Sec. 32-9qq. Business outreach center challenge grants. Eligibility of greenways projects.
Sec. 32-9qq. Business outreach center challenge grants. Eligibility of
greenways projects. (a) It is hereby found and declared as a matter of legislative determination that there is a continuing need in the state for stimulation and encouragement
of economic growth and development within the state through the establishment of
business outreach centers located in certain regions of the state or for certain industry
sectors to assist in providing services to small businesses and minority business enterprises as defined in section 4a-60g in the areas of business plan development, financial
projection and planning, loan packaging, business counseling and related follow-up
services, including the monitoring of any of the foregoing.
(b) The business outreach center challenge grant program is hereby created. In order
to stimulate and encourage economic growth and development, the state, acting through
the Department of Economic and Community Development, may make grants for the
establishment of business outreach centers located in certain regions of the state or for
certain industry sectors to assist in providing services to small businesses and minority
business enterprises. Such grants shall be made under such terms and conditions as the
department deems appropriate and shall be payable from the proceeds of the sale of bonds
authorized under subsection (f) of this section and funds received by the department from
any other source, in accordance with the following provisions:
(1) A business outreach center shall be any nonprofit or governmental entity providing or able to provide assistance to small businesses and minority business enterprises
in the areas of business plan development, financial projection, loan package planning,
including loan packaging for small businesses and minority business enterprises which
are seeking financial assistance from the Connecticut Development Authority, business
counseling and related monitoring and follow-up services.
(2) The department may require any entity receiving a grant pursuant to this section
to obtain a matching grant in such amount as the department determines in its discretion.
Such matching grant may include cash and in-kind contributions.
(c) Grants may be made under this section to municipalities and other organizations
for the purpose of providing funds to develop greenways, including, but not limited to,
transportation-related greenways supported by the federal Transportation Equity Act
for the 21st Century, as amended from time to time. The amount of any grant shall be
as follows: (1) For transportation greenways projects that are part of interstate
greenways, not more than twenty per cent of the project cost; (2) for transportation
greenways projects that are local spurs from interstate greenways or that are intertown
greenways projects, not more than ten per cent of the project cost; and (3) for greenways
that are not transportation greenways, not more than half of the capital costs of the
project.
(d) Applications for grants under this section shall be submitted on forms provided
by the department. When reviewing applications, the department shall consider such
factors as the impact on certain regions of the state or certain industry sectors, the applicant's plan for outreach efforts designed to inform small businesses and minority business enterprises of available sources of financial and technical assistance and the commitment and capacity of the applicant to provide assistance to small businesses and
minority business enterprises under this section.
(e) Each grant made under this section shall be authorized pursuant to regulations
adopted by the Department of Economic and Community Development in accordance
with the provisions of chapter 54, which regulations may include, but shall not be limited
to, provisions concerning application requirements, grant amounts and eligible use of
funds, provided the amount of any grant under subsection (b) of this section shall be
not more than the amount specified in said subsection.
(f) For the purposes of this section, the State Bond Commission shall have the power,
from time to time, to authorize the issuance of bonds of the state in one or more series and
in principal amounts not exceeding in the aggregate two million five hundred thousand
dollars. The proceeds of the sale of said bonds shall be used by the Department of
Economic and Community Development for grants under the business outreach center
challenge grant program created under this section. All provisions of section 3-20 or
the exercise of any right or power granted thereby which are not inconsistent with the
provisions of this section are hereby adopted and shall apply to all bonds authorized by
the State Bond Commission pursuant to this section, and temporary notes in anticipation
of the money to be derived from the sale of any such bonds so authorized may be issued
in accordance with said section 3-20 and from time to time renewed. Said bonds shall
mature at such time or times not exceeding twenty years from their respective dates
as may be provided in or pursuant to the resolution or resolutions of the State Bond
Commission authorizing such bonds. None of such bonds shall be authorized except
upon a finding by the State Bond Commission that there has been filed with it a request
for such authorization, which is signed by or on behalf of the Secretary of the Office of
Policy and Management and states such terms and conditions as said commission in
its discretion may require. Said bonds issued pursuant to this section shall be general
obligations of the state and the full faith and credit of the state of Connecticut are pledged
for the payment of the principal of and interest on said bonds as the same become due,
and accordingly and as part of the contract of the state with the holders of said bonds,
appropriation of all amounts necessary for punctual payment of such principal and interest is hereby made, and the Treasurer shall pay such principal and interest as the same
become due. Net earnings on investments or reinvestments of proceeds, accrued interest
and premiums on the issuance of such bonds, after payment therefrom of expenses
incurred by the Treasurer or State Bond Commission in connection with their issuance,
shall become part of the business outreach center challenge grant program.
(P.A. 88-265, S. 28, 36; P.A. 89-119, S. 2, 4; P.A. 95-250, S. 1; 95-335, S. 5, 26; P.A. 96-211, S. 1, 5, 6; P.A. 00-148,
S. 18; P.A. 05-288, S. 140.)
History: P.A. 89-119 made technical change to Subsec. (b); P.A. 95-250 and P.A. 96-211 replaced Commissioner and
Department of Economic Development with Commissioner and Department of Economic and Community Development;
P.A. 95-335 inserted new Subsec. (c) making greenways projects eligible for grants and relettered the remaining Subsecs.,
effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 00-148 amended Subsec. (c) by changing "Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act
of 1991" to "Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century"; P.A. 05-288 made a technical change in Subsec. (e), effective
July 13, 2005.
See Sec. 23-100 re definition of "greenways".