UT Code § 17-54-103 (2021)
2021 Utah Code|Title 17 - Counties|Chapter 54 - Rural County Grant Program|Section 103 - Rural County Grant Program.

 Effective 7/1/2021  17-54-103. Rural County Grant Program.    (1) There is created the Rural County Grant Program.     (2) The grant program shall be overseen by the GO Utah board and administered by the Center for Rural Development.     (3)   (a) In overseeing the grant program, the GO Utah board shall recommend the awarding of grants to rural counties to address the economic development needs of rural counties, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, which needs may include:   (i) business recruitment, development, and expansion;     (ii) workforce training and development; and     (iii) infrastructure, industrial building development, and capital facilities improvements for business development.       (b) After reviewing the recommendations of the GO Utah board, the executive director of the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity shall award grants to rural counties in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.       (4) Subject to appropriations from the Legislature and subject to the reporting and other requirements of this chapter, grant money shall be distributed:   (a) equally between all rural counties that have created a CED board, in an amount up to and including $200,000 annually per county; and     (b) for grant money that is available after $200,000 has been provided annually to each eligible rural county, through the process described in Subsection (6).       (5) Beginning in 2021, a rural county may not receive an additional grant under this chapter unless the rural county:   (a) demonstrates a funding match, which may include a funding match provided by any combination of a community reinvestment agency, redevelopment agency, community development and renewal agency, private-sector entity, nonprofit entity, federal matching grant, county or municipality general fund match, or in-kind match, and that totals:   (i) a 10% match for a county of the sixth class;     (ii) a 20% match for a county of the fifth class;     (iii) a 30% match for a county of the fourth class; and     (iv) a 40% match for a county of the third class; and       (b) has complied with the reporting requirements required by the GO Utah board and the reporting requirements described in Subsection (9) for all previous years that the county has received a grant.       (6) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the Center for Rural Development in collaboration with the GO Utah board shall make rules establishing the eligibility and reporting criteria for a rural county to receive grant money under Subsection (4)(b), including:   (a) the form and process for a county to submit an application to the GO Utah board for a grant;     (b) the method of scoring and prioritizing grant program applications from rural counties;     (c) the reporting, auditing, and post-performance requirements for a rural county that receives grant money; and     (d) any deadlines that shall be met by a rural county when applying for a grant.       (7) In determining the award of grant money under Subsection (4)(b), the GO Utah board may not recommend the awarding of more than $800,000 annually to a rural county.     (8) In determining the recommended award of grant money under Subsection (4)(b), the GO Utah board may prioritize applications that demonstrate any combination of the following:   (a) that the county has or is actively pursuing the creation of an effective strategic economic development plan;     (b) consistency with local economic development priorities;     (c) economic need;     (d) utilization of local financial or in-kind resources in combination with a grant;     (e) evidence that jobs will be created; and     (f) evidence that there will be a positive return on investment.       (9) On or before September 1 of each year, a county that has received a grant under this chapter in the previous 12 months shall provide a written report to the GO Utah board that describes:   (a) the amount of grant money the county has received;     (b) how grant money has been distributed by the county, including what companies or entities have utilized grant money, how much grant money each company or entity has received, and how each company or entity has used the money;     (c) an evaluation of the effectiveness of awarded grants in improving economic development in the county, including the number of jobs created, infrastructure that has been created, and capital improvements in the county;     (d) how much matching money has been utilized by the county and what entities have provided the matching money; and     (e) any other reporting, auditing, or post-performance requirements established by the Center for Rural Development in collaboration with the GO Utah board under Subsection (6).       (10) The Center for Rural Development shall compile the reported information and provide a written report to the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity for inclusion in the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity's annual written report described in Section 63N-1a-306.    Amended by Chapter 282, 2021 General Session