Section 7-1204 - Administration of Fund. - Maryland Statutes

§ 7-1204. Administration of Fund.
 

(a)  In general.- The Department shall administer the Fund as directed by the Executive Committee. 

(b)  Advisory Board recommendations.-  

(1) Prior to final action by the Executive Committee, the Advisory Board shall review and make recommendations on: 

(i) Program standards; 

(ii) Requests for proposals; and 

(iii) Criteria for awarding grants. 

(2) A member of the Advisory Board may not vote on or make any recommendation to the Executive Committee if the member has a financial interest that may be substantially affected by that recommendation. 

(c)  Comprehensive plan.-  

(1) On or before December 15 of each year, the Executive Committee, in consultation with the Advisory Board, shall review and update the comprehensive plan of after-school opportunity programs as described in paragraph (2) of this subsection. 

(2) The comprehensive plan shall address at least the following issues: 

(i) Integration of public and private funding sources; 

(ii) Maximization of federal funding opportunities; 

(iii) Consideration of the special needs of developmentally disabled children, including needed services, supports, and appropriate provider training; 

(iv) Promotion of the use of school buildings and local public transportation resources for after-school opportunity programs; 

(v) Where applicable, use of the local child care resource and referral centers of the Maryland Child Care Resource Network for technical assistance purposes; 

(vi) Promotion of continued expansion of high quality after-school opportunity programs in the State; and 

(vii) Consideration of implementing the full range of options for improving the delivery of after-school opportunity programs, including the potential expansion of the purchase of care voucher system. 

(d)  Requests for proposals soliciting bids for grants.-  

(1) Each fiscal year, in consultation with the Advisory Board and subject to the availability of money in the Fund, the Executive Committee shall issue a request for proposals under the State procurement law soliciting bids for a grant from the Fund. 

(2) Subject to subsection (b)(2) of this section, the Executive Committee may award a grant from the Fund to an applicant only after consultation with the Advisory Board and upon a favorable vote of a majority of the members of the Executive Committee. 

(3) In any fiscal year, the total grants awarded to applicants operating within a particular county or Baltimore City may not exceed 15% of the total grants awarded in that fiscal year. 

(4) The Executive Committee must identify and ensure that a responsible organization will administer any grant awarded from the Fund. 

(e)  Selection of grant recipients.- In selecting an organization to administer a grant from the Fund, the Executive Committee shall select the responsive and responsible bidder whose application best incorporates features that will have a positive measurable impact on one or more of the conditions of well-being for Maryland children and youth identified by the Maryland Partnership for Children, Youth, and Families. 

(f)  Planning grants.- The Executive Committee may award a planning grant from the Fund to assist an organization in a county to prepare an application for a grant for the next fiscal year. 
 

[1999, chs. 585, 586; 2005, ch. 585, §§ 4, 5.]