81-1213.04.

Youth outdoor education camp; grant; eligible grantee; matching funds; grant period; return grant funds; conditions; uses for grant funds.

(1) For purposes of this section:

(a) Department means the Department of Economic Development;

(b) Director means the Director of Economic Development;

(c) Eligible grantee means a nonprofit organization holding a certificate of exemption under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and

(d) Eligible location means a location on or contiguous to the location of a youth outdoor education camp that is located west of the one hundredth meridian where youth outdoor education camp facilities were destroyed by a natural or manmade disaster that occurred after January 1, 2022.

(2)(a) An eligible grantee may apply to the department for a grant for ten million dollars for the uses described in subsection (4) of this section at an eligible location.

(b) The department shall award one grant for ten million dollars to an eligible grantee if:

(i) The eligible grantee completes a feasibility study for the intended use of the grant and presents such completed feasibility study to the director on or before June 30, 2024; and

(ii) The director finds that the results of the completed feasibility study demonstrate the viability of the project and approves such completed feasibility study.

(3) The grantee shall receive grant money on a dollar-for-dollar matching basis from the department, which may be released in multiple stages, at any time within ten years after being awarded the grant, if the applicant provides documentation to the department that matching funds have been received in the amount requested for release and that the grant money is being used to complete the project in conformity with the approved feasibility study. At the end of the ten-year allowable grant period, if any grant money was not spent in conformity with the approved feasibility study or if any unmatched grant money was erroneously awarded to the grantee, the grantee shall remit such grant money to the State Treasurer for credit to the Youth Outdoor Education Innovation Fund. The matching funds may include any money, real estate subject to section 81-1108.33, in-kind donation, private or public grant, gift, endowment raised to sustain the uses described in subsection (4) of this section, expense for a feasibility study, or planning cost.

(4) The grant may be used to pay for:

(a) Construction of physical structures;

(b) Construction of year-round facilities, including lodging, conference, and meeting facilities, and related infrastructure, to generate local and regional economic development;

(c) Equipment that will be used for construction and maintenance of physical structures, facilities, and infrastructure described in this subsection; and

(d) Infrastructure necessary to ensure accessibility to the physical structures and facilities by the public.

(5) The department may adopt and promulgate rules and regulations to carry out this section.