Section 3080.40  Eligible Project Costs, Payments and Compliance Requirements

a)         Grant assistance is available to provide wages for managing supervisors and eligible veterans hired by the local sponsor to conduct conservation or recreational programs. Local sponsors may fill or replace any Department approved managing supervisor or veteran position during the grant program with a new or different managing supervisor or veteran 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 1040 hours (40 hours per week multiplied by 26 weeks) multiplied by the hourly rate for each approved managing supervisor and eligible veteran 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 veterans hired by local sponsors. Further, the ratio of veteran employees to a managing supervisor must not be less than 10 to 1 for any local sponsor with a total number of veteran employees of 10 or more. Any local sponsor program with a total number of veteran 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 veterans shall be returned to the Department on or before the last day of the second month after the term of the grant program has ended. The Department will identify this date in the grant agreement with the local sponsor.

e)         By the last day of the second month after the term the grant program has ended, the local sponsor shall provide the Department with a report fully documenting the wages paid to all managing supervisors and eligible veterans pursuant to the program grant. The Department will identify this date in the grant agreement with the local sponsor.

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.