(1) Local governmental units may apply for grants from the department for the purposes of designation under ARM 17.56.1003. Grant money received from the department may be used only for the purchase of equipment or basic training of personnel or both necessary for designation under ARM 17.56.1003 and specified by the department. Grant money received from the department may not be used for equipment or training not required for designation under ARM 17.56.1003 and not specified by the department. Grants are generally limited to the amount of $2,000 per local governmental unit for equipment or personnel training, or both, or to such other amount specified in the written notice of grant award made by the department. No grant may be made or used for any equipment, training or period of time following designation under ARM 17.56.1003, unless approved by the department. Grantees shall comply with all conditions and requirements contained in the written notice of grant award.

(2) Applications for award of a grant shall be submitted to the department on a form prescribed by the department. The form shall include and the applicant shall provide, the following information:

(a) the official name and address of the applicant;

(b) the name, address and telephone number of the person preparing the grant request;

(c) the amount of the grant being requested;

(d) the purpose for which the grant is requested;

(e) if for equipment, a list of the equipment, followed by a description of each item of equipment, including the actual or estimated cost of the item, and the manufacturer and supplier, for each piece of equipment intended to be purchased;

(f) if for training, a list of those personnel who will attend the training, followed by a description of the training, including the cost, location, and provider of the training, for each person intended to be trained; and

(g) a narrative of how the equipment or training will be used in the program for which the grant is sought.

(3) Grant applications must also contain a letter of intent, signed by the chief financial officer of the local governmental unit submitting the grant application, stating the intent of the local governmental unit to use the grant money applied for only for the purposes of equipment or training for the purposes of application for designation under ARM 17.56.1003 and to abide by any grant conditions specified by the department.

(4) The grant application, together with all lists and descriptions shall be sent to the department no later than 90 days prior to the date on which the grant funds are expected or needed by the applicant. Upon receipt of the application the department shall review it for completeness and notify the applicant of any missing information or other deficiency in the application. Upon receipt of a completed application the department shall make its determination concerning the approval or disapproval of the grant application. An application may be approved for all or any part of the grant applied for. The department shall issue the grant award upon approval of the application.

(5) The department may approve or disapprove any grant application in whole or in part. In approving or disapproving an application for a grant under this rule, the department shall consider:

(a) the extent to which training or equipment is necessary for designation under ARM 17.56.1003;

(b) the extent to which the training or equipment applied for fulfills the designation needs of the applicant;

(c) the extent to which the same training or equipment is available from another source at a lower cost;

(d) the nature of the applicant's program for which certification will be sought;

(e) the availability of other equipment, training or financial resources to the applicant;

(f) the amount of grant funds available to the department; and

(g) the extent to which grant applications of the applicant have previously been approved or disapproved.

(6) Grant awards approved under (4) may be spent only for the purposes for which applied and approved. The department may request and the grantee shall provide any proof requested by the department showing that the grantee complied with the requirements of this section.