Section 12-A:32 Economic Development Matching Grants Program. - New Hampshire Statutes

An economic development matching grants program is established to assist municipalities and counties in promoting themselves to prospective businesses. For the purposes of this subdivision, ""program'' means the economic development matching grants program.
   I. The department of resources and economic development shall administer an economic development matching grants program in cooperation with a program screening committee. The funds appropriated for this program shall be expended for grants for programs entered into by municipalities, counties, and organizations which are designed to promote the location of new businesses in the state of New Hampshire or to encourage workforce recruitment efforts.
   II. (a) The screening committee shall consist of the director of the division of economic development and 6 other members appointed as follows:
         (1) One member appointed by the governor and council upon nomination by the commissioner of resources and economic development.
         (2) One member appointed by the governor and council upon nomination by the New Hampshire Municipal Association.
         (3) Two members appointed by the governor and council upon nomination by the New Hampshire Economic Developers Association.
         (4) One member appointed by the governor and council upon nomination by the Business and Industry Association of New Hampshire.
         (5) One member appointed by the governor and council upon nomination by the New Hampshire Association of Counties.
      (b) Members, other than the director of the division of economic development, shall serve for a term of 3 years and until their successors are appointed and qualified.
   III. The screening committee shall elect its own chairman. Members may designate an alternate with the approval of the chairman. A majority of the members of the committee or their alternates shall constitute a quorum.
   IV. Members of the screening committee shall not be compensated; however, the commissioner of resources and economic development may set aside up to one percent of the funds appropriated for the program in any fiscal year to reimburse committee members for their direct expenses associated with the program. The commissioner shall review and approve all requests for reimbursement.
   V. Funds appropriated to the program shall only be made available to municipalities, counties, and organizations as may be certified by the screening committee with the approval of the commissioner of the department of resources and economic development.
   VI. Grant awards shall require 50 percent matching funds from other sources. Grants shall not be used for the administrative salaries or overhead expenses of any applicant selected for a grant. Grants may be used for workforce recruitment efforts and related travel costs.
   VII. Grant applications shall be reviewed by the screening committee which shall recommend approval or disapproval of applications to the commissioner of resources and economic development. A recommendation for disapproval by the screening committee or the commissioner shall be in writing with the reasons for disapproval stated.
   VIII. Funds appropriated for the program for the first fiscal year of any biennium shall not lapse and shall be available for expenditure during the second fiscal year of the biennium. All funds which have not been expended by the end of the second fiscal year of a biennium shall lapse to the general fund.
   IX. The commissioner of resources and economic development shall, with the advice of the screening committee, adopt rules under RSA 541-A after public hearing governing the program. These rules shall include:
      (a) A description of the program, stating the general course and method of its operations and the methods by which the proposed grantee may obtain proposes grantee information or make submissions or requests.
      (b) The procedures and criteria used to certify municipalities, counties, and organizations eligible for matching grants.
      (c) The application process, including the information required of applicants.
      (d) The procedures and criteria used to evaluate grant applications.
      (e) Procedures for the administration of grants by recipients including reporting requirements.

Source. 1993, 328:2. 1995, 285:4-6. 2001, 125:1-4, eff. Aug. 27, 2001. 2007, 118:1, eff. Aug. 10, 2007.