§5352 Program Authorization

Summary

State or local law enforcement agencies or prosecutors must apply to the Treasury Secretary under the application rules in section 5353(a)(2) to get or renew a grant. They must set up a way to track and report results that follows the common measures the Treasury (with the Attorney General) creates and approves. They must run surveys every two years (or use existing local surveys) to check how well their coalition is working. They must also promise that whoever evaluates them has experience collecting data about money laundering and similar financial crimes. The Treasury Secretary, with the Attorney General, can award and renew grants each fiscal year but no grant can be more than $750,000 in a year. The Secretary can pause a grant if the recipient stops following the rules, after giving written notice and a chance to appeal. Usually one group per community gets a grant, unless several local coalitions show they are working together and each meets the requirements. Grant recipients must give back to the Treasury any criminal or civil forfeiture money they get after the grant, up to the total amount of grants received. Applications may be accepted any time during the fiscal year, and some funds should be kept available for later applicants.