuant to this section ceases operations and undergoes dissolution proceedings, then all funds received pursuant to this section from the state shall be returned.

(7)  The State Board of Education shall adopt rules necessary to implement this section.

(8)  This section shall be implemented to the extent specifically funded and authorized by law.

History.--s. 13, ch. 89-367; s. 27, ch. 95-376; s. 3(7), ch. 2000-321.

¹Note.--Repealed January 7, 2003, by s. 3(7), ch. 2000-321, and shall be reviewed by the Legislature prior to that date.