§ 10703 — Grant program

(a) Availability.--Grants under this chapter shall only be offered to the extent funding is made available to the department. The following apply:

(1) If funding is exhausted or otherwise unavailable, the department shall be under no obligation to provide grants under this chapter.

(2) Grant money may be prorated or offered as a percentage of actual costs, as determined by the department and set forth in an order by the secretary, to spread available money to a larger number of eligible projects. The secretary shall transmit notice of an order to the Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

(b) Reimbursement grants.--Grants under this chapter shall be reimbursement grants. The following shall apply:

(1) The amount of a grant shall be based on actual eligible costs submitted by an approved applicant for an approved project.

(2) Grant money shall not exceed 85% of the costs of an eligible project.

(3) Grant money shall not be used to reimburse any portion of an in-kind contribution to an eligible project.

(4) Grant money may not be used to pay or reimburse wages or salaries of grant recipient staff.

(5) Grant money may not be used to reimburse any portion of the project costs which are being paid or reimbursed under another Federal or State grant program.

(6) A single applicant may not be awarded more than $100,000 in grants in any five-year period, calculated from the date the department awards the grant.

(c) Eligibility.--A person may apply to the department, in accordance with the program standards and requirements under subsection (d), for a determination by the department that a project is an eligible project that may receive a reimbursement grant under this chapter.

(d) Program standards and requirements.--The department shall, consistent with this chapter and any appropriation of money for grants under this chapter, establish the terms and conditions for the application process for program reimbursement grants, including the maximum reimbursement grant amount an applicant may receive in any single fiscal year. The department shall transmit notice of the requirements to the Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

(e) Application procedure.--An applicant who desires to receive a program reimbursement grant shall submit a grant application on a form provided by the department and in accordance with program standards and requirements. The application shall contain the following information and other information as required by the department:

(1) The applicant's name, business address and contact information.

(2) The details of the project for which reimbursement grant money is sought, including the following:

(i) A project budget.

(ii) A statement of the maximum amount of grant money sought for the project.

(iii) A project construction and implementation schedule.

(iv) A narrative identifying each entity that will assist in, participate in and benefit from the project.

(v) A description of how the project would improve agricultural infrastructure in an urban area.

(vi) A description of how the project improves or facilitates the aggregation of agricultural products in an urban area.

(vii) A description of how the project entails the sharing of resources among urban agricultural operations agricultural producers or community organizations.

(viii) A description of how the project supports community or economic development in the project area.

(ix) An attestation signed by the applicant, verifying the accuracy of the information presented on the application.

(x) Other information as the department may reasonably require.

(f) Grant awards.--The department shall award grants to applicants in accordance with this chapter and the applicable program standards and requirements.

Legislative History

(July 7, 2022, P.L.504, No.52, eff. imd.) 2022 Amendment.Act 52 amended subsecs. (a), (b) and (e)(2)(ii) and (viii).