Section 3060.80  General Requirements

 

a)         Grant Compliance

 

1)         Agreement

 

A)        When a grant has been awarded, the grantee and the Director of the Department, or the Director's designee on behalf of the Department, shall execute an agreement.  In order for the costs to be eligible for funding, the project must not be initiated and costs shall not be incurred prior to the time the Department approves the grant agreement.  This grant shall not be used to reimburse an applicant for any costs incurred prior to the execution of the grant agreement.

 

B)        The agreement shall contain substantive provisions including, but not limited to, the following:

 

i)         a recitation of legal authority pursuant to which the agreement is made

 

ii)        an identification of the project scope and schedule and the work or services to be performed or conducted by the grantee

 

iii)       an identification of the grant amount

 

iv)       the condition and manner by which the Department shall pay the grant amount, subject at all times to annual appropriation by the General Assembly

 

v)        the irrevocable promise by the grantee to pay the local match (if any) of the total project cost

 

vi)       a promise by the grantee not to assign or transfer any of the rights, duties or obligations of the grantee without the written consent of the Department

 

vii)      a promise by the grantee not to amend the agreement without the written consent of the Department; failure to do so will result in a cost disallowance; the project must be completed by the completion date on the notice of grant award unless a written request for an extension is submitted no later than 30 days prior to the award completion date

 

viii)     a covenant that the grantee shall expend the grant award and any accrued interest only for the purposes of the project as stated in the application and approved by the Department

 

ix)       a covenant that the grantee shall refrain from entering into any written or oral agreement or understanding with any party that might be construed as an obligation of the State of Illinois or the Department for the payment of any funds under the Special Wildlife Funds Grant Program

 

2)         Grant funds for projects approved through the Special Wildlife Funds Grant Program may be made available for expenditure by a grantee for a period no longer than 2 years, except where such grant funds are disbursed in reimbursement of costs previously incurred by the grantee.

 

3)         Acknowledgment of Funding Source

 

A)        The grantee shall give proper credit to the appropriate Special Wildlife Fund and coordinate with the Department on any publication, written document, news article, television and radio release, interview or personal presentation, if initiated by the grantee, which refers to the project.

 

B)        The grantee shall post a sign, include a logo or affix a decal, if practical and applicable, crediting the applicable Special Wildlife Fund. Signs, logos and decals shall be supplied by the Department.  The appropriate Advisory Committee will provide guidance to the grantee for posting of signs, logos and decals on projects awarded under its Special Wildlife Fund.

 

4)         Reporting Requirements

 

A)        A grantee shall provide a written Final Report to the Department no later than 30 days following the ending date of the agreement.  The Final Report shall include all of the following required information:

 

i)         project information including:

 

            grant agreement number

 

            grantee name, address and telephone number

 

            time-frame of the report

 

           name and telephone number or e-mail address of grantee representative completing the report

 

ii)        project objective as described in the application and grant agreement

 

iii)       completed project description

 

iv)       summary of the project accomplishments involving habitat preserved, protected, acquired, managed or improved (if applicable) through the grant, including:

 

list of wildlife and/or native plant resources (by species) that benefitted from the project and how they benefitted

 

acres planted in cool season grasses, warm season grasses, forbs, legumes, shrubs, trees or other appropriate description, including whether the acres were new or replanted acres

 

acres sprayed or controlled through the use of herbicides

 

acres upon which controlled burns were undertaken

 

acres affected through woody vegetation and/or tree removal

 

acres planted, disked, mowed, sprayed, or burned, or trees/shrubs planted or removed with equipment purchased through the grant

 

number of cooperators involved in the project

 

5 to 10 digital images depicting the study species, project site, project activities or other aspects of the project

 

v)        summary of the project accomplishments for the education of the general public (if applicable) through the grant, including:

 

list of wildlife and/or native plant resources (by species) that benefitted from the project and how they benefitted

 

specific audience affected

 

measurable outcomes achieved

 

list of products resulting from the project

 

vi)       summary of the project research accomplishments (if

applicable) resulting from the grant, including:

 

list of wildlife and/or native plant resources (by species) that benefitted from the research undertaken in the project and how they benefitted

 

how such research can be implemented to benefit the targeted wildlife and/or native plant resources

 

vii)      total project expenditures itemized to include the following:

