Florida Senate - 2024                                     SB 196
       
       
        
       By Senator Simon
       
       
       
       
       
       3-00486-24                                             2024196__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Regional Rural Development
    3         Grants Program; amending s. 288.018, F.S.; deleting
    4         the requirement that certain grants received by a
    5         regional economic development organization must be
    6         matched in a certain manner; removing a provision
    7         requiring a certain consideration; removing certain
    8         demonstration requirements of program applicants;
    9         providing an effective date.
   10          
   11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   12  
   13         Section 1. Paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of subsection (1)
   14  and subsection (2) of section 288.018, Florida Statutes, are
   15  amended to read:
   16         288.018 Regional Rural Development Grants Program.—
   17         (1)
   18         (b) The department shall establish a matching grant program
   19  to provide funding to regional economic development
   20  organizations for the purpose of building the professional
   21  capacity of those organizations. Building the professional
   22  capacity of a regional economic development organization
   23  includes hiring professional staff to develop, deliver, and
   24  provide needed economic development professional services,
   25  including technical assistance, education and leadership
   26  development, marketing, and project recruitment. Matching Grants
   27  may also be used by a regional economic development organization
   28  to provide technical assistance to local governments, local
   29  economic development organizations, and existing and prospective
   30  businesses.
   31         (c) A regional economic development organization may apply
   32  annually to the department for a matching grant. The department
   33  is authorized to approve, on an annual basis, grants to such
   34  regional economic development organizations. The maximum amount
   35  an organization may receive in any year will be $50,000, or
   36  $250,000 for any three regional economic development
   37  organizations that serve an entire region of a rural area of
   38  opportunity designated pursuant to s. 288.0656(7) if they are
   39  recognized by the department as serving such a region.
   40         (d) Grant funds received by a regional economic development
   41  organization must be matched each year by nonstate resources in
   42  an amount equal to 25 percent of the state contribution.
   43         (2) In approving the participants, the department shall
   44  consider the demonstrated need of the applicant for assistance
   45  and require the following:
   46         (a) Documentation of official commitments of support from
   47  each of the units of local government represented by the
   48  regional organization.
   49         (b) Demonstration that each unit of local government has
   50  made a financial or in-kind commitment to the regional
   51  organization.
   52         (c) Demonstration that the private sector has made
   53  financial or in-kind commitments to the regional organization.
   54         (b)(d) Demonstration that the organization is in existence
   55  and actively involved in economic development activities serving
   56  the region.
   57         (c)(e) Demonstration of the manner in which the
   58  organization is or will coordinate its efforts with those of
   59  other local and state organizations.
   60         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.