(b) Funding cycle for grant rounds.

1. (1) At least once per year, the division will accept and review applications for funding.
2. (2) Preapplications will be received by the division beginning January 1 of each year.
3. (3) On or before February 1 of each year, the division will notify each regional solid waste management district of the amount of funds available for the current computer and electronic equipment grant round.
4. (4) A new grant round will open March 1 of each year.
5. (5) Applications will be accepted until June 1 of each year and funds will be disbursed no later than September 1 of the current grant round.

6. (6)

   1. (A) Funds collected under the provisions of Arkansas Code § 8-6-607 and deposited into the State Treasury to the credit of the Solid Waste Management and Recycling Fund, shall annually be allocated to each of the approved regional solid waste management districts, utilizing a combination of two (2) methods referred to as Method A and Method B.
   2. (B) Fifty percent (50%) of set-aside funds will be determined by using Method A and fifty percent (50%) will be determined using Method B.
   3. (C) The total figures obtained from each method will be combined to arrive at each regional solid waste management district’s fund distribution.

(c)

1. (1) Method A.

   1. (A) The division shall determine the amount of funds within each planning and development district, organized under Arkansas Code §§ 14-166-201 – 14-166-205 and recognized by the Governor based upon the same distribution as general revenue support is distributed to the planning and development districts in the current fiscal year.
   2. (B) The division shall adjust the distribution within the planning and development districts to coincide with the boundaries of the regional solid waste management districts by determining each county’s share of the funds available within each planning and development district.
   3. (C) Each county’s share shall be based upon the proportion that each county’s population bears to the total population in the planning and development district to which the county is assigned, multiplied by the amount of funds determined to be available within the planning and development district.
   4. (D) The county’s proportional share, as determined, shall be added to all other counties’ shares within the same regional solid waste management district.

2. (2)

   1. (A) Formula for Method A:

(i) Begin with fifty percent (50%) of the total remaining grant funds;

1. (ii) Divide equally by the eight (8) planning and development districts;

   1. (iii) Multiply this result by the most recent federal decennial census population of each county; and

      1. (iv) Divide this result by the planning and development district population in which the county is located. This determines the portion per county.

   2. (B) Individual county portions are grouped and totaled by each regional solid waste management district to give the regional solid waste management district’s allocation under Method A.

      1. (d)
2. (1) Method B. The remaining fifty percent (50%) of set-aside funds in a grant round shall be based upon the ratio of the current decennial regional solid waste management district’s population divided by the most recent federal decennial state population.

3. (2)

   1. (A) Formula for Method B:

      1. (i) Begin with each regional solid waste management district’s total population;
      2. (ii) Divide by the state’s most recent federal decennial census population. This determines the regional solid waste management district’s percentage; and
      3. (iii) Multiply by the total remaining grant funds.
   2. (B) This equals each regional solid waste management district’s allocation under Method B.

(h) Estimated funds available.

1. (1) The division shall provide an estimate of funds available to each regional solid waste management district by February 1 of each year along with notification of preapproved projects.
2. (2) Notification shall be made at least thirty (30) calendar days prior to each grant round.
3. (3) Preapplications for upcoming grant rounds will be received beginning January 1 of each year.