The Department shall:

            (1)      encourage and assist political subdivisions and public and private community organizations to develop mutual and cooperative solutions to their common problems;

            (2)      serve as a clearinghouse for information and materials that may be pertinent to sound community assistance, including information on available federal, State, and private financial assistance and technical assistance;

            (3)      implement model or demonstration programs and projects or otherwise provide a program of practical research in community assistance;

            (4)      provide grants and loans for energy conservation and the use of solar energy in commercial and residential buildings;

            (5)      provide advisory, consultative, training, and educational services, and technical assistance to any political subdivision, local public agency, or nonprofit organization for community assistance purposes;

            (6)      contract for and accept a gift, grant, contribution, or loan of money, property, or other aid for community assistance from a governmental unit, the federal government, or another source and comply with the terms and conditions of that aid;

            (7)      attach terms and conditions to financial assistance as the Secretary determines;

            (8)      participate with political subdivisions, regional governments, organizations, and the federal government in developing, financing, and implementing a program to build the management capabilities of municipal corporations by supplying needed managerial expertise through circuit riding managers;

            (9)      administer federal programs to community assistance; and

            (10)      develop and implement a weatherization program in accordance with Title 4 of this article and administer the low-income weatherization component of the electric universal service program in accordance with § 7-512.1 of the Public Utility Companies Article.