S3600

An Act establishing the Code Blue Shelter Matching Grant Program in the Department of Community Affairs and supplementing P.L.2009, c.123 (C.52:27D-287a et seq.).

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. a. There is established in the Department of Community Affairs the Code Blue Shelter Matching Grant Program to provide matching grants to community-based nonprofit organizations, qualified for exemption from federal taxation pursuant to section 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. s.501(c)(3), that provide shelter services during Code Blue alerts.

b. To be eligible for a matching grant award, a community-based nonprofit organization shall submit an application to the Commissioner of Community Affairs, in accordance with application procedures and requirements prescribed by the commissioner.

c. A matching grant application submitted pursuant to subsection b. of this section shall relate to an underlying grant from a county or municipality received by the community-based nonprofit organization not more than 12 months prior to the date of application, and shall include information determined necessary by the commissioner. The grant application shall at a minimum include information related to:

(1) the identity, finances, and operations of the community-based nonprofit organization that received a grant from a county or municipality in this State;

(2) the amount and distribution date of the underlying grant to the community-based nonprofit organization from the county or municipality; and

(3) plans for the proposed uses for the county or municipal grant and the matching grant.

d. The department shall award matching grants pursuant to this section based on review and analytical criteria adopted by regulation of the department pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c. 410 (C. 52:14B-1 et seq.). The department shall award matching grants to community-based nonprofit organizations pursuant to this section in the order in which qualifying applications are received. The department shall maintain a record of underlying grants provided by each county and municipality. The department shall not provide a matching grant for an application if an award of the amount requested would result in the department awarding matching grants in an amount exceeding $50,000, in a given calendar year, for applications related to underlying grants provided by a particular county or municipality. Except by operation of the $50,000 limitation for matching grant awards related to underlying grants provided by a particular county or municipality, the department shall not establish or enforce a cap on the total number of matching grants or the total amount that any individual community-based nonprofit organization may receive from the department as matching grants.

e. The department may require a community-based nonprofit organization to verify award or receipt of an underlying grant from a county or municipality in this State in an amount equal to the requested matching grant amount.

f. The commissioner shall submit a report to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), no later than three years after the establishment of the matching grant program. The report shall include, but need not be limited to, information on the number of matching grant applicants, the number and amounts of matching grant awards, an assessment of the effectiveness of the matching grant program in addressing needs of individual communities, homeless persons, and at-risk persons, and any recommendations concerning continuing or expanding the matching grant program.

2. The Commissioner of Community Affairs, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall adopt rules and regulations to effectuate the purposes of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

3. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill establishes the Code Blue Shelter Matching Grant Program in the Department of Community Affairs (department) to provide matching grants to nonprofit community-based nonprofit organizations that provide shelter services during Code Blue alerts.

To be eligible for a matching grant award a community-based nonprofit organization is required to submit an application to the Commissioner of Community Affairs (commissioner), in accordance with application procedures and requirements prescribed by the commissioner.

A grant application is required to relate to an underlying grant from a county or municipality received by the community-based nonprofit organization not more than 12 months prior to the date of application, and include information determined necessary by the commissioner, and at a minimum include information related to:

(1) the identity, finances, and operations of the community based organization;

(2) the amount and distribution date of the grant to the community based organization; and

(3) plans for the proposed uses for the grant and the matching grant.

The department is required to award matching grants based on review and analytical criteria adopted by the department. The department is further required to award matching grants to community-based nonprofit organizations in the order in which qualifying applications are received. The department is required to maintain a record of underlying grants provided by each county and municipality, and is prohibited from providing a matching grant for an application if an award of the amount requested would result in the department awarding matching grants in an amount exceeding $50,000, in that calendar year, for applications related to underlying grants provided by a particular county or municipality. The bill also authorizes the department to require a community-based nonprofit organization to verify award or receipt of an underlying grant from a county or municipality in an amount equal to the requested matching grant amount. The bill also specifically prohibits the department from establishing or enforcing a cap on the total number of matching grants or the total amount that any individual community-based nonprofit organization may receive from the department as matching grants.

Under the bill, the commissioner is required to submit a report to the Governor and Legislature on the effectiveness of the matching grant program in addressing the needs of individual communities, homeless persons, and at-risk persons, and any recommendations concerning continuing or expanding the matching grant program.