(1) In this section: (a) “Endowment fund” means an endowment, trust or other segregated fund for the benefit of a specific state park, southern state forest or state recreation area. (b) “Friends group” means a nonstock, nonprofit corporation described under section 501 (c) (3) or (4) of the Internal Revenue Code and exempt from taxation under section 501 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code that is organized to raise funds for state parks, state forests or state recreation areas. (c) “Southern state forest” means a state forest that is located within the region specified in s. 25.29 (7) (a). (2) (a) The department shall establish a grant program under which friends groups that qualify under par. (b) may receive matching grants for the operation and maintenance of state parks, southern state forests or state recreation areas. (b) To qualify for a grant under this section, a friends group shall have established an endowment fund for the benefit of a state park, a southern state forest or a state recreation area and shall have entered into a written agreement with the department as required by the department by rule. (3) The department shall promulgate rules to establish criteria to be used in determining which friends groups and which activities related to the maintenance or operation of state parks, southern state forests or state recreation areas are eligible for these grants. (4) The department may not expend more than $30,000 as grants under this section for a given friends group, state park, southern state forest or state recreation area in a fiscal year. (5) The amount of a grant under this section shall equal 50 percent of the amount of matching funds that are provided by the friends group for the grant. A friends group may only use the interest generated by the endowment fund for purposes of providing the matching funds. The matching funds and the grant may be used only for the operation and maintenance of the state park, southern state forest or state recreation area that the endowment fund was established to benefit. (6) Annually, on or before January 1, the department shall review all applications received under this section in the previous year and shall make the grants that it approves from the appropriation under s. 20.370 (1) (eq). If insufficient funds are available to pay all approved grants, the board shall prorate the available funds among the applicants in proportion to the approved grant amounts. (7) Beginning in fiscal year 1996-97 and for each fiscal year thereafter, any moneys not encumbered or expended for grants under sub. (6) from the appropriation under s. 20.370 (1) (eq) may be used by the department for the operation and maintenance of the state parks, of the southern state forests and of state recreation areas.
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