Section 555.20  Definitions

The following definitions are applicable to this Part:

            "Applicant": means a certified local tourism and convention bureau or a certified regional tourism development organization submitting an Application for Program Grant Funds as provided for under the Statute.

            "Application": means a written  request for Program Grant Funds, containing and  including the required information and/or attachments.

"Approved Expenditures": means costs approved to be expended for the completion of the Project.

            "Department": means the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

            "Director": means the Director of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

            "Eligible Expenditure": means costs that are considered appropriate and, if a grant is awarded, are costs approved by the Department for funding.  Examples of Eligible Expenditures are set forth in Section 555.40(a).

            "Fiscal Year": means the period from July 1 of any given year through June 30 of the subsequent year.

"Grant Agreement": means a written document executed between the Grantee and the Department setting forth the obligations and rights of the parties, describing the purpose of the grant, identifying the manner in which Grant Funds will be disbursed, specifying the grant term during which Grant Funds shall be expended, and requiring unobligated and/or unspent Grant Funds to be returned to the Department.

"Grant Amount" or "Grant Funds": means a monetary amount that the Department awarded to a Grantee to be expended on Approved Expenditures.

            "Grantee" means an Applicant that has been awarded a grant under the  Program based on submission of its Application.

"Ineligible Expenditures": means costs that are not eligible for consideration for funding and cannot be paid for with Grant Funds and Matching Funds.  Examples of Ineligible Expenditures are set forth in Section 555.40(b).

"In-kind Contribution" means noncash contributions necessary to complete the Project for which the cash value is easily documented (i.e., donated labor, equipment, supplies and materials) and are otherwise eligible grant and match expenditures as set forth in Sections 555.40 and 555.70.

"Illinois Office of Tourism": means the division of the Department that has the delegated authority to perform all administrative functions related to the Statute.

            "International": means any country other than the United States.

"Local Convention and Tourism Bureau": means a not-for-profit entity or unit of local government that meets the certification requirements as set forth in 14 Ill. Adm. Code 550.40 and is certified by the Department.

            "Matching Funds": means the portion of the Total Project Cost that is required to be provided by the Grantee through cash expenditures and/or In-kind Contributions.

            "Program": means the International Tourism Grant Program.

            "Project": means the activities that were described by the Applicant in its Application and approved by the Department for funding.

"Regional Tourism Development Organization": means a not-for-profit entity that meets the certification requirements set forth in the Regional Tourism Development Organization Program rules (14 Ill. Adm. Code 515.60) and is certified by the Department.

            "Statute": means Section 605-707 of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois, which is the statutory authority for the Program [20 ILCS 605/605-707].

            "Total Project Cost": means all necessary and reasonable Eligible Expenditures required to complete the Project as identified in the budget of the Grant Agreement.

(Source:  Amended at 38 Ill. Reg. 3577, effective January 23, 2014)