(a)      Any county, municipal corporation, for-profit, or nonprofit organization sponsoring a project involving the planning, design, construction, conversion, acquisition, renovation, and equipping of a facility in the State may apply to the Department for a State grant to be applied toward the cost of that project.

      (b)      The application shall be directed to the Secretary. On the approval of a project and the project plans by the Department, the Secretary shall promptly report the application to the Board of Public Works, together with the Secretary's recommendation that the Board make funds available as provided in this title.