Section 3075.10  Definitions

 

Department – Means the Department of Natural Resources.

 

Hourly Rate –

 

The rate of payment to youth employees hired under a grant issued under this Part shall not be lower than the current minimum wage rate established by the Minimum Wage Law [820 ILCS 105].

 

The rate of payment to managing supervisors shall not be lower than the current minimum wage rate established by the Minimum Wage Law plus $2.00 per hour.

 

The hourly rates established in this definition may be adjusted higher, as determined by the Department, if funds are available.  Any adjustment beyond the minimum wage rate shall be identified by the Department in the grant application and grant contract.

 

Local Sponsor – Means any unit of local government or not-for-profit entity that can make available for a summer conservation or recreation program park lands, conservation or recreational lands or facilities, equipment, materials, administration, supervisory personnel, etc.

 

Managing Supervisor – Means an enrollee in the Illinois Youth Recreation Corps who is selected by the local sponsor to supervise the activities of the youth employee enrollees working on the conservation or recreation project.

 

Not-for-Profit Entities – Entities eligible for participation in this grant program must be recognized and/or incorporated in Illinois as not-for-profit under the provisions of the General Not For Profit Corporation Act of 1986 [805 ILCS 105], and must possess current status as exempt from taxation under section 501(c) or 501(d) of the United States Internal Revenue Code.  Not-for-profit entities  without current tax-exempt status are not eligible.

 

Wages – Only the hourly rate for personal services paid to the employed youth (from which applicable taxes shall be withheld). "Wages" does not include the employer's contribution or portion of any tax.

 

(Source:  Amended at 37 Ill. Reg. 18865, effective November 7, 2013)

 

Section 3075.20  Grant Program Objective

 

a)         The Illinois Youth Recreation Corps grant program provides grants to be disbursed by the Department to eligible local sponsors to provide wages to youth working, operating and instructing in conservation or recreational programs f. 

 

b)         The conservation or recreational programs shall include, but are not limited to, the coordination and teaching of natural resource conservation and management, physical activities and learning activities directly related to natural resource conservation management or recreation. 

 

c)         Local sponsors may charge a user fee for participation in the conservation or recreational program, as long as those fees are designed to promote as much community involvement as possible.

 

(Source:  Amended at 37 Ill. Reg. 18865, effective November 7, 2013)

 

Section 3075.30  Eligibility Requirements

 

To be eligible for this grant program, local sponsors must have the ability to provide suitable facilities, materials and management staff for summer conservation or recreational programs within the local community.

 

(Source:  Amended at 37 Ill. Reg. 18865, effective November 7, 2013)

 

Section 3075.40  Eligible Project Costs, Payments and Compliance Requirements

 

a)         Grant assistance is available to provide wages for managing supervisors and eligible youth  hired by the local sponsor to conduct conservation or recreational programs.  Local sponsors may fill or replace any Department approved managing supervisor or youth position during the grant program with a new or different managing supervisor or youth employee.

 

b)         Payments will be provided to the local sponsor upon completion of a grant agreement with the Department in a lump sum determined by the Department, but not to exceed 480 hours (8 hours per day multiplied by 60 days) multiplied by the hourly rate for each approved managing supervisor and eligible youth position to be hired by the local sponsor.

 

c)         Pursuant to this program, grant payments may only be used to pay wages for managing supervisors and eligible youth hired by local sponsors.  Further, the ratio of youth employees to a managing supervisor must not be less than 10 to 1 for any local sponsor with a total number of youth employees of 10 or more.  Any local sponsor program with a total number of youth employees of less than 10 must be limited to one managing supervisor.

 

d)         Any grant funds provided to the local sponsor that are not expended on wages for managing supervisors or eligible youth shall be returned to the Department on or before October 31 of the year in which the grant agreement is executed. 

 

e)         By October 31 of the year in which the grant agreement is executed, the local sponsor shall provide the Department with a report fully documenting the wages paid to all managing supervisors and eligible youth pursuant to the program grant.

 

f)         All financial records on approved grants must be maintained and retained, in accordance with the Grant Funds Recovery Act [30 ILCS 705] and the State Records Act [5 ILCS 160] by the local sponsor for possible State audit after final grant payment is made by the Department.

 

g)         The local sponsor shall indemnify, protect, defend and hold harmless the Department from any and all liability, costs, damages, expenses, or claims arising under, through, or by virtue of the administration of this program.

