2023 Utah Code › Title 35A - Utah Workforce Services Code › Chapter 3 - Employment Support Act › Part 7 - Refugee Services › Section 701 - Refugee services fund -- Use of money -- Committee and director duties -- Restrictions.

Effective 5/12/2015
35A-3-701.
Refugee services fund -- Use of money -- Committee and director duties -- Restrictions.
(1) There is created an expendable special revenue fund, known as the "Refugee Services Fund."
(2) The director shall administer the fund with input from the department and any advisory committee involved with the provision of refugee services within the department.
(3)
(a) Money shall be deposited into the fund from legislative appropriations, federal grants, private foundations, and individual donors.
(b) The director shall encourage a refugee who receives services funded under Subsection (8) to be a donor to the fund when the refugee's financial situation improves sufficiently to make a donation.
(4) Except for money restricted to a specific use under federal law or by a donor, the director may not spend money from the fund without the input described in Subsection (2).
(5) The state treasurer shall invest the money in the fund under Title 51, Chapter 7, State Money Management Act, and all interest or other earnings derived from the fund money shall be deposited in the fund.
(6) Money in the fund may not be used by the director for administrative expenses.
(7) If the department establishes a refugee services advisory committee referenced in Subsection (2), the committee may:
(a) advise the director on refugee services needs in the state and on relevant operational aspects of any grant or revenue collection program established under this part;
(b) recommend specific refugee projects to the director;
(c) recommend policies and procedures for administering the fund;
(d) make recommendations on grants made from the fund for refugee services activities authorized under this section;
(e) advise the director on the criteria by which grants from the fund shall be made;
(f) recommend the order approved projects should be funded;
(g) make recommendations regarding the distribution of money from the fund in accordance with federal or donor restrictions; and
(h) have joint responsibility to solicit public and private funding for the fund.
(8) The director may use fund money to:
(a) train an existing refugee organization to develop its capacity to operate professionally and effectively and to become an independent, viable organization; or
(b) provide grants to refugee organizations and other entities identified in Subsection (9) to assist them:
(i) with case management;
(ii) in meeting emergency housing needs for refugees;
(iii) in providing English language services;
(iv) in providing interpretive services;
(v) in finding and maintaining employment for refugees;
(vi) in collaborating with the state's public education system to improve the involvement of refugee parents in assimilating their children into public schools;
(vii) in meeting the health and mental health needs of refugees;
(viii) in providing or arranging for child care services; or
(ix) in administering refugee services.
(9) The director, with the input described in Subsection (2), may grant fund money for refugee services outlined in Subsection (8) through a request for proposal process to:
(a) local governments;
(b) nonprofit community, charitable, or neighborhood-based organizations or private for-profit organizations involved with providing or arranging for the provision of refugee services; or
(c) regional or statewide nonprofit organizations.
(10)
(a) The director shall enter into a written agreement with each entity that successfully applies for a grant.
(b) The agreement shall include specific terms for each grant consistent with the provisions of this section, including the structure, amount, and nature of the grant.
(11) The director shall monitor the activities of the recipients of grants issued from the fund on an annual basis to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions imposed on the recipient by the fund.
(12) The director shall require an entity that receives a grant under this section to provide periodic accounting of how the money was used.
(13) As part of the annual written report described in Section 35A-1-109, the director shall report the status of the fund, including programs and services funded by the fund.
Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 221, 2015 General Session