Access to State Grant Opportunities

Section 1 of the bill creates an online database managed by the department of personnel that includes information on all grant opportunities that are funded by state money or administered by the state. The database must be created by December 31, 2025, and reviewed and updated on an annual basis. Section 2 creates the grant assistance to rural communities program. This program, administered by the department of local affairs, provides assistance in accessing state grants to entities in rural communities, which are defined as counties with populations of fewer than 25,000 residents and municipalities with populations of fewer than 10,000 residents that do not border another municipality with a population of 10,000 residents or more. The bill directs the department to designate at least one full-time equivalent employee, who resides in a rural community or whose principal place of employment is in a rural community, to implement the program.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)