Section 42.240  Application Evaluation Process

The Department, in consultation with the Board, will review applications for eligibility.  Applications meeting all eligibility requirements will be forwarded to a review committee.  Those applications that are determined to be ineligible will be returned to the applicant and will not be eligible for review.

a)         The review committee will consist of volunteers who have worked with uninsured populations or MUA or MUP and, when possible, have prior grant review experience and who represent different geographic areas in the State.

b)         The review committee will review the grant applications based upon the following:

1)         Documented need for the project.

2)         Ability to successfully complete project objectives described in the grant application.

3)         Ability to implement and sustain the community health center's new operations upon completion of the capital project including the plan to include the project in the applicant's federal scope of project. 

c)         Applications will be submitted to the Board for analysis of the project based on the realistic budget and timeline for the completion of the project, including a detailed description of additional funds to be used toward the applicant's financial contribution if applicable and the readiness of the project to begin once the funds are awarded. 

d)         Upon completion of the review committee's evaluation, the Department and the Board will give preference:

1)         To applicants who demonstrate the project will result in increased access to health care for new service area residents.

2)         To applicants who have never been a grantee of the Community Health Center Construction Grant program under a Public Act that initially appropriates or re-appropriates capital funds for this program.

3)         To applicants when the opportunity to distribute the grants geographically from the Chicago area, downstate urban, and rural areas can occur.