- A. The Governor may award grants from the Fund for the Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Planning Grant Program to encourage efforts by political subdivisions to support agriculture and forestry.
- B. Any funds awarded by the Governor pursuant to this section shall be awarded as reimbursable grants to political subdivisions.
- C. The Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry shall develop guidelines for the Planning Grant Program and administer the Program on behalf of the Governor. Such guidelines shall (i) include a requirement that any political subdivision applying for a grant provide matching funds and (ii) state the criteria the Governor will use in evaluating any grant application submitted pursuant to this section. Such guidelines may (a) allow contributions to a project by certain specified entities, such as a nonprofit organization or charitable foundation, to count as eligible local matching funds and (b) accept a reduced match requirement for an economically distressed locality applying for an award.
2020, c. 1220; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 185.