(a) The department shall designate appropriate staff in the department to act as liaison to the self-help centers to assist the centers in obtaining funding to enable the centers to carry out the centers' programs.
(b) The department shall make a reasonable effort to secure an adequate level of funding to provide the self-help centers with funds for low-interest mortgage financing, grants for self-help programs, a revolving loan fund for septic tanks, a tool-lending program, and other activities the department determines are necessary.