CHAPTER 23 - GRANTS FOR PARKS AND RECREATION
Title 51 - Parks, Recreation and Tourism
CHAPTER 23.
GRANTS FOR PARKS AND RECREATION
SECTION 51-23-10. Definitions.
For purposes of this chapter:
(1) "County area" means the area included within the geographical boundaries of a county.
(2) "Eligible entity" means any local governmental entity, including a special purpose district, within a county area applying for a grant under this chapter which has provided parks or recreation services for at least twelve months prior to the date of the application. The Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism shall annually determine those local units which qualify as "eligible entities".
SECTION 51-23-20. Allocation of proceeds of Parks and Recreation Fund.
The proceeds of the Parks and Recreation Development Fund (Fund) established pursuant to Section 12-21-4200 must be allocated annually as follows:
(1) Twenty thousand dollars must be credited to the account of each county area.
(2) Seventy-five percent of the remainder of the Fund must be credited to the account of each county area on a per capita basis according to the population estimates for counties prepared annually by the Bureau of the Census and published in "Current Population Reports".
(3) The remainder of the Fund must be allocated to the account of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. Amounts allocated to individual accounts in the Fund must be distributed as provided in Sections 51-23-30 and 51-23-40.
SECTION 51-23-30. Grant program for planning, developing, and renovating park and recreation facilities.
The department shall devise and administer a noncompetitive program of grants to eligible entities within each county area for planning and development for new parks and recreation facilities or renovations of existing facilities. Grant funds may not be used to supplant existing funding for parks and recreation purposes nor may they be used to retire indebtedness incurred prior to July 1, 1988. Grant awards must be made by the department according to criteria and administrative guidelines it shall develop and furnish to potential grant applicants. All grants must be in the form of reimbursements and no grant may be awarded unless the grantee matches the grant in an amount equal to at least twenty percent of the grant. All grant applications must be submitted in writing and signed by a majority of the members of the legislative delegation representing the eligible entity applying for the grant. Unexpended grant funds in any account may be carried forward for not more than three succeeding fiscal years, after which any unexpended funds must be reallocated on a statewide basis in the next fiscal year as part of the distribution to the Fund for that year.
SECTION 51-23-40. Use of funds for administrative expenses.
Funds allocated to the account of the department pursuant to this chapter must be used by it for planning, development, and renovation of new state parks and recreation facilities located therein except that the department may expend an amount not to exceed five percent of its annual allotment for the expenses of administering this chapter.