Section 510.40  Application Procedures

a)         Upon request, the Department shall supply interested entities with Application guidelines and instructions that describe the Program rules, required information, and attachments.  Applications under these Programs will be accepted on an ongoing basis beginning May 1, with grants awarded July 1 through the end of each Fiscal Year, or until all appropriated funds have been awarded.  Applicants should submit their Application at least 60 days prior to the Project initiation date in order to be considered for funding.  However, depending on the purpose of the grant, the need for the grant, the Economic Impact to the State, and the timeliness of the event, it is within the Department's discretion to waive this 60 day period.

b)         An Application will be considered delivered and submitted on the date it is postmarked or hand delivered to the Office of Tourism at the Department's Springfield address: 620 East Adams, Springfield, IL 62701; or received electronically at the email address identified in the Notice of Funding Opportunity.

c)         Within 30 business days after the Department receives the Application, the program manager shall notify the Applicant whether, after a brief review, the Application and attachments, if any, are complete.  This notice is not in any way an acknowledgment by the Department as to the adequacy of the substance of the Application.  If the Application and attachments are incomplete, the Applicant shall be notified of the deficiencies.  The Applicant will then have 20 business days to cure any deficiencies.  In the event the Applicant fails to cure all deficiencies within the 20 business days, the Application shall be considered null and void and returned to the Applicant.

d)         Within 90 days from the date an Application is determined to be complete, the program manager shall notify the Applicant whether the Application has been approved or rejected.  If the Application has been rejected, the notification shall state the reasons for that determination.

(Source:  Amended at 46 Ill. Reg. 11991, effective July 1, 2022)