Section 3000.50  Submission of Fees

a)         Grant Application Fees

1)         The required grant application fee is due to the Department immediately upon submittal of the grant application.

2)         Except when possible through electronic fee submittal, the grant applicant shall submit the required grant application fee in the form of a bank draft made payable to the "Illinois Department of Natural Resources".

A)        If the grant application is submitted as a paper document (hard copy), the grant application fee shall be attached to the application at the time of submittal.

B)        If the grant application is submitted electronically, but the Department lacks a means to accept the payment electronically, the grant applicant shall, in advance of the electronic submission of the application, submit a bank draft in the amount of the correct calculated grant application fee.  The Department will hold the grant application fee pending receipt of the grant application.  If the electronic grant application is not submitted to the Department prior to the grant program application deadline, the application fee will be returned to the grant applicant.

C)        The grant applicant shall attach the grant application fee bank draft to supporting documentation that clearly identifies the grant program, grant project, grant request amount, and calculated grant application fee due with the application.

3)         Applications submitted without the required grant application fee, or with an incorrect amount, will not be accepted by the Department.  These applications will be returned to the grant applicant without consideration and will not be held by the Department while awaiting submittal of the required or correct grant application fee.

4)         Failure of a grant application fee to clear the bank it is drawn against may result in termination of the grant award without further consideration.

b)         Grant Award Fees

1)         Except when possible through electronic fee submittal, the grantee shall submit the required grant award fee in the form of a bank draft made payable to the "Illinois Department of Natural Resources".

A)        If the grant agreement is submitted as a paper document (hard copy), the grant award fee shall be attached to the grant agreement at the time of submittal.

B)        If the grant agreement is submitted electronically, but the Department lacks a means to accept the payment electronically, the grantee shall, in advance of the electronic submission of the grant agreement, submit a bank draft in the amount of the correct calculated grant award fee.  The Department will hold the grant award fee pending receipt of the grant agreement.

2)         The grantee shall attach the grant award fee bank draft to supporting documentation that clearly identifies the grant program, grant project, grant award amount, and calculated grant award fee due with the grant agreement.

3)         The Department will not execute grant agreements submitted without the required grant award fee, or with an incorrect amount. 

4)         Failure of a grant award fee to clear the bank it is drawn against may result in termination of the grant award without further consideration.

5)         A grant award fee will be refunded to the grantee if the State unilaterally rescinds a grant agreement at any time prior to the commencement of a project in the event that State funds are not appropriated for the grant program. If a grantee withdraws from a grant agreement prior to commencement of a project, the grant award fee will only be refunded if, in the judgment of the Department, the circumstances of the withdrawal are due to no fault of the grantee (e.g., statutory changes, act of God). A project shall be deemed to be commenced when the grantee makes any expenditure or incurs any obligation with respect to the project.

6)         Failure by the grantee to comply with any grant program regulations or the grant agreement shall be cause for the suspension of all grant assistance obligations, including reimbursement of a grant award fee, unless, in the judgment of the Department, the failure was due to no fault of the grantee (e.g., statutory changes, acts of God).