Sec. 62.163. MATCHING GRANTS. (a) An eligible institution may apply to the office for a matching grant from the fund. Before approval or disapproval of a grant application, the office shall consider the recommendation of the advisory board regarding the grant proposal. If the office approves a grant application, the office shall award to the applicant institution a grant amount equal to the amount committed by the institution for the recruitment of a distinguished researcher, except as provided by Subsection (c)(2).

(b) A grant application must identify the source and amount of the eligible institution's matching funds and must demonstrate that the proposed use of the grant has the support of the institution's president and of the institution's governing board, the chair of the institution's governing board, or the chancellor of the university system, if the institution is a component of a university system. An applicant eligible institution may commit for matching purposes any funds of the institution available for that purpose other than appropriated general revenue.

(c) The office may set a deadline for grant applications for each state fiscal year. After fully funding approved grant applications received during an application period for a state fiscal year, the office may reopen applications for that year and:

(1) award the full amount of matching funds from the fund for new applications; or

(2) approve previously disapproved applications submitted before the original application deadline for receipt of a reduced grant amount.

(d) A matching grant received by an eligible institution under this subchapter may not be considered as a basis to reduce, directly or indirectly, the amount of money otherwise appropriated to the institution.

(e) A matching grant may not be used by an eligible institution to recruit a distinguished researcher or other employee from:

(1) another eligible institution; or

(2) a private or independent institution of higher education.

(f) The office shall require an application and all supporting documentation to be submitted to the office electronically in the manner prescribed by the office.

Added by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 448 (H.B. 7), Sec. 11, eff. September 1, 2015.