(a) It is hereby found and declared as a matter of legislative determination that there is a continuing need in the state for stimulation and encouragement of economic growth and development within the state through the establishment of business outreach centers located in certain regions of the state or for certain industry sectors to assist in providing services to small businesses and minority business enterprises as defined in § 4a-60g in the areas of business plan development, financial projection and planning, loan packaging, business counseling and related follow-up services, including the monitoring of any of the foregoing.

(b) The business outreach center challenge grant program is hereby created. In order to stimulate and encourage economic growth and development, the state, acting through the Department of Economic and Community Development, may make grants for the establishment of business outreach centers located in certain regions of the state or for certain industry sectors to assist in providing services to small businesses and minority business enterprises. Such grants shall be made under such terms and conditions as the department deems appropriate and shall be payable from the proceeds of the sale of bonds authorized under subsection (f) of this section and funds received by the department from any other source, in accordance with the following provisions:

(1) A business outreach center shall be any nonprofit or governmental entity providing or able to provide assistance to small businesses and minority business enterprises in the areas of business plan development, financial projection, loan package planning, including loan packaging for small businesses and minority business enterprises which are seeking financial assistance from Connecticut Innovations, Incorporated, business counseling and related monitoring and follow-up services.

(2) The department may require any entity receiving a grant pursuant to this section to obtain a matching grant in such amount as the department determines in its discretion. Such matching grant may include cash and in-kind contributions.

(c) Grants may be made under this section to municipalities and other organizations for the purpose of providing funds to develop greenways, including, but not limited to, transportation-related greenways supported by the federal Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, as amended from time to time. The amount of any grant shall be as follows: (1) For transportation greenways projects that are part of interstate greenways, not more than twenty per cent of the project cost; (2) for transportation greenways projects that are local spurs from interstate greenways or that are intertown greenways projects, not more than ten per cent of the project cost; and (3) for greenways that are not transportation greenways, not more than half of the capital costs of the project.

(d) Applications for grants under this section shall be submitted on forms provided by the department. When reviewing applications, the department shall consider such factors as the impact on certain regions of the state or certain industry sectors, the applicant’s plan for outreach efforts designed to inform small businesses and minority business enterprises of available sources of financial and technical assistance and the commitment and capacity of the applicant to provide assistance to small businesses and minority business enterprises under this section.

(e) Each grant made under this section shall be authorized pursuant to regulations adopted by the Department of Economic and Community Development in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, which regulations may include, but shall not be limited to, provisions concerning application requirements, grant amounts and eligible use of funds, provided the amount of any grant under subsection (b) of this section shall be not more than the amount specified in said subsection.

(f) For the purposes of this section, the State Bond Commission shall have the power, from time to time, to authorize the issuance of bonds of the state in one or more series and in principal amounts not exceeding in the aggregate two million five hundred thousand dollars. The proceeds of the sale of said bonds shall be used by the Department of Economic and Community Development for grants under the business outreach center challenge grant program created under this section. All provisions of § 3-20 or the exercise of any right or power granted thereby which are not inconsistent with the provisions of this section are hereby adopted and shall apply to all bonds authorized by the State Bond Commission pursuant to this section, and temporary notes in anticipation of the money to be derived from the sale of any such bonds so authorized may be issued in accordance with said § 3-20 and from time to time renewed. Said bonds shall mature at such time or times not exceeding twenty years from their respective dates as may be provided in or pursuant to the resolution or resolutions of the State Bond Commission authorizing such bonds. None of such bonds shall be authorized except upon a finding by the State Bond Commission that there has been filed with it a request for such authorization, which is signed by or on behalf of the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and states such terms and conditions as said commission in its discretion may require. Said bonds issued pursuant to this section shall be general obligations of the state and the full faith and credit of the state of Connecticut are pledged for the payment of the principal of and interest on said bonds as the same become due, and accordingly and as part of the contract of the state with the holders of said bonds, appropriation of all amounts necessary for punctual payment of such principal and interest is hereby made, and the Treasurer shall pay such principal and interest as the same become due. Net earnings on investments or reinvestments of proceeds, accrued interest and premiums on the issuance of such bonds, after payment therefrom of expenses incurred by the Treasurer or State Bond Commission in connection with their issuance, shall become part of the business outreach center challenge grant program.