A. The "American Indian post-secondary education fund" is created as a nonreverting fund in the state treasury. The fund consists of appropriations, gifts, grants, donations and income from investment of the fund. The fund shall be administered by the department, and money in the fund is appropriated to the department to carry out the purposes of the American Indian Post-Secondary Education Act. Disbursements from the fund shall be by warrant of the secretary of finance and administration pursuant to vouchers signed by the secretary of higher education or the secretary's authorized representative.

B. Grants may be awarded for special projects related to recruitment, retention and graduation of American Indian students, including student conferences, cultural awareness training for faculty and staff at public post-secondary educational institutions and tribal colleges, academic support and transition programs and other projects approved by the division.

C. Applications for grants shall be in the form prescribed by the division. The division, with the secretary's approval, shall promulgate rules on the grant application and award process, including:

(1) who may apply for grants;

(2) information required in the application process;

(3) how applications will be evaluated and awarded;

(4) accounting and financial reporting requirements for grantees;

(5) reporting requirements on the use of a grant and the outcomes of the special project funded by the grant; and

(6) any other information deemed necessary by the division.

History: Laws 2009, ch. 60, § 7.

Effective dates. — Laws 2009, ch. 60 contained no effective date provision, but, pursuant to N.M. Const., art. IV, § 23, was effective June 19, 2009, 90 days after the adjournment of the legislature.