Section 3035.230  Review of Grant Applications

a)         The LAB shall review all grant applications for projects that are designed to deliver direct instructional service in literacy to adult students.

b)         The LAB will use the following selection criteria:

1)         Whether the need for literacy services for the target population is demonstrated and how proposed literacy services address the need.

2)         Whether the grant applicant has identified similar programs provided locally by other organizations and has described cooperation and coordination with such programs.

3)         Whether the plan of operation contains a specific statement of project goals and outcomes, the methods used to achieve these goals and outcomes, the number of students to be served, and the number of administrative and instructional personnel necessary to serve the targeted student population.

4)         Whether the proposed budget is reasonable in view of the proposed goals of the project, and the budget is adequate to support the project.

5)         Whether the proposed project contains evaluation methods and procedures that will produce quantifiable data regarding the results of the educational assessment, including pre- and post-testing of students to evaluate student progress, recordkeeping procedures for both students' instructional hours and volunteer tutors' hours of participation.

6)         Whether the persons managing the project have experience, training or education to provide adult literacy programming, including at least a bachelor's degree, and the administrative capacity to support the project.

7)         A report on the use of the previous year's grant, if a grant was received, detailing information on students served, progress of program towards its stated goals and an evaluation detailing the student outcomes achieved, the programmatic outcomes and the impact of the program.

c)         The criteria listed in subsection (b) of this Section will be evaluated by the LAB, using its best professional judgment.

d)         The LAB shall not select any grant application nor award any public funds to any grant applicant that:

1)         Does not certify or state that it will comply with the Illinois Human Rights Act [775 ILCS 5].

2)         Uses as its staff or management personnel persons who have been convicted of any felonies involving moral turpitude, embezzlement, theft, sexual offense, fraud, and misrepresentation under laws of the United States, Illinois, or any other state, or have been convicted of bribery in violation of Section 50-5 of the Illinois Procurement Code [30 ILCS 500/50-5].

3)         Has employees of the Office of the Secretary of State as its managers.

4)         Has been disqualified and had its grant cancelled in previous years for false application statements, failure to adhere to the grant plan as approved by LAB, failure to complete reporting requirements satisfactorily, misappropriation of funds, or any violation of this Part as determined by the Secretary.

e)         The LAB shall not award more than one grant under this Subpart to any one applicant in the same fiscal year.

f)          Grant applications are subject to the conditions stipulated in Section 3035.135 of this Part.