(a) The Tennessee neighborhood development corporation (TNDC) is authorized to solicit, receive, and review applications and to approve inner city safe neighborhood pilot demonstration project grants. To qualify for approval, a grant application must clearly reflect the highest level of mutual effort and cooperation in safewalk project planning, design, and support by each of the following parties:

(1) The residents of the affected, inner city neighborhoods;

(2) Grocers and other merchants doing business within the affected, inner city neighborhoods;

(3) The local neighborhood development corporation or corporations, within whose boundaries such neighborhoods are located;

(4) The municipality, within whose boundaries such neighborhoods are located;

(5) The county, within whose boundaries such neighborhoods are located; and

(6) Any state entity which has provided or which has agreed to provide financial or other resources for the safewalk project.

(b) To qualify for approval, an application must also clearly identify the specific level of funding and other resources that have and/or will be allocated to the project by the residents of the affected neighborhoods, grocers and other merchants doing business within the affected neighborhoods, the local neighborhood development corporation, the municipality, the county, and any state entity which has provided and/or which has agreed to provide financial or other resources for the safewalk project. Furthermore, the application must also clearly identify all other proposed funding sources and resources for the project and must specify the methods by which the proposed safewalks will be secured against intrusion of criminal elements.

(c) For purposes of this part, the commissioner of transportation shall serve as a member of the TNDC board of directors.