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<section article="gec" article_name="Economic Development" number="4-514" title_number="4" title_name="Tourism, Film, and the Arts" subtitle_number="5" subtitle_name="Maryland State Arts Council">
  <level label="a">
    <text>Nothing in this section may be construed to prohibit an organization from receiving funds from a government source other than the Maryland Arts Capital Grant Program.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>There is a Maryland Arts Capital Grant Program.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Council shall administer the Program and hire at least one full–time coordinator for the Program.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>For each of fiscal years 2024 through 2029, the Governor shall include in the State operating or capital budget an annual appropriation of $3,000,000 for the Maryland Arts Capital Grant Program.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>For each fiscal year, the Council shall award the entire appropriation under subsection (c) of this section in grants under this section.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>An organization may apply for a grant under this section if the organization has an operating budget that is less than $3,000,000 and:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>participates in the Council’s Grants for Organizations program or Community Arts Development program; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>is open to the public and provides cultural education or experiences.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The Council may award a grant under this section for the acquisition of, the expansion of, the renovation of, or major repairs to a facility or other infrastructure operated by an organization eligible under paragraph (2) of this subsection to apply for a grant.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>For any fiscal year, an organization may not receive from the Council a grant for a single project that exceeds $1,000,000.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Council, in consultation with the Division of Neighborhood Revitalization in the Department of Housing and Community Development and the Department, shall establish a competitive application process for the grants authorized under this section.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The application shall contain:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the project plan and full budget, including the use of the matching funds;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a description of the neighborhood or area where the project will be located;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>a letter of support from the local governing body representing the area in which the project will be located;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>a letter of support from the State Senator or Delegate representing the area in which the project will be located;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>organizational documents for the organization; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>any other information that the Council requires.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>The Department, by regulation, shall establish a quantitative system to evaluate each application that takes into account:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the full project plan and how the plan relates to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>fulfilling the mission of the organization; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>enhancing the county and the communities surrounding the project;</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the capacity of the applicant or partners of the applicant to complete the project and leverage non–State funding;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>the ability of the proposed project to address identified challenges at the organization;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>a description of the organization’s inclusionary hiring practices that increase local workforce opportunities; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>a plan to make the project available for use by people of color and by individuals living below the federal poverty level.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Council and a grant recipient shall execute a program agreement.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The grant recipient shall comply with the terms of the program agreement.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The program agreement may not allow for more than 15% of the amount of the grant to be used for operating expenses.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The Council may exercise any remedy authorized by law if the grant recipient:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>violates any provision of the agreement; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>does not meet any requirement under this section.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>It is the intent of the General Assembly that, before a legislative bond initiative is submitted on behalf of an organization for a project that is eligible for a grant under this section, the organization:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>apply for a grant under this section;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>receive a letter of support from the executive director of the Council stating that:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the project is urgent and any funding the organization receives will be spent in the next fiscal year; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the organization has been awarded a grant under this section; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>is authorized by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House to request a legislative bond initiative.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
