The Florida Senate

The Department of Community Affairs is authorized to award core administrative and operating grants. Administrative and operating grants shall be used for staff salaries and administrative expenses for eligible community-based development organizations selected through a competitive three-tiered process for the purpose of housing and economic development projects. The department shall adopt by rule a set of criteria for three-tiered funding that shall ensure equitable geographic distribution of the funding throughout the state. This three-tiered plan shall include emerging, intermediate, and mature community-based development organizations recognizing the varying needs of the three tiers. Funding shall be provided for core administrative and operating grants for all levels of community-based development organizations. Priority shall be given to those organizations that demonstrate community-based productivity and high performance as evidenced by past projects developed with stakeholder input that have responded to neighborhood needs, and have current projects located in high-poverty neighborhoods, and to emerging community-based development corporations that demonstrate a positive need identified by stakeholders. Persons, equipment, supplies, and other resources funded in whole or in part by grant funds shall be utilized to further the purposes of this act, and may be utilized to further the goals and objectives of the Front Porch Florida Initiative. Each community-based development organization shall be eligible to apply for a grant of up to $50,000 per year for a period of 5 years.