There is hereby established the Alabama Trust Fund for Eminent Scholars to provide challenge grants to the public state universities in Alabama named in Section 16-61-1. The trust fund shall be administered by the Alabama Commission on Higher Education in accordance with the guidelines as set forth in this chapter. The Legislature shall designate funds to be transferred to the trust fund from the Education Trust Fund. All appropriated funds deposited into the trust fund shall be invested by the Alabama Commission on Higher Education pursuant to the provisions of Section 16-13-2. Interest income accruing to that portion of the trust fund not matched shall increase the total funds available for challenge grants.