(b) The Department shall administer the Program.

(c) The purposes of the Program are to:

(1) preserve existing communities as desirable places to live and conduct business to reduce outward pressure for sprawl development; and

(2) provide financial assistance to sponsors or their designees to develop sustainable community plans or community legacy projects.

(d) The Program shall encourage partnerships among the federal government, the State government, political subdivisions, and community development organizations to develop and implement sustainable community plans and community legacy projects.

(e) A sustainable community plan or a community legacy project may be sponsored by a political subdivision, a group of political subdivisions, a community development organization, or a community development financial institution.