(a) As used in this subchapter, "eligible organization" means:

(1) A county;

(2) A municipality or incorporated town; or

(3) A nonprofit organization.

(b)

(1) An eligible organization may apply to the Department of Arkansas Heritage for participation in the Arkansas Great Places Program.

(2) The department shall forward applications for participation in the program to the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee to select applicants for participation in the program.

(c) An application for participation in the program shall be for a project that will:

(1) Stimulate economic growth;

(2) Enhance local community development efforts;

(3) Foster creative economies;

(4) Enhance the quality of life in the community where the eligible organization is located;

(5) Promote awareness and enjoyment of the natural and cultural heritage of Arkansas; or

(6) Foster cooperative efforts among organizations, businesses, and government.

(d) The committee shall not approve an application for participation in the program if the application would:

(1) Fund academic research;

(2) Be awarded to a for-profit organization or event;

(3) Fund programs or projects that disregard the need to preserve, protect, or conserve historical sites, structures, artifacts, and the environment; or

(4) Be outside accepted professional museum or environmental standards.

(e)

(1) An application for participation in the program shall indicate the amount of funds the eligible organization wishes to receive.

(2) (A) Except as provided in subdivision (e)(2)(B) of this section, as a condition of participating in the program, an eligible organization shall pledge matching funds from nongovernmental sources in the following amounts:

(i) An eligible organization located in a county with a population of less than twenty thousand (20,000) residents shall pledge at least ten percent (10%) of the total amount of funding requested from the Arkansas Great Places Program Fund, § 19-5-1245;

(ii) An eligible organization located in a county with a population of at least twenty thousand (20,000) but less than fifty thousand (50,000) residents shall pledge at least twenty percent (20%) of the total amount of funding requested from the fund; and

(iii) An eligible organization located in a county with a population of fifty thousand (50,000) or more residents shall pledge at least thirty percent (30%) of the total amount of funding requested from the fund.

(B) When selecting an applicant for participation in the program, the committee may specify an amount of matching funds to be pledged by an eligible organization in lieu of the amounts under subdivision (e)(2)(A) of this section.

(f) The department shall promulgate rules necessary to implement the program, including without limitation rules containing:

(1) The procedure to apply for participation in the program; and

(2) The criteria to be used by the committee when determining whether to award a grant.

(g)

(1) The department may make investigations and audits of an eligible organization participating in the program to determine that all funds granted under this subchapter are handled and expended for the purposes as approved by the department in awarding the funds.

(2) During an investigation or audit, an eligible organization shall provide any information requested by the department to ensure that funds were handled and expended properly by the eligible organization.

(h)

(1) The awarding of funds under this subchapter is contingent on the appropriation and availability of funding for the program.

(2) The department shall not solicit or accept applications for the program if funds for the program are not available.