 

name and address of vendor

 

item description identifying details (if applicable) such as:

 

make, model, serial number of any equipment or commodities purchased

 

brand name, seed species/mix

 

quantity purchased

 

date item purchased

 

viii)     project expenditures paid by funds other than Special Wildlife Grant Funds

 

ix)       documentation to support summarized report including a complete list of landowner names and full address (note if absentee owner), acreage location and acres affected by the project.  Multiple conservation practices on the same acreage does not multiply the acreage

 

B)        For multiple year projects, the Department may require the grantee to submit an Annual Progress Report for each year during which the project is active.  The Annual Progress Report shall include the same information listed in subsection (a)(4)(A) for the Final Report as pertains to the current year.

 

C)        Failure to provide the Final Report or Annual Progress Report as required in subsection (a)(4)(A) may render the grantee ineligible to receive payments under the current award or make them ineligible for future awards.  Deadlines for reports may be extended for just cause when requests are submitted in writing at least 2 weeks prior to the deadline.

 

5)         Financial Management

 

A)        The grantee shall keep adequate records relating to its administration of a project, particularly relating to all incurred costs.  All assets acquired through Special Wildlife Funds shall be accounted for.  These records shall be available for audit by appropriate personnel of the Department and the State Auditor General.  All records shall be retained in accordance with State laws.

 

B)        Any funds (including any interest earned) not expended or legally obligated at the completion of the project or at the end of the agreement, whichever is earlier, shall be returned to the Department within 45 days to be deposited in the applicable Special Wildlife Fund.  If the purchase is initiated and documented by a written purchase order or invoice prior to the end of the term of the agreement and payment is made within 60 days, the expense is allowable.

 

C)        Interest earned on funds received as an advance payment shall become part of the project principal and may only be used for eligible activities.

 

D)        Any expenditure that does not comply with the grant agreement shall be disallowed and shall be returned to the Department for deposit into the applicable Special Wildlife Fund.

 

6)         Whenever a grantee violates this Part, it shall be ineligible for further assistance for a period of 2 years.

 

b)         Equipment

 

1)         Equipment that is eligible to be purchased with Special Wildlife Funds will be limited by the purpose of the particular grant program.

 

A)        Illinois Habitat Fund Grant Program and State Pheasant Fund Grant Program

Equipment that specifically establishes, maintains or restores habitat, such as native grass drills, tree planters, seeders, sprayers, tillers, disks, mowers, tractors and burn equipment is eligible to be purchased with Special Wildlife Funds.  Vehicles such as trucks, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), etc., are not eligible for Special Wildlife Funds.

 

B)         State Furbearer Fund Grant Program

Equipment that specifically provides educational opportunities in an eligible project (see Section 3060.50(a)) is eligible to be purchased with Special Wildlife Funds.

 

C)         State Migratory Waterfowl Stamp Fund Grant Program

Equipment that specifically develops, maintains or restores waterfowl propagation areas within the Dominion of Canada or the United States that specifically provide waterfowl for the Mississippi Flyway is eligible to be purchased with Special Wildlife Funds.  Vehicles such as trucks, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), etc., are not eligible for Special Wildlife Funds.

 

D)         Illinois Wildlife Preservation Fund Grant Program

Equipment that specifically preserves, protects, perpetuates or enhances non-game wildlife and/or native plant resources through research, management or education is eligible to be purchased with Special Wildlife Funds.

 

E)          Illinois Wildlife Preservation Fund Grant Program – Maintenance of Wildlife Rehabilitation Facilities That Take Care of Threatened or Endangered Species

No equipment is eligible to be purchased with monies from the Maintenance of Wildlife Rehabilitation Facilities That Take Care of Threatened or Endangered Species Fund.

 

2)         Grantees will be responsible for the maintenance of any equipment purchased through the Special Wildlife Funds Grant Program.

 

3)         Equipment is to be kept safe and secure by the grantee.

 

4)         Equipment for habitat establishment, maintenance or restoration is to be available for use by the general public.

