Memorial Foundation
The Georgia Planning Memorial Foundation, Inc. will provide a financial aid program that will provide funds to qualified individuals to help such individuals attend seminars, conferences, and other events related to their professional development. Qualified individuals are planners, planning commissioners, and other persons in the state of Georgia in similar roles (collectively, “Planners”) who work in or serve rural or poorer communities that meet the Foundation’s eligibility and selection criteria.
Eligibility:
To be eligible, the Planner must work for, be an appointed official of or otherwise serve in an official capacity for a city or county that meets at least one of the following criteria:
- Qualification by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs as requiring a “minimal” or “basic” level of community planning;
- Counties (and cities within such counties) that have a higher proportion of their workers employed in “farming, fishing or forestry” than the State average, as reported by the State of Georgia; or
- Counties (and cities within such counties) that are ranked as “Tier 1” counties for job tax credits by the State of Georgia.1
Selection:
Eligible Planners will be evaluated using the following criteria that relate to the community they serve. (Note: It is intended that selection will be based on comparable rankings among the applicants on each selection criterion, the proposed use of the funds, commitment to planning and need for assistance to the extent of Foundation funds available.)
- The extent or degree to which the eligibility criteria apply to the Planner’s county or city;
- Median household income; per capita income; and unemployment rate of the Planner’s county or city;
- Master Economic Rank of the Planner’s county or city as reported by the University of Georgia;2
- Net migration to the Planner’s county or city; and
- Such other credible, statistical data that would compare the relative “rural or poorer” status of each community.
1 Such counties are the 71 counties that have the highest unemployment rate for the most recent 36 month period; lowest per capita income for the most recent 36 month period; and highest percentage of residents whose incomes are below the poverty level.
2 The ranking considers 1) the adjusted gross income reported on Georgia tax returns, 2) the 1% LOST or ELOST distribution to each county, and 3) net assessed property and utility values.
