Section 2250.10  Purpose and Summary

The purpose of this Part is to provide for the implementation and administration of AmeriCorps, a national service program created by the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993, within the Illinois Department of Human Services and the Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, also referred to as the Serve Illinois Commission.  AmeriCorps is a federal program implemented by the states designed to address the nation's educational, public safety, human and environmental needs by providing an opportunity for people, 18 years of age or older, to serve their communities in programs and, in return, receive a stipend and an educational award that can be used to repay student loans or for future education.

Section 2250.20  Definitions

All words shall be defined according to definitions in the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993 and the federal rules unless defined to the contrary in this Section.

"Act" means the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993.

"Applicant" means an organization or entity, public or private, that is eligible to apply for national service funds under the Act.

            "Commission" means the Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, also known as the Serve Illinois Commission, established by 20 ILCS 710.

"Competitive Category" means the category of grant funds for which the State of Illinois is eligible to compete against other states for grant funds in addition to those allocated by the Corporation in the formula-funded category.

"Corporation" means the Corporation for National and Community Service, created by the Act.

            "Department" means the Illinois Department of Human Services.

            "Federal Rules" means the rules adopted under the Act (i.e., 45 CFR 2506, 2510, 2520, 2521, 2522 and 2540).

"Formula-funded Category" means that category of grant funds allocated by the Corporation to the State of Illinois based on a population formula provided by the Act.

"Member" means an individual who has been selected to serve in an approved AmeriCorps program.

"Partnership" means a joint arrangement among a group of organizations eligible to apply for national service funds under the Act.

"Program" means a planned and coordinated group of activities, procedures, etc., linked by common elements such as recruitment and selection of members, training for members and staff, regular group of activities, and assignment to projects, organized for the purpose of achieving the mission and goals of national service, and carried out with the assistance provided under the Act.

"Project" means an activity, carried out through a program that receives assistance under the Act, that results in a specific identifiable service or improvement that otherwise would not be done with existing funds and that does not duplicate the routine services or functions of the employer to whom members are assigned.

"Request for Proposal" or "RFP" means a form of invitation to bid that the Department uses to determine to whom grant funds will be allocated.  The RFP explains the purpose, outlines the scope of work, and solicits proposals from organizations for the funding of services that meet the priorities of the Corporation and the Commission.

Section 2250.30  Incorporated and Referenced Materials

a)         Incorporation by Reference

The following rules, not including any subsequent amendments or additions, are incorporated by reference in this Part and shall be available for inspection at, or copies may be requested in writing from, the Department of Human Services, 100 S. Grand Avenue East, Springfield, Illinois:

The federal rules promulgated under the Act that apply to the AmeriCorps program (45 CFR 2506, 2510, 2520, 2521, 2522 and 2540) (2007).

b)         Referenced Statutes

1)         The National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993 (42 USC 12501 et seq.).

2)         The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act.

3)         Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service Act [20 ILCS 710].

Section 2250.40  State Implementation and Administration

a)         The Commission shall serve as the State entity responsible for the implementation and administration of the program in the State of Illinois, pursuant to the requirements of the Act.

b)         P.A. 91-798 [20 ILCS 710], effective July 9, 2000, amended P.A. 88-597 [15 ILCS 105], effective January 9, 1995 and renamed the Lieutenant Governor's Advisory Council on Voluntary Action as the Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service (i.e., Serve Illinois Commission) and makes certain changes in the structure and function of the Commission.

c)         The Commission's purpose shall include the following:

1)         to promote and support community service in public and private programs to meet the needs of Illinois citizens;

2)         to stimulate new volunteerism and community service initiatives and partnerships; and 

3)         to serve as a resource and advocate within the Department of Human Services for community service agencies, volunteers, and programs that utilize State and private volunteers.