 

5)         The grantee may charge a fee for the use of habitat establishment, maintenance or restoration equipment.  Rental fees shall not exceed $3/acre for habitat development equipment such as native grass drills, tree planters, seeders, sprayers, tillers, disks, mowers, tractors or other planting equipment purchased with Special Wildlife Funds.  Rental fees shall be disclosed with the application for funding assistance in purchasing the equipment.  All monies collected as rental fees shall be used solely to maintain the equipment for which they are charged.  The rental fees charged and received by the grantee shall also be disclosed on the reporting of the use of that equipment. No other fees beyond a rental fee may be charged by the grantee for use of the equipment.

 

6)         The grantee shall submit an Equipment Use Report on the use of all equipment purchased with Special Wildlife Funds.  The Equipment Use Report shall include all of the following required information:

 

A)        Details on the grant recipient including:

 

i)          name and address of the grantee

 

ii)         number of the grant agreement under which the equipment was purchased

 

iii)        name and telephone number or e-mail address of the person completing the report

 

iv)        time period covered by the Equipment Use Report

 

B)        Details on the piece of equipment including:

 

i)          equipment type, model number and serial number

 

ii)         storage location address

 

iii)        acre or odometer meter reading at the beginning and ending of the reporting period

 

iv)        contact person name and telephone number

 

v)         rental rate charged and total fees collected for the use of the equipment

 

vi)        description of any equipment maintenance and total expenditures for maintenance, supported by paid invoices

 

C)        Detailed information on the use of the equipment, including:

 

i)          date equipment was used

 

ii)         location of equipment use, including county, township, range and section

 

iii)        landowner name and full address (note if absentee owner)

 

iv)        description of how equipment was used, including:

 

●              management practice completed (planting, disking, mowing, herbicide application, prescribed burn)

 

●              for planting practices, the number of acres planted in cool season grasses, warm season grasses, forbs, legumes, shrubs or trees, or other appropriate description, including whether the acres were new or replanted acres

 

●              acres established, enhanced, or otherwise affected and how affected (note when multiple practices are on the same acres)

 

7)         The Equipment Use Report shall be submitted by December 31 during each of the first 5 years following the project award.  The Equipment Use Report shall suffice as the Annual Progress Report required in subsection (a)(4)(B) if the equipment purchase was the only aspect of the project.

 

8)         Equipment purchased shall become the property and the responsibility of the grantee unless specified otherwise in the agreement.

 

9)         Whenever it has been determined by the grantee and the Department that equipment acquired through the Special Wildlife Funds Grant Program is no longer needed for the project purpose, or that the grantee has other good cause, the equipment, with the approval of the Department, may be disposed of in accordance with one of the following methods:

 

A)        Equipment may be transferred at no charge at any time with the approval of the Department to another governmental agency or not-for-profit organization to use in accordance with the original project purpose.

 

B)        Equipment held more than 5 years may be retained, sold or otherwise disposed of with no further obligation to the Department.

 

C)        When equipment is held less than 5 years and not transferred in accordance with subsection (b)(8)(A), the grantee shall forfeit its interest in the equipment and shall deliver the equipment to the Department.

 

c)         Habitat Establishment, Maintenance or Restoration

 

1)         On habitat establishment, maintenance or restoration projects in which other governmental or private funding programs are involved, the grantee is required to provide the following detailed information:

 

A)        cooperator names and addresses and locations of the habitat affected (Township, Range, Section and County);

 

B)        number of acres enhanced by the grant;

 

C)        type of eligible conservation practice completed;

 

D)        the funding amount of other cost sharing provided and the name of the cost share provider;

 

E)        a copy of any farm program contract or other pertinent document identifying the amount of cost-share being provided; and

 

F)         length of time committed to maintain the developed habitat area.

 

2)         The grantee cannot charge fees for service or require membership to participate in the benefits of a project funded through Special Wildlife Fund grants except as specifically authorized by this Part.

 

3)         Habitat establishment, maintenance or restoration projects are to identify the general plant species to be planted, such as cool season grasses, warm season grasses, forbs, legumes, shrubs or trees, or other appropriate description.

 

d)         Inspection and Auditing of Projects

 

1)         The Department shall be authorized to enter and cross properties affected by the Special Wildlife Funds grant program to inspect progress and monitor grantee compliance, in accordance with the authorities granted it through the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois [20 ILCS 805/805-530].

 

2)         The Department shall develop a standardized inspection report for use by Department personnel when inspecting any project site.  The inspection report shall become part of the public record.

 

(Source:  Amended at 32 Ill. Reg. 19781, effective December 4, 2008)