FINAL BILL REPORT

ESHB 1782

C 7 L 03 E1

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Creating a competitive grant program for nonprofit youth organizations.

Sponsors: By House Committee on Capital Budget (originally sponsored by Representatives McCoy, Alexander, Dunshee, Bush, Murray, Jarrett, McIntire, Priest, Veloria, Lantz, Eickmeyer, Upthegrove, Kagi, Conway, Kenney, Darneille, Wood, Lovick, Santos, Simpson, Hudgins and Edwards).

House Committee on Capital Budget

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Background:

Washington has traditionally provided support for capital facilities and programs to local governments and other entities through a variety of competitive grant and loan programs. Examples of such programs funded through the state's Capital Budget include: the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program; the Public Works Trust Fund; the Housing Trust Fund; the Heritage program; and the Building for the Arts program.

In the 1997 legislative session, a competitive grant program called the Community Services Facilities Program (CSFP) was established in statute for nonresidential capital projects for social service organizations. The CSFP is administered by the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development (DCTED) to assist nonprofit organizations in acquiring, constructing, or rehabilitating facilities used for the delivery of nonresidential social services.

Individual nonprofit youth organizations have received funding through the CSFP in prior biennia. The 1999-01 Capital Budget specifically provided $1.5 million from the CSFP's appropriation for the development, renovation, and expansion of Boys and Girls Clubs in Washington.

Summary:

The DCTED is directed to establish a process for soliciting and prioritizing projects that assist nonprofit youth organizations in acquiring, constructing, or rehabilitating facilities used for the delivery of nonresidential services, excluding outdoor athletic fields. Eligible projects must have a major recreational component and must have an educational or social service component.

The DCTED must evaluate and rank project applications in consultation with a citizen advisory committee and submit a prioritized list of recommended projects to the Governor and the Legislature in their biennial capital budget request beginning with the 2005-07 biennium. Capital budget requests for the program must not exceed $2 million in any biennium and a $500,000 list of alternate projects is permitted.

State assistance may not exceed 25 percent of the total project cost. The non-state portion of the total project cost may include cash, the value of real property when acquired solely for the purpose of the project, and in-kind contributions.

The DCTED may not sign contracts with organizations for funding assistance until the Legislature has approved a specific list of projects. The contracts must require the repayment of both principal and interest costs of the grant if the capital improvements are used for purposes other than that specified in the grant.

Votes on Final Passage:

House 91  0

First Special Session

House 92  0

Senate 46  1

Effective: September 9, 2003