South Carolina Code 59-152-90. Local partnership boards; grant funding
(B) To obtain a grant, a First Steps partnership must qualify by meeting the grant requirements established pursuant to subsection (C). A First Steps Partnership shall submit an application to the Office of First Steps in a format specified by the First Steps to School Readiness Board. The application shall include the level of funding requested, a description of needs of children and families; assets and resources available; and the proposed strategies to address needs as they relate to the goals of South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness.
Terms Used In South Carolina Code 59-152-90
- Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
- Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
- Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
(C)(1) Pursuant to § 63-11-1730, the South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees shall establish the grant qualification requirements. The board shall develop and promulgate grant qualification requirements in regulation pursuant to the Administrative Procedures Act. These requirements must include, but not be limited to, the following:
(a) adoption and adherence to bylaws promulgated by the South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees, which includes, but is not limited to, compliance with the board composition, attendance, voting, and disclosure requirements;
(b) utilization of the South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness benchmarks and objectives;
(c) implementation of programs and activities, which are effective and contributing to state goals, and otherwise acceptable pursuant to the requirements of Chapter 152 of Title 59; and
(d) fulfillment of all the duties in § 59-152-70.
(2) The South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees shall establish a formula, which includes the identification of the most relevant and effective factors, by which the allocations for qualifying partnership grants are calculated. The board shall identify the factors, develop the funding formula, and promulgate both in regulation pursuant to the Administrative Procedures Act. The factors utilized in the funding formula, and the weight given to each factor by the formula, must reflect that the intent of the General Assembly is to ensure that the money allocated to each local partnership is in proportion to the following:
(a) population of eligible children;
(b) population of at-risk children; and
(c) population with below average income.
(3) First Steps shall include the grant qualification requirements and funding formula on its website. The website information shall include formula details, announcements regarding proposed changes to the formula, and directions for public input.
(D) In conjunction with the independent external program evaluation established pursuant to § 59-152-160, the board of trustees shall conduct a formal review of the grant qualification requirements and funding process adopted pursuant to subsection (C) and, upon completion of the review, shall submit to the General Assembly a statement either verifying the continued applicability and appropriateness of the grant qualification requirements and funding process in use at that time or recommending any appropriate and necessary changes.
(E) Funding must reflect the combined total allocations of the coverage area of a multicounty partnership.