New Jersey § 18a:73-22

§ 18a:73-22.

a. The New Jersey Historical Commission within the Department of State shall establish: (1) A program for the purpose of awarding grants from the fund established pursuant

to subsection a. of section 4 of this act for general operating support to public

or private historical libraries, history museums, historical societies, historic sites,

historical agencies of county or local governments, or any related agency or organization;

and (2) A program for the purpose of awarding grants from the fund established pursuant

to subsection a. of section 4 of this act to organizations, entities or individuals in support of

research and publication on New Jersey history. b. (1) The commission shall develop guidelines and criteria for each program established

pursuant to subsection a. of this section. The guidelines and criteria shall include, but not be limited to: eligibility requirements

for applicants; conditions under which applications will be approved; conditions

which may be required to be met by approved applicants; forms for applications;

application contents; an application acceptance and review process; the manner of

awarding of monies to approved applicants; and oversight or accountability for the

expenditure of monies awarded to approved applicants. The commission shall establish program guidelines and criteria and advertise the

programs in such a way as to develop a pool of applicants that reflects the racial,

ethnic, and geographical diversity of the State. (2) The commission shall develop the guidelines and criteria for each program utilizing

the definitions set forth in section 2 of this act and in consultation with: Advocates

for New Jersey History; New Jersey State Archives; Association of New Jersey County

Cultural and Historic Agencies; Division of Parks and Forestry, Department of Environmental

Protection; Genealogical Society of New Jersey; Historic Preservation Office, Department

of Environmental Protection; League of Historical Societies of New Jersey; Newark

Public Library; New Jersey Association of Museums; New Jersey Caucus, Mid-Atlantic

Regional Archives Conference; New Jersey Council for the Humanities; New Jersey

Council for the Social Studies; New Jersey Historic Trust; New Jersey Historical

Society; New Jersey Library Association; New Jersey State Library; New Jersey State

Museum; New Jersey Studies Academic Alliance; Northern New Jersey Museum Round Table;

Preservation New Jersey; and Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers

University Libraries. In addition, the commission shall consult with at least three historians distinguished

by their knowledge of New Jersey history and their record of publication in the field

in developing the guidelines and criteria for the program established pursuant to

paragraph (2) of subsection a. of this section. c. (1) All applications received by the commission for grants to be awarded under

the programs established pursuant to this section shall be reviewed and evaluated

by a panel of reviewers selected by the commission. A separate panel of reviewers shall be selected for each program. The commission shall identify a pool of potential panel reviewers for each program

and shall select from that pool the panel for each program to review the applications

received for the program. Each panel shall be composed of persons who are experts in the area for which the

program provides support. The panel of reviewers for each program shall evaluate each application received

for a grant to be awarded under the program and make recommendations to the commission. (2) The commission shall make the final decision on each application received, taking

into consideration the recommendations of the panel of reviewers. The commission, may within its discretion, offer an approved applicant an award

amount less than the amount requested by the applicant. d. (1) The commission shall inform the public about the programs established pursuant

to subsection a. of this section in a manner determined by the commission to result

in as wide a dissemination of information as possible within the limits of monies

available to the commission for this purpose. The commission may utilize such methods for the dissemination of information as

may be available to State agencies for the dissemination of information on other such

programs. (2) At the request of the applicant, the commission shall provide advice, in any manner

the commission deems appropriate, to interested applicants on the preparation of their

applications.