HF 1946

as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 03/20/2017 04:25pm

A bill for an act
relating to community development; establishing a Somali community development
pilot grant program; requiring reports; appropriating money; proposing coding for
new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 116J.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

new text begin [116J.9921] SOMALI COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PILOT GRANT
PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have
the meanings given.
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new text begin (b) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of employment and economic development.
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new text begin (c) "Community initiative" means a nonprofit organization which:
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new text begin (1) participates in a statewide collaborative network serving Somali communities; and
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new text begin (2) provides services to Somali communities in one or more of the program areas listed
in subdivision 4, paragraph (b).
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new text begin (d) "Intermediary organization" means a nonprofit organization that is highly
knowledgeable about community initiatives providing services to Somali communities in
one or more of the program areas listed in subdivision 4, paragraph (b).
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new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Establishment. new text end

new text begin The commissioner shall establish a Somali community
development pilot grant program to award grants to one or more intermediary organizations
to identify and support community initiatives designed to enhance long-term economic
self-sufficiency by improving health, education, housing, and economic outcomes for
Minnesota Somali communities.
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new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Grants to intermediary organizations. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner shall award
grants to one or more intermediary organizations through a competitive process. In
determining grant awards, the commissioner shall give weight to applications from
organizations that demonstrate:
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new text begin (1) a high level of knowledge about community initiatives providing services to Somali
communities in one or more program areas listed in subdivision 4, paragraph (b);
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new text begin (2) a history of successful past collaboration with such community initiatives; and
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new text begin (3) a history of successful fund-raising from private sources for such initiatives.
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new text begin (b) Intermediary organizations awarded grants by the commissioner shall receive all
grant funds intended for distribution to community initiatives under subdivision 4.
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new text begin (c) An intermediary organization awarded a grant under this subdivision may use up to
five percent of grant funds for administrative costs.
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new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Grants to community initiatives. new text end

new text begin (a) An intermediary organization awarded
a grant under subdivision 3 must award funds through a competitive grant process to
community initiatives within that intermediary organization's service area.
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new text begin (b) The intermediary organization must award grants to community initiatives that will
provide services, either alone or in partnership with another nonprofit organization, in one
or more of the following areas:
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new text begin (1) economic development, including but not limited to programs to foster
entrepreneurship or small business development in Minnesota Somali communities;
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new text begin (2) health, including but not limited to programs to provide Somali community-based
preventative, behavioral, or pregnancy-related health care;
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new text begin (3) education, including but not limited to programs to encourage civic engagement or
early childhood development or that provide after-school or recreation programs targeted
at Somali youth; or
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new text begin (4) housing, including but not limited to programs to prevent and respond to homelessness
in Somali communities or to provide access to loans or grants for housing stability and
affordability.
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new text begin (c) To receive grant funds, a community initiative must submit a written application to
an intermediary organization, using a form developed by that intermediary organization.
This grant application must include:
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new text begin (1) a description of the activities that will be funded by the grant;
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new text begin (2) an estimate of the cost of each grant activity;
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new text begin (3) the total cost of the project;
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new text begin (4) the sources and amounts of nonstate funds supplementing the grant;
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new text begin (5) how the project aims to achieve stated outcomes in areas including improved public
health and health care delivery; job training; workforce development; small business support;
early childhood, kindergarten through grade 12, and higher education achievement; and
access to housing, including loans; and
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new text begin (6) any additional information requested by an intermediary organization.
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new text begin (d) In awarding grants under this subdivision, the intermediary organization shall give
weight to applications from organizations that demonstrate:
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new text begin (1) a history of successful provision of the services listed in paragraph (b); and
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new text begin (2) a history of successful fund-raising from private sources for such services.
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new text begin (e) In evaluating grant applications, the intermediary organization shall not consider the
composition of a community initiative's governing board.
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new text begin (f) Grant funds may be used by a community initiative for the following purposes:
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new text begin (1) operating costs, including but not limited to staff, office space, computers, software,
and Web development and maintenance services;
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new text begin (2) program costs;
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new text begin (3) travel within Minnesota;
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new text begin (4) consultants directly related to and necessary for delivering services listed in paragraph
(b); and
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new text begin (5) capacity building.
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new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Limitation. new text end

new text begin To the extent possible, at least 50 percent of grant amounts awarded
under subdivision 4 must be distributed to community initiatives serving areas located
outside of the seven-county metropolitan area, as defined in section 473.121, subdivision
2.
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new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Reports to the legislature. new text end

new text begin By January 15, 2019, and each January 15 thereafter
through January 2022, the commissioner must submit a report to the chairs and ranking
minority members of the committees of the house of representatives and the senate having
jurisdiction over economic development that details the use of grant funds. This report must
include data on the number of individuals served and, to the extent practical, measures of
progress toward achieving the outcomes stated in subdivision 4, paragraph (c), clause 5.
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Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
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new text begin $9,000,000 in fiscal year 2018 and $9,000,000 in fiscal year 2019 are appropriated from
the general fund to the commissioner of employment and economic development for the
Somali community development pilot grant program established under Minnesota Statutes,
section 116J.9921. These appropriations are available until June 30, 2022. Starting in fiscal
year 2022, the base funding for this program shall be $0.
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