Section 1085.115  Grant Agreement and Audit Requirements for Allocation to Grow Your Own Illinois

The Board of Higher Education shall, subject to appropriation, allocate funds to Grow Your Own Illinois for the purposes of administering the program and awarding grants, as needed, to qualified consortia that reflect the distribution and diversity of hard-to-staff schools and hard-to-staff positions across this State (Section 20 of the Act).

a)         Board staff will verify that GYOI is registered with the Illinois Secretary of State as a not-for-profit corporation and is in good standing, has completed a prequalification process, and has been determined "qualified" by GATU (see GATA Rule Section 7000.70). 

b)         Board staff will make a recommendation to the Board for approval of a Grant Agreement with GYOI.

c)         The Board will enter into an agreement with GYOI under this Part using the Uniform Grant Agreement provided by GATU (see GATA Rule Section 7000.370).  Project objectives and performance goals will be included in the Uniform Grant Agreement to measure GYOI's performance.

d)         GYOI shall not deviate from the budget, project scope, or objectives stated in the Grant Agreement without the concurrence of the Board.  (See GATA Rule Section 7000.370(b).)  The Board will review a request and notify GYOI, within 30 calendar days after receipt of the request, of whether the Board concurs with the request. The GYOI shall request prior approval by the Board to:

1)         Changing the scope or the objective of the project (even if there is no associated budget revision).

2)         Changing the key person named by GYOI in the Grant Agreement. 

3)         Transfering funds among budget categories if the cumulative amount of these transfers exceeds 10% of the detail line or $1,000, whichever is greater.  Transfer requests will be accepted up until the last 2 weeks of the period of performance. 

e)         GYOI shall file Periodic Performance Reports with the Board on progress made and financial data for the reporting period.  The initial report shall cover the first 3 months after the Board approves the award.  Reports are to be filed using the forms provided by the Board and submitted no later than 30 days after the end of each quarter.  (See GATA Rule Section 7000.410.)

f)         GYOI shall take the following actions to complete grant closeout at the end of the period of performance.  (See GATA Rule Section 7000.440.)

1)         Promptly refund any balances of unobligated cash that the Board paid in advance and that are not authorized to be retained by GYOI for use in other projects.  Refunds shall be returned to the Board within 45 days after the end of the period of performance.

2)         Expend any encumbered grant funds during a lapse period of 60 days past the end of the period of performance.  Any encumbered but unexpended grant funds remaining at the end of the lapse period shall be returned to the Board within 45 days. 

3)         Submit, no later than 60 days after the end date of the grant period, the following reports:

A)        A statement of costs and revenues signed by GYOI's authorized representative.  

B)        A written evaluation of the project signed by GYOI's authorized representative.  The report must address the objectives and performance measures specified in the Grant Agreement.  Performance shall be measured in a way that will help the Board and other applicants and recipients improve program outcomes, share lessons learned, spread the adoption of promising practices, and build the evidence upon which the program is based and performance decisions are made.

C)        Deadlines may be extended at the discretion of the Board.  Extensions shall be issued only in extraordinary circumstances not in the control of GYOI.

g)         GYOI is subject to the Auditing Standards stipulated by GATU (see GATA Rule Section 7000.90).

(Source:  Added at 44 Ill. Reg. 11419, effective June 24, 2020)