(a) Fairs may be held each year in each of the house districts, and state aid for the operation and maintenance of the fairs may not exceed a basic grant of $10,000; however, fairs in existence five years or longer may receive an increment grant not to exceed $2,500 per year of existence to a maximum of $75,000. The people of each district sponsoring a fair are not eligible for state aid unless they subscribe to spend from their own funds for that purpose an amount equal to the amount of the state aid and have or organize an agricultural and industrial fair association for the operation and maintenance of the fairs. Each fair receiving state aid is open to entries by the people of the whole state, and special provision shall be made for exhibits from boys' and girls' clubs.
(b) An agricultural and industrial fair association qualifying for and applying for operation and maintenance grants may also apply for capital improvement grants.
(c) For the purpose of matching state fair aid allocations, a fair whose local resources are not sufficient to match dollar for dollar may, in preparing its annual report, place a reasonable itemized monetary value on donated labor, materials, and equipment used in the construction, repairing, and maintenance of fairgrounds, buildings, and facilities in place of dollar matching up to 50 percent of its annual requests. The commissioner shall determine when local resources are insufficient to allow the community to match the amount of state aid requested under (a) of this section, and shall approve the reasonableness of the value assigned the donations by the fair.
(d) Premiums and prizes that qualify for listing for allocation purposes under this section shall be those paid for exhibits and educational contests, displays, and demonstrations of an educational nature. This does not include prizes or premiums for promotion or entertainment activities such as queen contests, parades, dances, rodeos, or races. A listing of fund allocations under this section containing the names of all premium and prize winners, including the amount and value of all awards, shall be maintained by the fair association.