Subject 110-6-1 LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FUND GRANTS
The purpose of the Local Development Fund Grant Program is to
provide eligible applicants with limited state financial assistance to meet
important local community development or improvement needs without supplanting
other major sources of assistance. Pursuant to O.C.G.A. Sec.
50-8-8,
the Local Development Fund shall be administered by the Georgia Department of
Community Affairs.
| (1) |
Commissioner means the Commissioner of Community
Affairs. |
| (2) |
Department
means the Department of Community Affairs. |
| (3) |
Eligible Applicant means any
county, municipality, or consolidated government. |
| (4) |
In-kind means any non-cash
item(s) or labor donated to the project. |
| (6) |
Local Development Fund Grant
means a grant provided to an eligible applicant for the purpose of
assisting in the planning for and implementation of important local community
development or improvement needs. |
| (1) |
The Department shall hold two competition
periods per year. The first competition shall be on the first working day of
October and the second competition shall be on the first working day of
April. |
| (2) |
Applications must be
received by the Department no later than the first day of a
competition. |
Funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the
Department for local development fund grants will be allocated at the beginning
of the fiscal year among the two competitions as follows:
| (a) |
Up to 60% of the appropriation shall be
allocated during the first competition and; |
| (b) |
The balance of the appropriation shall be
allocated during the second competition. |
| (1) |
Eligible activities include, but are not
limited to, downtown development, tourism and related marketing activities,
public parking facilities, recreation improvements, community facilities,
multi-county solid waste planning, public facilities that comprise the physical
foundation of a community, historic preservation of governmental buildings, and
activities implementing approved plans prepared in accordance with the Georgia
Planning Act of 1989 or the Georgia Comprehensive Solid Waste Management
Act. |
| (2) |
Ineligible activities
include, but are not limited to, basic government services such as general
construction of or general improvements to, city halls, county courthouses and
public safety facilities. The Local Development Fund cannot be used for
administrative, overhead expenses or anything that would violate the gratuities
clause of the State Constitution. |
| (1) |
An eligible applicant, as defined in
110-6-1-.02(3), may
apply for Local Development Fund Grants. If more than one eligible applicant is
party to the application then one of the eligible applicants must be designated
as the lead agency, responsible for administering the grant if such grant is
awarded. |
| (2) |
In order to be
eligible to apply for and/or receive a Local Development Fund grant, an
eligible applicant must be in compliance with the following:
| (c) |
If applicable, be eligible to receive
solid waste grants, loans and permits as outlined in the Comprehensive Solid
Waste Management Act of 1990; and |
|
| (3) |
Eligible applicants must apply
for the local development fund grant in a format and manner prescribed by the
Department. |
| (4) |
Eligible applicants
must apply for the Local Development Fund grant in a format and manner
prescribed by the Department. Grant applications may be received by writing to
the Department of Community Affairs at the following address:
Department of Community Affairs
|
ATTN: Local Development Fund
1200 Equitable Building
100 Peachtree Street
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
The maximum award for an individual local development fund
grant will be $10,000. The maximum amount for an application submitted jointly
by two or more eligible applicants or by a consolidated local government or a
regional development center will be $20,000. Eligible applicants receiving a
grant award will be required to provide a match no less than dollar for dollar
of the grant amount. This matching requirement may be met through cash or
in-kind contribution.
Eligible applications received during a competition period
will be reviewed by a grant review team to determine the merit of the
application and whether such applicant shall receive local development funds.
In determining whether an applicant shall receive a grant award, the grant
review team will consider the following factors:
| (a) |
The reasonableness of the budget and
proposed timetable and a consideration of factors such as permits, ordinances,
inter-jurisdictional cooperation, and other funding commitments (i.e., city,
county, school, civic association, etc.). |
| (b) |
An assessment of the impact of the
project on the applicant and community, its described need, and its plan or
community strategy. Both positive and negative impacts will be assessed as well
as short and long-term impacts. |
| (c) |
An assessment of the soundness of the strategy outlined in the application,
including the degree of local commitment. In the case of joint applications,
the extent to which all participating communities have committed resources to
the project. |
| (d) |
Other information
submitted by the applicant and deemed relevant by the Department. |
| (1) |
Within 45 days of the close of a grant
competition, the Department will select grant recipients based upon the review
criteria outlined at
110-6-1-.08. |
| (2) |
Upon selection by the Department to
receive a local development fund grant, the applicant will enter into a
contract with the Department specifying the terms and conditions for the
receipt of grant funds. At the time such contact is signed by the applicant and
the Department, the Department will disburse grant funds to the applicant based
on a predetermined payment schedule. Final payment of grant funds shall be
contingent on the applicant fully satisfying the terms of the
contract. |
