§ 115C-546.12.  Grant agreement; requirements.

(a) A county receiving grant funds pursuant to this Article shall enter into an agreement with the Department of Public Instruction detailing the use of grant funds. The agreement shall contain at least all of the following:

(1) A requirement that the grantee seek planning assistance and plan review from the School Planning Section of the Department of Public Instruction.

(2) A progress payment provision governing disbursements to the county for the duration of the school construction project based upon the construction progress and documentation satisfactory to the Department that the matching requirement in G.S. 115C-546.11 has been met.

(3) A provision requiring periodic reports to the Department of Public Instruction on the use of disbursed grant funds and the progress of the school construction project.

(4) A requirement that matching funds paid by the county pursuant to G.S. 115C-546.11 must be derived from non-State and nonfederal funds.

(5) A provision requiring repayment in full of awarded grant funds in the event the grant recipient declines the grant award or the grant is forfeited.

(b) Project construction must be initiated within 24 months of the award of grant funds. The Superintendent of Public Instruction may grant a 12-month extension under extraordinary circumstances.

(c) A grant awarded under this section may be forfeited if any of the following occur:

(1) Project construction is not initiated on time.

(2) Project scope changes significantly from what was outlined in the grant agreement.

(3) Any statement or information provided in the grant application is later determined to be materially false.

(4) Local funding is subsequently decreased from the amount provided in the grant application.

(d) For grant awards that, due to extraordinary circumstances, are forfeited or declined, the Department of Public Instruction may deduct reasonable administrative costs incurred by the grant recipient in connection with the project from grant funds disbursed to the grant recipient in the calculation of fund repayment. A grant recipient shall provide documentation satisfactory to the Department to support any administrative costs to be deducted. (2021-180, s. 4.4(a); 2023-134, s. 4.3(b).)