Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 9, September, 2024
I.
Introduction
Pursuant to authority granted by A.C.A. §
15-4-209(a)(1)
and §
15-4-209(b)(5),
the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) shall administer the Spay
and Neuter Pet Grant Program (SNP). Act 494 of 2019 appropriated funds to
AEDC's Division of Rural Services to provide grants to organizations that
provide spay and neuter services for cats and dogs.
The objective of the program is to provide matching grant funds
to cities of the first class, cities of the second class, incorporated towns,
unincorporated towns, or counties of the State of Arkansas to assist
organizations that provide spay and neuter services for cats and dogs that are
in animal shelters or municipal shelters. The goal of the grant is to reduce
the over population of cats and dogs as well as reduce the number of animals
euthanized in shelters. All project expenditures shall be completed within 12
months after the date of the grant award, unless such date has been extended by
AEDC at the request of the grantee.
Contact Information
For more information, please contact:
Arkansas Economic Development Commission
Director, Division of Rural Services
1 Commerce Way, Suite 601
Little Rock, AR 72202
(501) 682-1121
II.
Definitions
1. "AEDC" means the Arkansas Economic
Development Commission;
2.
"Eligible applicant" means a city of the first class, city of the second class,
incorporated town, unincorporated community, or county of the State of
Arkansas;
3. "Executive Director"
means the Executive Director of AEDC;
4. "Ineligible costs" means:
A. Costs incurred prior to the eligibility
date for incurring project costs as specified in the signed grant
agreement;
B. Expenditures that are
unsupported by documentation;
C.
Travel not directly related to the project;
D. Purchases of material and services that
result in benefits accruing to areas outside the State of Arkansas.
5. "Matching funds" means funds
that shall be leveraged by the grantee, in an amount of no less than 50% of the
amount of the total project costs. Matching funds may be comprised of local
county or municipal funds, private funds, or in-kind goods and/or services,
including goods and services donated by private individuals and
organizations;
6. "Review
committee" means an ad hoc committee comprised of at least three (3) AEDC staff
members, with grant review and administration experience, selected by the
Executive Director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, or his or
her designee, to review and recommend for funding applications submitted by
eligible applicants under the SNP;
7. "Rural communities or cities" means a city
of the first class, city of the second class, incorporated town, unincorporated
community having a population of 3,000 or less as determined by the most recent
census data provided by the United States Census Bureau;
8. "Rural county" means any county in the
State of Arkansas having a population of 55,000 or less as determined by the
most recent census data provided by the United States Census Bureau.
III.
The Spay Neuter Grant
Program
The AEDC may utilize any funds legally appropriated and
available to the Spay Neuter Grant Program to provide grants to eligible
applicants for eligible projects to provide assistance to organizations that
provide spay and neuter services for cats and dogs that may be adopted at local
animal shelters and municipal shelters. Applicants may apply for a grant with a
minimum amount of $1,500 and a maximum amount of $6,000. The goal of the
program is to assist cities of the first class, cities of the second class,
incorporated towns, unincorporated towns, unincorporated communities, or
counties in the State of Arkansas to reduce the over population of cats and
dogs and to reduce the number of cats and dogs that are euthanized in animal
and municipal shelters in the state. When awarding grants, priority will be
given to rural communities, rural cities and rural counties. The SNP program
requires matching funds of at least 50% of the total project costs. Matching
funds may be comprised of local county or municipal funds, private funds, or
in-kind goods and/or services. Non-profit organizations that have 501 (c) 3
status, and that are in good standing with the IRS and the State of Arkansas
are encouraged to partner with their local government to support an application
for SNP funding.
IV.
Eligibility
Applicant eligibility requirements include the
following:
1. The applicant is a city
of the first class, city of the second class, incorporated town, unincorporated
community, or county located in the State of Arkansas;
2. The applicant has submitted a completed
application, on forms supplied by AEDC, that has been signed by the governing
official authorized by the applicant's jurisdiction to conduct business on its
behalf;
3. The application is for
costs associated with spaying and neutering of cats and dogs and the program
meets the objective of SNP;
4.
Requested funding is for eligible project costs;
5. The amount of funding available to any one
(1) project in any state fiscal year shall be a minimum amount of $1,500 and a
maximum amount of $6,000 as matching funds;
6. The application is accompanied by a
resolution passed by the city council or quorum court, whichever is
appropriate, instructing the governing official authorized by the applicant's
jurisdiction to conduct business on its behalf to apply for SNP funding;
and
7. The applicant shall complete
the application submittal and review processes delineated in Sections V and VI
of these rules.
V.
Application Submittal Process
Potential applicants for SNP shall submit two (2) completed
applications signed by the governing official authorized by the applicant's
jurisdiction to conduct business on its behalf, in accordance with AEDC
submittal instructions, utilizing forms provided by AEDC.
