Senate Bill S823

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    823
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              January 5, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  FUNKE  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Judiciary
 
 AN ACT to amend the economic development law, in relation to a New  York
   state community solutions matching grant program
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1.  Legislative findings and intent. (a) New York state boasts
 a diverse array of colleges  and  universities  that  enhance  community
 life, promote economic opportunity, improve health and safety and ensure
 quality education. The New York state community solutions matching grant
 program  will  serve as a catalyst for partnerships between institutions
 of higher education and communities to solve community problems  through
 research,  outreach  activities  and  the exchange of information. These
 institutions of higher education will help  to  address  the  challenges
 facing  New  York  state  communities  and provide critical services and
 programs to assist the broad needs of New Yorkers.
   (b) Research and outreach activities assisted under this program shall
 focus on problems associated with, but not limited to, housing, economic
 development, neighborhood revitalization, infrastructure,  health  care,
 job  training, education, planning, community organizing and other areas
 deemed appropriate by the empire state  development  corporation.  Funds
 received  under  this  program  shall  be  used  for  new and innovative
 programs that will address  the  problems  identified  in  the  eligible
 applicant's  application  or to expand and grow existing programs run by
 the applicant that are already addressing challenges and needs in  their
 community.
   §  2.  The economic development law is amended by adding a new article
 23 to read as follows:
                                ARTICLE 23
         NEW YORK STATE COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM
   SECTION 447. DEFINITIONS.

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD04268-01-7

 S. 823                              2
 
         § 448. FUND ALLOCATION AND GRANT AWARDS.
         § 449. FUNDING CRITERIA.
         § 450. APPLICATION AND APPROVAL PROCESS.
   § 447. DEFINITIONS. AS USED IN THIS ARTICLE, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL
 HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   1.  ELIGIBLE APPLICANT. THE TERM "ELIGIBLE APPLICANT" SHALL MEAN EVERY
 SUNY, CUNY AND PRIVATE, NON-PROFIT COLLEGE OR  UNIVERSITY  IN  NEW  YORK
 STATE.
   2.  NON-STATE  FUNDS. THE TERM "NON-STATE FUNDS" SHALL MEAN ANY FUNDS,
 EXCEPT STATE FUNDS, ACCESSIBLE BY THE ELIGIBLE APPLICANT FOR THE PROJECT
 INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED  TO,  FEDERAL  FUNDS,  LOCAL  FUNDS,  PRIVATE
 FUNDS, AND IN-KIND DONATIONS.
   3.  CORPORATION.  THE TERM "CORPORATION" SHALL MEAN THE NEW YORK STATE
 EMPIRE STATE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
   § 448. FUND ALLOCATION AND GRANT AWARDS. 1. WITHIN  AMOUNTS  APPROPRI-
 ATED  OR OTHERWISE AVAILABLE THEREFOR, THE CORPORATION SHALL DEVELOP AND
 ADMINISTER A NEW YORK STATE COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS MATCHING GRANT  PROGRAM,
 WHICH  SHALL PROVIDE ASSISTANCE IN THE FORM OF GRANTS FOR REASONABLE AND
 NECESSARY EXPENSES TO ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS  FOR  PROPOSED  PROJECTS  THAT
 ADDRESS SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY NEEDS. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS SHALL BE ELIGI-
 BLE FOR MATCHING GRANTS UP TO TWO HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.
   §  449.  FUNDING  CRITERIA. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS SHALL PROVIDE AN EQUAL
 MATCHING NON-STATE FUND CONTRIBUTION FOR EACH STATE DOLLAR RECEIVED.
   § 450. APPLICATION AND APPROVAL PROCESS. 1. APPLICATIONS FOR  MATCHING
 GRANTS  PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE SHALL BE DEVELOPED, REVIEWED AND EVALU-
 ATED PURSUANT TO ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND CRITERIA SET FORTH IN THIS
 ARTICLE. THE CORPORATION IS AUTHORIZED TO  PROMULGATE  RULES  AND  REGU-
 LATIONS PURSUANT THERETO.
   2.  EACH  ELIGIBLE  APPLICANT  SHALL  INCLUDE  IN  ITS APPLICATION THE
 FOLLOWING:
   (A) A STATEMENT THAT THE APPLICANT HAS THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO FUND
 THE PROPOSED PROJECT;
   (B) A STATEMENT DESCRIBING  HOW  THE  PROPOSED  PROJECT  WILL  ADDRESS
 SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY NEEDS AND PRODUCE MEASURABLE RESULTS;
   (C)  A  STATEMENT  THAT  ILLUSTRATES THE ROLE PLAYED BY ANY NON-PROFIT
 PARTNERS, STUDENTS, FACULTY, STAFF OR OTHER INTERESTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS
 IN SUPPORTING THE PROPOSED PROJECT;
   (D) A STATEMENT DISCUSSING THE STRATEGIES THE APPLICANT WILL EMPLOY TO
 BUILD LONG-TERM, MUTUALLY-BENEFICIAL COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND  EXPLAIN
 EFFORTS  TO  ENLIST  OTHER  COLLABORATORS,  INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
 BUSINESSES, CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS, AND/OR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES;
   (E) A STATEMENT DETAILING THE PROJECT, INCLUDING ANTICIPATED  TIMELINE
 AND PROJECT COSTS, INCLUDING THE SOURCES AND USES OF FUNDS; AND
   (F)  A  STATEMENT OUTLINING THE TYPE OR TYPES OF NON-STATE FUNDS TO BE
 USED AND THE SOURCE OR SOURCES OF SUCH FUNDS.
   3. UPON RECEIPT OF A MATCHING GRANT APPLICATION THE CORPORATION  SHALL
 REVIEW  SUCH  APPLICATION  FOR TECHNICAL SUFFICIENCY AND COMPLIANCE WITH
 THE APPLICATION CRITERIA IN THIS ARTICLE. IF NECESSARY, THE  CORPORATION
 MAY  REQUEST  ADDITIONAL  INFORMATION  FROM  ELIGIBLE  APPLICANTS BEFORE
 MAKING A DETERMINATION ON THE AWARDING OF  MATCHING  GRANTS  UNDER  THIS
 ARTICLE.
   §  3. This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding
 the date on which it shall have become a law;  provided,  however,  that
 effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule
 or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effec-
 tive date is authorized to be made and completed on or before such date.