 

(Source:  Amended at 37 Ill. Reg. 18865, effective November 7, 2013)

 

Section 3075.50  General Procedures for Grant Applications and Awards

 

a)         Applications for assistance under this grant program will be due no later than 30 days after the public announcement by the Department that applications are to be accepted.  Failure to submit a completed application to the Department by the specified application deadline will result in rejection of an application for that grant cycle.

 

b)         Necessary application materials and instructions are available through the Department (see Section 3075.80).  Awarding of grants will be on a competitive basis and will be made under authority of the Director of the Department of Natural Resources.

 

c)         Grant applicants are required to use the Department's Grant Application Form and will consist of the following basic components, at a minimum:

 

1)         applicant's name, address and telephone number;

 

2)         the name, address and telephone number of an individual representative of the applicant who is personally responsible for the grant administration by the applicant, including compliance with the requirements of this Part and the terms of the grant agreement;

 

3)         a detailed description of the proposed conservation or recreational program and the role of eligible youth in the program, including the number of youth and managing supervisor positions requested;

 

4)         program location;

              

5)         a statement of the need for the program in the local community;

 

6)         a description of the local resources available to successfully operate the recreational program, including but not limited to facilities, materials and management; and

 

7)         information on youth employment levels in the local community.

 

(Source:  Amended at 37 Ill. Reg. 18865, effective November 7, 2013)

 

Section 3075.60  Project Evaluation Priorities

 

Application for grants will be evaluated on the basis of conservation or recreational program content, location, need, minority percentage of population served, Equalized Assessed Valuation amount for property values in the local applicant's service area, local commitment of resources, acres managed by applicant and consistency with the youth employment purpose of the Act.

 

(Source:  Amended at 37 Ill. Reg. 18865, effective November 7, 2013)

 

Section 3075.70  Employment Criteria

 

a)         The local sponsor shall make public notification of the availability of jobs for managing supervisors and eligible youth in the Illinois Youth Recreation Corps by the means of newspapers, electronic media, educational facilities, units of local government and Department of Employment Security offices.

 

b)         Employment applications shall be submitted directly to the local sponsor. The local sponsor shall make all employment decisions.

 

c)         Employment is limited to:

 

1)         citizens of the State of Illinois;

 

2)         youth who, at the time of enrollment, are 14 through 18 years of age;

 

3)         youth who have skills that can be utilized in the summer conservation or recreational program;

 

4)         managing supervisors, who shall be 19 years of age or older;

 

5)         managing supervisors who have skills that can be utilized in supervising the activities of the youth employees working on the conservation or recreational program;

 

6)         the length of the program specified each year by the Department, but in no case more than 60 working days occurring during the months of June, July and August;

 

7)         youth who are not currently employed by the local sponsor; and

 

8)         the total number of approved managing supervisor and youth positions at all times.

 

d)         Managing supervisors and youth hired by the local sponsor shall be paid the hourly rate as defined in Section 3075.10.

 

e)         Pursuant to this program, the local sponsor is responsible for any and all legal requirements pertaining to the employment of managing supervisors and eligible youth.  This specifically includes, but is not limited to, employer's share of any taxes arising from the employment of managing supervisors and eligible youth.

 

f)         Managing supervisor and youth hired by the local sponsor pursuant to this program are not classified as employees of the State or the local sponsor for purposes of contributions to the State Employees' Retirement System or any other public employee retirement system.

 

g)         Local sponsors must hire all managing supervisors and youth as employees.  Managing supervisors and youth cannot be hired as independent contractors.

 

h)         Local sponsors must pay all managing supervisors and youth employees through a payroll system that produces documentation showing all such payments.  Cash payments do not meet this requirement for documentation.

 

i)          Local sponsors are responsible for complying with the terms and conditions of the Illinois Child Labor Law [820 ILCS 205].  The local sponsor should contact the Illinois Department of Labor if it has any questions about compliance with this law.

 

(Source:  Amended at 37 Ill. Reg. 18865, effective November 7, 2013)

 

 

Section 3075.80  Program Information/Contact

 

For information on the Illinois Youth Recreation Corps Grant Program, contact:

 

                        Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Division of Grant Administration

                        One Natural Resources Way

                        Springfield IL  62702-1271

                       

Telephone:  217/782-7481

                        FAX:  217/782-9599

                        www.dnr.illinois.gov