§8144 Grants to or Contracts with Organizations

Summary

The Secretary can give grants or sign contracts with nonprofit groups to pay for projects in cities, urban areas, or neighborhoods. The projects must have strong artistic, cultural, historical, or design value, be community-led efforts that can help save or renew neighborhoods and boost local pride, and meet rules the Secretary and the Chairman set together. The Secretary and the Chairman must make written rules for picking projects. Those rules will cover things like artistic quality, wide community involvement, ability to attract other public or private help, whether the project can be done by the sponsor, its promise for neighborhood revitalization and pride, how it may help low- and moderate-income people, and how local residents (including seniors and disabled people) could use it. Groups must apply under the joint rules. Before approving any award, the Secretary must talk with the Chairman and ask state and local officials and knowledgeable citizens for advice on community development and the arts. The rules will require that part of each project’s cost come from non-federal sources; matching requirements can vary and may be reduced or waived only to reflect the applicant’s financial ability. Applications must include a local government certification that the project fits local goals. Funds cannot replace other public or private money. No more than 10 percent of the funds appropriated for any fiscal year under section 8146 of this title may be used for administrative expenses.