Applications shall include:
1. The name, address, and phone number of the
applicant;
2. The contact person's
name, title, and contact information;
3. Sources(s), amount(s), and uses(s) of AEDC
and non-AEDC funds, including a completed budget delineating cost estimate
breakdowns and backup documentation for all items;
4. A brief description of the
project;
5. A statement of project
need, including a discussion of any emergency or urgent needs to be addressed
by the project;
6. A list of
beneficiaries of the proposed project, how they will benefit, and how they will
utilize the project;
7. A signed
certification letter from the governing official authorized by the applicant's
jurisdiction to conduct business on its behalf agreeing to accept
responsibility for administering any grant award;
8. A copy of the current veterinary license
of each veterinarian that will perform spay and neuter procedures;
9. If an applicant is partnering with a
non-profit organization, documentation that verifies the nonprofit has 501 (c)
3 status and is in good standing with the IRS, the State of Arkansas, and the
local governmental entity;
10. A
copy of a signed resolution passed by the city council or quorum court
authorizing the local elected official to apply for SNP funds on behalf of the
local jurisdiction; and
11. Other
information as requested by AEDC.
VI.
Application Review and Approval
Process
No financial commitment shall be made by the Executive
Director, or his or her designee, to an applicant until the applicant has
completed the following AEDC review and approval process.
1. All applications will be date-stamped and
reviewed in order of receipt by the Review Committee, assigned by the Executive
Director, or his or her designee, for completeness and eligibility, including a
determination that:
A. The applicant is a city
of the first class, city of the second class, incorporated town, unincorporated
community, county, or governmental entity of the State of Arkansas;
B. The application is complete, signed, and
includes all attachments;
C. The
scope of the project meets the definition of an eligible project;
D. The sources and uses of funds are
sufficient to ensure the successful completion and initial operation of the
project; and
E. Project costs are
eligible for funding.
I. Ineligible costs
include:
a. Costs incurred prior to the
eligibility date for incurring project costs as specified in the signed grant
agreement;
b. Expenditures that are
unsupported by documentation
c.
Travel not directly related to the project;
d. Purchases of material and services that
result in benefits accruing to areas outside the State of Arkansas;
2. Applicants
from rural communities and counties will receive priority for SNP grant funding
consideration.
3. Applicants may be
subject to an interview or site visit, or both, during the application review
process.
4. The Review Committee
may ask applicants for additional information before recommending projects for
funding.
5. The Review Committee
will provide a project summary of each project reviewed to the Executive
Director, or his or her designee.
6. The Executive Director, or his or her
designee, may seek the advice of boards and commissions advising AEDC or other
officials with subject matter expertise in making final funding
decisions.
7. The Executive
Director, or his or her designee, will specify which applicants may receive
funding.
A. Unsuccessful applicants will be
notified in writing by the Executive Director, or his or her
designee.
B. Approved applicants
will be required to execute a grant agreement with AEDC outlining the amount,
terms and conditions of the grant.
8. Grant funds will be disbursed to
successful applicants.
9. All
project expenditures shall be completed within twelve (12) months after the
date of the grant award, unless such date has been extended by AEDC at the
written request of the grantee;
10.
A final report including cancelled checks and receipts of all funds expended,
including the expenditure of matching funds, along with the state's portion of
any unspent funds, shall be submitted to AEDC no more than sixty (60) days
following the project's completion or within the twelve (12) month period of
the grant award, or other date as approved by AEDC, whichever comes first;
and
11. If a city or county does
not close out the grant within twelve (12) months of receiving the funds no
future grants will be awarded until the close out has been completed.
VII.
Grant Agreement
1. All SNP grants shall be awarded at the
discretion of the Executive Director of AEDC. The grant agreement shall
specify:
A. The eligibility date for incurring
project costs;
B. The date by which
the grantee shall complete the SNP funded portion of the project;
C. Terms and conditions of the grant
agreement;
D. The amount of
approved costs, determined through negotiations with AEDC and the
applicant;
E. The process by which
grant funds shall be disbursed to the grantee.
2. The amount of the grant shall be
discretionary and may be for amounts less that requested and subject to funding
availability.
3. Grants may be
funded from any source of funds allocated to the SNP.
4. Grans will be executed according to the
following process:
A. Two original copies of
the grant agreement will be prepared by AEDC and forwarded to the grantee for
signature and return.
B. Upon
receipt of the signed grant agreements from the grantee, AEDC will prepare an
approval letter and forward the grant agreement and the approval letter to the
AEDC Executive Director for signature.
C. One original copy of the grant agreement
will be forwarded to the grantee with the approval letter.
VIII.
Rulemaking
Authority
The Arkansas Economic Development Commission has rulemaking
authority, at §
15-4-209(a)(1)
and §
15-4-209(b)(5),
to promulgate rules necessary to implement Act 494 of 2019.
IX.
Effective Date
This Rule is effective after review and approval by the
Arkansas Legislative Council, ten (10) days after filing of the approved Rule
with the Arkansas Secretary of State.
Spay and Neuter Pet Grant Program Rule
Executive Summary
Purpose
The Rural Services Division of the Arkansas Economic
Development Commission has promulgated an amendment to the Spay and Neuter Pet
Grant Program Rule. The amendment increases the maximum amount of matching
grant funds that may be awarded per project.
Background
Act 494 of 2019 appropriated funds to AEDC's Rural Services
Division to provide matching grants to organizations that provide spay and
neuter services for cats and dogs. Applicants may be cities of the first class,
cities of the second class, incorporated towns, or counties of the State of
Arkansas. The program requires a match of at least 50% of the total project
costs. Funding priority will be given to rural communities, rural cities, and
rural counties.
Key changes to the rule
* The amendment increases the maximum amount of matching funds
that may be awarded from $3,000 per project to $6,000 per project.
Effective date
The final approved rule is effective on November 29,
2021.
