Rule 520-10-.01 - Education Grants(1) Statutory Basis for Grant Program. O.C.G.A. § 43-40-22.(2)Purpose and Eligible Recipients. The Commission makes monetary grants to public or private institutions or individuals to establish, continue, or expand educational opportunities or research that will benefit real estate licensees or the public in its potential dealings with licensees. The Commission is the sole arbiter of which programs, if any, to fund and gives priority to those programs that offer continuing education opportunities to real estate licensees.(3)Amounts and Terms of Grants. The amount and period during which the grant will be used shall be at the discretion of the Commission. No grant shall be construed as obligating the Commission to make any payment beyond the fiscal year in which the Commission decides to support a particular proposal. The amount and time of payment of grants shall be at the discretion of the Commission.(4)Applications. Applications for grants will be required to contain the following: (a) a statement of the educational objective of the proposed program or research;(b) a statement of how the program will benefit real estate licensees or the public who may deal with them;(c) if applicable, a detailed course outline, the number of educational hours in the program, length of course, schedule of instruction, location, and anticipated number of participants;(d) if applicable, the purpose, scope, length, and place of research work;(e) a detailed cost analysis of the entire course or project including, but not limited to such items as source of other funding for the program; cost of advertising, administration, instructors, materials, and physical facilities; and fees charged participants;(f) evidence of approval by the State Board of Education if the school applying is subject to the Georgia Proprietary School Act, Ga. Laws 1972, p. 156 (O.C.G.A. §20-4-60);(g) a list of any instructors which may be used and their credentials;(h) any academic credit to be awarded;(i) such other information as the Commission may require at the time of application or after reviewing the application.(5)Commission Action on Applications. The Commission shall act on all applications within sixty days of receipt of a written original or amended application and shall notify the applicant in writing of:(a) the terms of acceptance of the proposal;(b) the reason or reasons for rejection of the proposal; or(c) any further information needed to accept or reject the proposal. Decisions of acceptance and rejection by the Commission shall be final.
(6)Reports. A full report of the expenditure of grant funds used shall be made to the Commission within thirty days of the end of the fiscal year in which such grant was made or at such other reasonable time or times as the Commission may require. Grant recipients shall issue a certificate of attendance to all who attend any grant program upon completion of the program and shall send to the Commission within ten days of the end of a program a list of all persons who were in attendance. All attendees of such grant programs shall be notified in writing by the grant recipient that certificates of attendance will be issued and that their attendance record will be forwarded to the Commission. The Commission may direct its representatives to monitor any program at any time, and the recipients of grants shall be required to supply data to those representatives upon reasonable request.(7)Use of Commission Name. Any advertising of a program or project must indicate that a portion or all of the cost of the program is underwritten by the Georgia Real Estate Commission. Any publication or other educational material produced as the result of a grant must include indication that a portion or all of the cost of producing the material is underwritten by the Georgia Real Estate Commission. All participants in any program underwritten totally or in part by the Georgia Real Estate Commission must be clearly and affirmatively made aware of the participation of the Georgia Real Estate Commission and how they may forward comments on the program to the Commission. No other use of the name of the Commission shall be permitted without the Commission's prior approval.(8)Changes. No substantive changes, including schedule of programs, may be made in a proposed program without the prior approval of the Commission. Emergency changes may be made on a temporary basis with the prior approval of the real estate commissioner subject to review and final approval by the Commission at a regularly scheduled meeting. All requests for changes and authorizations of change must be in writing before they may be implemented.(9)Participants. Any course offered to real estate licensees which the Commission has underwritten part or all of the cost must be available to all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age, or membership in any organization.(10)Expenditures. Any grant funds not expended on an approved proposal shall be returned to the Commission within thirty days of the end of the fiscal year in which the grant was made or at such other time as the Commission may require.(11)Violations. Any violation of the provisions of this Chapter, any falsification or misrepresentation on the application for grant, or violation of any written agreement for a grant entered into with the Commission may result in a revocation of the grant and the requirement that any funds paid out by the Commission be returned. Any recipient of grant funds found to have not properly accounted for or improperly expended any grant funds shall repay said funds plus interest at 6% per annum to the Commission and said recipient shall be ineligible to receive any other grant funds available through the Commission unless said recipient shall first repay said funds plus interest. Should the Commission allege any violation under this Chapter, it shall provide the respondent with the opportunity for a formal hearing in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act.Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 520-10-.01
O.C.G.A. Sec. 44-40-22.
Original grant description entitled "Education Grants" received July 6, 1995.