1. (a) The department shall develop guidelines to award grants to eligible teams for allowable expenses. The guidelines developed by the department must include a maximum grant award allotment for each eligible team based on the:

   1. (1) level of programming;
   2. (2) level of competition; and

   3. (3) number of participants;

      of various robotics competitions as determined by the department.

2. (b) The department shall award grants in a manner that maximizes the number of eligible teams that will be able to receive funds, with an emphasis on increasing the number of high school teams, and that expands the geographical distribution of eligible teams.

3. (c) The department shall award grants under this chapter for each school year not later than August 1 of the applicable school year.

   [Pre-2026 Revision Citation: 20-20-45.5-12.]

As added by P.L.74-2026, SEC.37.