Current through Register Vol. 28, No. 3, September 1, 2024
7.1
Obtaining and Submitting Applications.
7.1.1
Applicants may obtain Application forms by:
7.1.1.1 Downloading the Application from the
DEDO website at
http://dedo.delaware.gov/;
7.1.1.2 Requesting an Application by
contacting the Delaware Economic Development Office by phone (302) 739-4271, or
by fax at (302) 577-8499; or
7.1.1.3
Mailing a request for Application to the Delaware Economic Development Office,
Attention: Diane Laird; Carvel State Building, 820 North French Street,
10th Floor, Wilmington DE 19801.
7.1.2 Completed Applications, along with any
required documentation, may be submitted online, via email, or by mail in
accordance with procedures adopted by DEDO.
7.2 Confidentiality. Applicants may designate
certain information as law enforcement sensitive, proprietary or otherwise
confidential pursuant to FOIA. Consistent with FOIA, DEDO and the Reviewing
Agency will take such measures as are appropriate to limit disclosure of such
information to the Board and to the Reviewing Agency.
7.3 Initial Review and Recommendation.
7.3.1 Upon receipt of an Application for a
Grant seeking funds from the Initial Allocation, DEDO shall forward same to the
appropriate Reviewing Agency for initial review and recommendations in
accordance with the following procedure:
7.3.1.1 Applications for funding for Projects
having a principal purpose of neighborhood revitalization shall be reviewed by
DEDO. Examples include Applications having a significant economic development
component; Applications for funding for murals or other neighborhood
beautification programs; and applications for funding for programs within the
general purview of DEDO's Main Street program.
7.3.1.2 Applications for funding for planning
activities, as set forth in subsection 6.3, shall be reviewed by OSPC. In
addition, OSPC shall review applications that involve significant land use
components or potential land use impact, such as support for urban parks, urban
gardening, streetscape design and similar applications.
7.3.1.3 Applications for funding for projects
or programs having a principal purpose of crime reduction shall be reviewed by
DOJ. Examples include applications for funding for neighborhood crime detection
cameras and pilot nuisance abatement programs.
7.3.1.4 Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
Board Chair, DEDO Director and/or any Reviewing Agency hereunder is authorized
to forward any Application to another State Agency (including but not limited
to DSHA or DSHS), or DOJ, or any other entity with expertise relevant to the
consideration of the application, for additional review and recommendations, if
the Board Chair, DEDO Director or Reviewing Agency determines that it is
necessary or desirable to do so.
7.4 Written Recommendations by Reviewing
Agency.
7.4.1 Following the review of any
Application and any supporting materials, but in all cases no later than
fourteen (14) days prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board,
the Reviewing Agency shall forward its written recommendation for each
Application to (a) the Board Chair, and (b) any DEDO staff person designated by
the Chair to receive such recommendations. The Reviewing Agency shall make one
of the following recommendations:
7.4.1.1
Approve the Application for the Grant in the amount requested by the
Applicant;
7.4.1.2 Approve the
Application, but for an amount less than requested by the Applicant;
7.4.1.3 Deny the Application; or
7.4.1.4 That the Application be held for
further evaluation.
7.4.2
In all instances, the Reviewing Agency shall specify in writing the reasons
underlying its recommendation. The Reviewing Agency is authorized to request
additional information from the Applicant to the extent such information is
necessary make a recommendation hereunder.
7.4.3 No later than ten (10) days prior to
the date of the next scheduled Board meeting, the designated DEDO staff person
shall forward to members of the Board all recommendations received from
Reviewing Agencies.
7.5
Consideration of Applications by Board.
7.5.1
At the next scheduled Board meeting, the Reviewing Agency shall present its
recommendations to the Board. The Board shall give due consideration to the
recommendation of the Reviewing Agency, but shall not be bound
thereby.
7.5.2 Following the
presentation set forth in subsection 7.5.1, the Board shall:
7.5.2.1 Approve the Application in the amount
recommended by the Reviewing Agency;
7.5.2.2 Approve the Application, but for an
amount other than that which was recommended by the Reviewing Agency;
7.5.2.3 Deny the Application; or
7.5.2.4 Request that the Reviewing Agency
reconsider its recommendation in light of evidence or information presented in
connection with the Board's review. In such instance, the reviewing agency
shall present its revised recommendations at the next scheduled meeting of the
Board.
7.5.3 The Board
shall determine, in its sole discretion, appropriate clawback provisions for
each Applicant under which the Applicant may be required to repay some or all
of the Grant.
7.6 Criteria
for Review of Applications. In connection with the review, recommendation, and
approval or denial of any Application, Reviewing Agencies and the Board shall
consider:
7.6.1 The Applicant's ability to
meet the objectives of the Fund, including the potential of the proposed
project to reduce crime, provide support for the community, enhance economic
development, or revitalize neighborhoods;
7.6.2 The level of community and local
government support for the proposed project. Projects that have a Public
Sponsor are generally preferred, and a Public Sponsor is required for any
project that involves any form of licensing or permitting approval;
7.6.3 Whether the proposed project leverages
charitable contributions or other public or private funds to provide a greater
overall impact;
7.6.4 The ability of
the proposed project to demonstrate success through objective, measurable
criteria;
7.6.5 A demonstration that
resources other than future grants from the Fund will be available to sustain
any ongoing costs associated with a proposed project; and
7.6.6 Such other criteria that, in the
discretion of the Board or Reviewing Agency, are relevant to the consideration
of such Application.
7.7
In the event the Board approves an Application, the Applicant shall be issued a
commitment letter outlining the terms and conditions of the Final Approval. The
commitment letter must then be accepted by the Applicant and returned to the
Board. The Applicant shall be bound by the terms and conditions set forth
therein.
7.8 In the event the Board
denies an Application, DEDO will advise the Applicant of the Board's action in
writing. The notice of denial to the Applicant will inform the Applicant that
the denial does not preclude the Applicant from applying to the Board with
respect to the same project after six months from the notice of denial, or
requesting the consideration of other unrelated projects.
7.9 Unless waived or amended by the Board in
its sole discretion, the Applicant shall, for a period of five (5) years
following the award of Grant, submit to DEDO, on an annual basis, financial
statements in a form acceptable to the Board, a progress report on the status
of the Project, including, but not limited to, objective measurement
dataassociated with each Project and the impact of the finding and any other
information required by the Board. Each Applicant shall report to DEDO no later
than June 30 of each of the years for which the report is
required.
