(1) The superintendent of public instruction shall allocate grants under the program established in RCW 28A.300.390 through 28A.300.415 from private donations or within amounts appropriated for this specific purpose. The grants shall be awarded on a competitive basis.

(2) The superintendent of public instruction may contract with independent review panelists and establish an advisory panel to evaluate and make recommendations to the superintendent of public instruction based on grant applications.

(3) The superintendent of public instruction shall select grant recipients from applicants who meet all of the following criteria:

(a) The capability to administer and complete the proposed project within specified deadlines and within the specified budget;

(b) The experience, knowledge, and qualifications necessary to conduct quality educational activities regarding the exclusion and detention of Japanese-Americans during World War II;

(c) Projects that relate the Japanese-American exclusion and detention experience with civil rights included in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution so that this event may be illuminated and understood in order to prevent similar violations of civil rights in the future;

(d) Projects that are designed to maximize the long-term educational impact of this chapter;

(e) Projects that build upon, contribute to, and expand upon the existing body of educational and research materials on the exclusion and detention of Japanese-Americans during World War II; and

(f) Projects that include the variety of experiences regarding the exclusion and detention of Japanese-Americans and its impact before, during, and after World War II including those Japanese-Americans who served in the military and those who were interned in department of justice camps.

(4) Applicants for grants under the program are encouraged to do each of the following:

(a) Involve former detainees, those excluded from the military area, and their descendants in the development and implementation of projects;

(b) Develop a strategy and plan for raising the level of awareness and understanding among the American public regarding the exclusion and detention of Japanese-Americans during World War II so that the causes and circumstances of this and similar events may be illuminated and understood;

(c) Develop a strategy and plan for reaching the broad, multicultural population through project activities;

(d) Develop local and regional consortia of organizations and individuals engaged in similar educational, research, and development efforts;

(e) Coordinate and collaborate with organizations and individuals engaging in similar educational, research, and development endeavors to maximize the effect of grants;

(f) Utilize creative and innovative methods and approaches in the research, development, and implementation of their projects;

(g) Seek matching funds, in-kind contributions, or other sources of support to supplement their proposal;

(h) Use a variety of media, including new technology, and the arts to creatively and strategically appeal to a broad audience while enhancing and enriching community-based educational efforts;

(i) Include in the grant application, scholarly inquiry related to the variety of experiences and impact of the exclusion and detention of persons of Japanese ancestry during World War II; and

(j) Add relevant materials to or catalogue relevant materials in libraries and other repositories for the creation, publication, and distribution of bibliographies, curriculum guides, oral histories, and other resource directories and supporting the continued development of scholarly work on this subject by making a broad range of archival, library, and research materials more accessible to the American public.

(5) The superintendent of public instruction may adopt other criteria as it deems appropriate for its review of grant proposals. In reviewing projects for funding, scoring shall be based on an evaluation of all application materials including narratives, attachments, support letters, supplementary materials, and other materials that may be requested of applicants.

(6)(a) In the review process, the superintendent of public instruction shall assign the following order of priority to the criteria set forth in subsection (3) of this section:

(i) Subsection (3)(a) through (d) of this section, inclusive, shall be given highest priority; and

(ii) Subsection (3)(e) through [and] (f) of this section, inclusive, shall be given second priority.

(b) The superintendent of public instruction shall consider the overall breadth and variety of the field of applicants to determine the projects that would best fulfill its program and mission. Final grant awards may be for the full amount of the grant requests or for a portion of the grant request.

(7) The superintendent of public instruction shall determine the types of applicants eligible to apply for grants under this program.

(8) The office may accept gifts, grants, or endowments from public or private sources for the program and may spend any gifts, grants, or endowments or income from public or private sources according to their terms.