Section 4110.20  General Procedures for Grant Awards

a)         Project sponsors seeking Grants-in-Aid assistance must file a preliminary application with the Grants Management Section, Department of Natural Resources, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, Illinois  62702. The preliminary application form for Historic Preservation Grants-in-Aid assistance is included in the Illinois Department of Natural Resources' Historic Preservation Grants-in-Aid Local Participation Manual. The Local Participation Manual may be obtained from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources' Grants Management Section, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, Illinois  62702. Copies of this manual are also available from the state library system.

b)         The State Historic Preservation Officer (Director of the Department of Natural Resources), the Illinois Historic Sites Advisory Council, and the staff of the Department of Natural Resources will evaluate each proposal to determine if it qualifies for assistance in accordance with the National Preservation Objectives for Acquisition and Development or Survey and Planning Projects. The National Preservation Objectives for Acquisition and Development or Survey and Planning Projects change annually at the dictate of the Secretary of the Interior and the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service. Each qualifying project proposal will be evaluated to determine the priority of the proposed project.

c)         Project sponsors will be notified whether or not the project has received state approval and the amount of Grant-in-Aid assistance approved. There is not a specified amount of time in which a project sponsor will be notified of whether a project has received state approval and the maximum amount of Grant-in-Aid assistance approved. The Department of Natural Resources makes every effort to notify each potential project sponsor at the earliest opportunity.

d)         The Department of Natural Resources will prepare and submit the individual project applications to the U.S. Department of Interior for review and approval.

e)         The U.S. Department of the Interior reviews the individual project applications and notifies the Department of Natural Resources of their decision. The Department of Natural Resources then notifies the project sponsor of federal approval and the local sponsor may initiate the project.

f)         Claims for reimbursement must be submitted to the Department of Natural Resources by the sponsors of approved projects. Each project is assigned a project period by the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service during which all claims for reimbursement must be submitted to the Department of Natural Resources. Claims for costs incurred prior to, or after the project period, are not eligible for reimbursement. The following is information which must be submitted with a claim for reimbursement:

1)         One copy of each invoice (bill) received for work accomplished and one copy of each canceled check as evidence of payment attached to the completed billing summary form.

2)         For all material purchases, purchase orders and/or invoices and corresponding canceled checks shall be submitted.