If in its judgment training is not adequately provided for under grant-in-aid or other statutes, the Office is authorized to make grants to State and general local governments for up to 75 per centum (or, with respect to fiscal years commencing after the expiration of three years following the effective date of the grant provisions of this chapter, for up to 50 per centum) of the costs of developing and carrying out programs, on the certification of the Governor of that State, or the mayor or chief executive officer of the general local government, that the programs are consistent with the applicable principles set forth in clauses (1)–(6) of the third paragraph of section 4701 of this title, to train and educate their professional, administrative, and technical employees and officials. Such grants may not be used to cover costs of full-time graduate-level study, provided for in section 4745 of this title, or the costs of the construction or acquisition of training facilities. The State and local government share of the cost of developing and carrying out training and education plans and programs may include, but shall not consist solely of, the reasonable value of facilities and of supervisory and other personal services made available by such governments. The authority provided by this section shall be employed in such a manner as to encourage innovation and allow for diversity on the part of State and local governments in developing and carrying out training and education programs for their personnel.

An application for a grant from a State or general local government shall be made at such time or times, and shall contain such information, as the Office may prescribe. The Office may make a grant under subsection (a) of this section, only if the application therefor meets requirements established by this subsection unless any requirement is specifically waived by the Office. Such grant to a State, or to a general local government under subsection (c) of this section, may cover the costs of developing the program covered by the application. The program covered by the application shall—

(1) provide for designation, by the Governor or chief executive authority, of the State office that will have primary authority and responsibility for the development and administration of the program at the State level;

(2) provide, to the extent feasible, for coordination with relevant training available under or supported by other Federal Government programs or grants;

(3) provide for training needs of the State government and of local governments in that State;

(4) provide, to the extent feasible, for intergovernmental cooperation in employee training matters, especially within metropolitan or regional areas; and

(5) provide assurance that the making of a Federal Government grant will not result in a reduction in relevant State or local government expenditures or the substitution of Federal funds for State or local funds previously made available for these purposes.

A grant authorized by subsection (a) of this section may be made to a general local government, or a combination of such governments, that serve a population of fifty thousand or more, for up to 75 per centum (or, with respect to fiscal years commencing after the expiration of three years following the effective date of the grant provisions of this chapter, for up to 50 per centum) of the costs of developing and carrying out programs or projects, on the certification of the mayor(s), or chief executive officer(s), of the general local government or combination of local governments that the programs or projects are consistent with the applicable principles set forth in clauses (1)–(6) of the third paragraph of section 4701 of this title to train and educate their professional, administrative, and technical employees and officials. Such a grant may not be made—

(1) if, at the time of submission of an application, the State concerned has an approved plan which, with the agreement of the particular local government concerned, provides for strengthening one or more aspects of training in that local government, unless the local government concerned has problems which are not met by the previously approved plan and for which, with the agreement of the State government concerned with respect to those aspects of training covered in the approved plan, it is submitting an application; or

(2) after the State concerned has a statewide plan which has been developed by an appropriate State agency designated or established pursuant to State law which provides such agency with adequate authority, administrative organization, and staffing to develop and administer such a statewide plan, and to provide technical assistance and other appropriate support in carrying out the local components of the plan, and which provides procedures insuring adequate involvement of officials of affected local governments in the development and administration of such a statewide plan, unless the local government concerned has special, unique, or urgent problems which are not met by the approved statewide plan and for which it submits an application for funds to be distributed under section 4766(a) of this title.

An application to be submitted to the Office under subsection (c) of this section shall first be submitted by the general local government or combination of such governments to the Governor for review, comments, and recommendations. The Governor may refer the application to the State office designated under subsection (b)(1) of this section for review. Comments and recommendations (if any) made as a result of the review and a statement by the general local government or combination of such governments that it has considered the comments and recommendations of the Governor shall accompany the application to the Office. The application need not be accompanied by the comments and recommendations of the Governor if the general local government or combination of such governments certifies to the Office that the application has been before the Governor for review and comment for a period of sixty days without comment by the Governor. An explanation in writing shall be sent to the Governor of a State by the Office whenever the Office does not concur with recommendations of the Governor in approving any local government applications.

(Pub. L. 91–648, title III, § 303, Jan. 5, 1971, 84 Stat. 1917; 1978 Reorg. Plan No. 2, § 102, eff. Jan. 1, 1979, 43 F.R. 36037, 92 Stat. 3783.)