Grant uses

(a) Permitted uses Except as provided in subsection (b), an eligible entity that receives a grant under this Act shall use such grant funds to carry out at least one of the following activities: (1) Construct, modernize, renovate, or retrofit the campus facilities of such entity, which may include— (A) improving existing, or establishing new, instructional laboratories or workforce-aligned (as determined by the Secretary) research facilities relating to fields of health, science, technology, engineering, the arts, agriculture, education, and other disciplines as determined by the Secretary; (B) constructing or improving roads or other transportation infrastructure on campus, for which the eligible entity is responsible; (C) preserving facilities with historic significance and facilities that house historic or cultural artifacts; (D) constructing, modernizing, renovating, and retrofitting any campus facility or dormitory (including dining facilities) or other facility customarily used for housing students; (E) improving security and safety for students, faculty, and staff; (F) installing or upgrading water, wastewater, power, and underground infrastructure; and (G) developing facilities or infrastructure that support job creation, entrepreneurship, and community-based opportunities, including establishing workforce development hubs that— (i) are aligned with regional labor market needs; (ii) focus on fields such as artificial intelligence; and (iii) support education, training, and career placement for students. (2) Purchase, manufacture, or modernize vehicle fleets owned and operated by such entity that are used primarily for the purpose of facilitating campus accessibility and student academic activities. (3) Carry out repairs, including with respect to deferred maintenance, to the facilities of such eligible entity in accordance with the preventative maintenance plan submitted under section 2(b)(5). (4) Acquire and install research-related equipment and technology in the campus facilities of such entity, including specialty equipment with respect to emerging fields (as determined by the Secretary, in consultation with the head of the eligible entity), such as artificial intelligence, data science, machine learning, cybersecurity, biotechnology, chemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, robotics, and advanced manufacturing. (5) For the purpose of facilitating the construction of new campus facilities that are not primarily used for classroom instruction or academic activities— (A) purchase or otherwise acquire title to land to serve as a permanent site for such facilities; and (B) to the extent that other public or private funds are insufficient— (i) prepare land for the construction of such facilities; and (ii) pay other preconstruction costs relating to the development of such facilities. (6) Install or extend the life of basic systems and components of campus facilities, which may include— (A) high-speed broadband internet infrastructure sufficient to support digital and technology-based learning; (B) high-capacity, middle-mile broadband networks, and campus-wide broadband networks, including 5G and future network generations; (C) fiber, cyber, and telecommunications infrastructure, including small cells; (D) heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) or other indoor air quality systems; (E) support for last-mile service for rural campuses when other means of providing this support is unavailable; and (F) other infrastructure to support the success of operations and other digital and technology needs. (7) Strengthen the safety and security of the campus of such entity by improving or utilizing design elements, principles, and technology that— (A) guarantee layers of security throughout such campus; and (B) uphold the function of such campus as a learning and teaching environment. (8) Strengthen institutional planning and governance to support long-term infrastructure goals by— (A) developing or updating campus infrastructure master plans, facility condition assessments, deferred maintenance strategies, or long-term capital project timeliness; (B) aligning campus infrastructure master plans with academic and workforce priorities, including with respect to the facilities used by programs in high-demand fields (as determined by the Secretary) in order to address the needs of such facilities and support the growth of such programs; (C) modernizing auxiliary services to improve financial sustainability, service quality, or institutional competitiveness; (D) supporting high-quality research and development efforts, including planning and expanding partnerships with manufacturers, employers, or innovation stakeholders that strengthen infrastructure and innovation; and (E) establishing or expanding offices or initiatives for the recruitment and retention of faculty in fields of research. (b) Prohibited uses An eligible entity that receives a grant under this Act may not use such grant funds for— (1) payment of routine and predictable maintenance costs, minor repairs, or utility bills; (2) any facility that is primarily used for athletic contests or exhibitions or other events for which admission is charged to the general public; (3) the purchase or support of any communications equipment or service (as defined in section 9 of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1608)) that poses a risk to national security; or (4) activities that are funded, in whole or in part, under part B of title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1060 et seq.), unless the Secretary approves such use. (c) Supplement not supplant An eligible entity shall use a grant received under this Act only to supplement the level of Federal, State, and local public funds that would, in the absence of such grant, be made available for the activities supported by the grant, and not to supplant such funds. (d) Encouraging partnerships The Secretary shall encourage partnerships between eligible entities and public and private entities to— (1) provide additional funding; and (2) assist in carrying out the activities under this Act.