(1) The department shall set aside assistance grants annually based upon the following:

(a) $30,000 to each CRDC for providing services to their respective regions based upon receipt of an acceptable work plan. For the purpose of this rule, services means work in the development and management of revolving loan funds, business technical assistance, state and federal grants and programs, local and regional planning, business retention and expansion programs, and business recruitment programs;

(b) the remainder divided among the CRDCs according to the following formula:

(i) 35% shall be distributed based on the number of counties in the region served;

(ii) 25% shall be distributed based on the population of the region served;

(iii) 25% shall be distributed based on the size of the geographic area of the region served; and

(iv) 15% shall be distributed based on the number of communities served;

(c) all assistance grants will be distributed on a quarterly basis, at the department's sole discretion, based upon the performance of the CRDC in meeting submitted work plans for the current year.