Section 2250.50  Program Application Procedures

a)         Contingent on the availability of funds, the Department, on behalf of the Commission, will issue a Request for Proposal specifying the information that applicants must include in their proposals and requiring that the proposal be submitted to the Department no later than the date specified in the RFP.

b)         Non-profit organizations, faith-based and community organizations, units of local government and public agencies that are committed to meeting critical needs in education, public safety, veterans affairs, economic opportunity, health, and the environment are eligible to apply to the Department and the Commission for national service funds under the Act, as appropriate to the RFP.

c)         RFPs posted by the Department on behalf of the Commission shall provide all details on application formatting, section headings, budget and programmatic requirements, and timelines for submission.  The information required in the RFP will be consistent with the Application Instructions issued by the Corporation for National and Community Service.

d)         Contingent on the availability of funding, the Commission may apply for federal funds authorized under the Serve America Act or that will assist the Commission in fulfilling the purposes of the Commission.

Section 2250.60  Applicant Selection Procedures

a)         The Commission shall review the Illinois AmeriCorps program proposals in both the formula-funded and competitive categories and select proposals for submission to the Corporation for federal funding within each category.

b)         As part of this review process, the Commission shall have the authority to consult with persons with specialized knowledge in the subject matter of the priorities established by the Act for national service.

c)         Criteria for selecting programs for national service funding by the Commission shall be identified and included in the RFP.  Priority areas will be delineated in the RFP.  They may include criteria for addressing priority areas or target populations in addition to other applicant selection criteria.

d)         The Commission is not required to select any responding applicant if it is not in the interest of the people of Illinois.  The Commission may negotiate with applicants and may make selections that are in the best interest of the public.  The Department may issue a new RFP if applicants are not deemed appropriate.

e)         The decisions of the Commission shall be final and binding.  Applicants shall be notified by mail of the decision of the Commission.  Programs whose proposals have been selected for submission to the Corporation for federal funding shall be notified by the Commission of the decision of the Corporation relating to their proposals.

Section 2250.70  Member Recruitment and Selection

a)         Each approved AmeriCorp program shall be responsible for the recruitment, interview and selection of members who possess leadership potential and commitment to the goals of the AmeriCorps program, in accordance with the Corporation's requirements.  Programs shall select members in a non-partisan, non-political and non-discriminatory manner consistent with applicable federal and State statutes.

b)         Each approved AmeriCorps program shall follow the recruiting, interviewing and selecting requirements of its members as outlined in the AmeriCorps Grant Provisions of the Corporation.

c)         Programs may undertake their own recruitment efforts for prospective members and/or may seek prospective members from the Corporation's national recruitment system.

d)         To ensure that members understand what will be expected from them, programs shall use member contracts that stipulate terms of service, acceptable conduct, duties, rights and responsibilities, grievance procedures, termination rules, and other conditions and terms not inconsistent with the Act, the federal rules or this Part.

Section 2250.80  Monitoring of Programs

a)         The Commission shall be responsible for ongoing monitoring of the quality and finances of approved Illinois AmeriCorps programs and their conformance with all requirements of the Act.  Nothing contained in this Section shall affect or limit in any manner the authority of the Corporation to also monitor approved programs. All approved Illinois programs shall cooperate with the monitoring activities of both the Corporation and the Commission.

b)         The Commission shall follow, at a minimum, the same criteria used by the Corporation to monitor programs.

c)         Each approved Illinois AmeriCorps program shall be responsible for submitting to the Commission periodic reports and a final report for the funding cycle. These reports shall provide information on the program's progress in meeting its objectives, such other information as is specified by the Corporation, the Commission or the Department, and the program's finances.  Each year, at the beginning of the funding cycle, the Commission shall set a schedule for the submission of reports.

d)         The Commission shall have the authority to make site visits to each approved Illinois AmeriCorps program at reasonable times to review documentation regarding the program, members and financials.

e)         The Commission shall also have the authority to make close-out site visits to approved Illinois AmeriCorps programs near or at the end of the funding cycle to review the program programmatically and financially.