Community Development Block Grant Disaster Response Program

Application Period: General announcement open for a period of time with no specific due dates for applications.

Technical Assistance: No

Apply here: https://dceo.illinois.gov/aboutdceo/grantopportunities/1637-2010.html

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Application Documents

FileView.aspx

State of Illinois Uniform Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)
Summary Information
Awarding Agency Name Commerce And Econ Opp
Agency Contact Wendy Bell (ceo.ocd@illinois.gov)
Announcement Type Initial
Type of Assistance Instrument Grant
Funding Opportunity Number 24-7 CDBG Disaster Response Program
Funding Opportunity Title Community Development Block Grant Disaster Response Program
CSFA Number 420-75-1637
CSFA Popular Name CDBG Disaster Response Program
Anticipated Number of Awards 0
Estimated Total Program Funding $2,120,450
Award Range $0 - $250000
Source of Funding Federal
Cost Sharing or Matching No
Requirements
Indirect Costs Allowed No
Restrictions on Indirect Costs Yes : The CFDA Number for these awards is 14.228, which exempts
the grants from the indirect cost requirements of 2 C.F.R. Part 200,
pursuant to 2 C.F.R. § 200.l0l(d){l).
Posted Date 04/05/2022
Application Date Range General announcement open for a period of time with no specific due
dates for applications.
Grant Application Link Please select the entire address below and paste it into the browser...
https://dceo.illinois.gov/aboutdceo/grantopportunities/1637-2010.html
Technical Assistance Session No

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Agency-specific Content for the Notice of Funding Opportunity
CDBG Disaster Response Program 24-7
1637-2010
A. Program Description
The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program was established by the federal Housing and
Community Development Act of 1974 (Act). Administered nationally by the U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development (HUD), the Act combined eight existing categorical programs into a single block
grant program. In 1981, Congress amended the Act to allow states to directly administer the block grant
for small cities. At the designation of the Governor, the Department of Commerce and Economic
Opportunity (Department) assumed operation of the State of Illinois CDBG – Small Cities Program in the
same year. Through this program, funds are available to assist Illinois communities to meet their greatest
economic and community development needs, with an emphasis on helping persons of low-to-moderate
income.
To ensure that the State-administered program meets the intent of the federal Housing and Community
Development Act of 1974, as amended, Congress has required that state-administered programs meet at
least one of the following three national objectives:
• Benefiting low-to-moderate income (LMI) persons; or
• Aiding in the prevention or elimination of slums and blight; or
• Meeting other community development needs that pose a serious and immediate threat to the
health and welfare of the community.
To complement these federally-mandated objectives, the State has established the following specific
objectives for the CDBG Program:
• Strengthen community economic development through the creation of jobs, stimulation of private
investment and strengthening the tax base;
• Improve public infrastructure and eliminate conditions which are detrimental to health, safety and
public welfare; and
• Conserve and expand the State's housing stock in order to provide a decent home and a suitable
living environment for persons of low-to-moderate income and the developmentally disabled.
The purpose of grants relative to the Disaster Response (DR) Notice of Funding Opportunity is to
assist communities experiencing an imminent and urgent threat to public health and safety as
indicated by a disaster declaration by the Governor of the State of Illinois. Applications for the
Disaster Response program must be received by the Department within six (6) months from the
date of the Gubernatorial Disaster Declaration. The project must qualify for the National Objective
of Urgent Need, however, if the project area meets or exceeds 51% LMI, the National Objective of
LMI will be utilized in the grant award1. A grant ceiling of $250,000 per Unit of Local Government
(UGLG) has been established.
1 To determine if a project can be qualified under the LMI National Objective, the applicant should reference the most recent data from the
HUD Low and Moderate-Income Summary Dataavailable at: https://dceo.illinois.gov/communitydevelopment.html
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NOFO ID: 1637-2010
Projects must meet the following minimum thresholds:
• Application must be for an area included in a Disaster Declaration by the Governor of the
State of Illinois no longer than six (6) months prior to application.
• The community must be unable to finance the activity on its own; and
• The community has exhausted all other options/sources for funding the activity.
Funds will be available on an as needed basis to all eligible applicants meeting program and component
requirements until all funds allocated to this program have been distributed. Applicants must demonstrate
that they are unable to finance the activity on their own; and other sources of funding are not available.
A grant award document will be issued for a contract period of twelve months – no extensions will be
granted.
ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES
When emergency conditions threaten the public health and safety and/or immediate action is necessary
to stop physical deterioration after a disaster has occurred, certain activities are allowed on an interim or
temporary basis. Under these circumstances acceptable activities include:
• Debris removal;
• Clearance of streets including snow removal and similar activities;
• Temporary or permanent street repair that does not alter environmental conditions and is limited
to protection, repair, or restoration activities necessary only to control or arrest the effects from
the disaster;
• Activity Delivery for required documentation and compliance. Activity Delivery must be charged
on an hourly basis and cannot exceed $5,000 per grant award.
INELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES
The following are specifically identified as ineligible activities:
• Regular activities of local government, such as curbside collection of garbage or trash.
• General government expenses.
• Repair of parks or playgrounds.
• Repair or construction of buildings, or portions thereof, used predominantly for the general
conduct of government (e.g., city halls, courthouses, jails, police stations).
• Costs of repairing or maintaining public infrastructure and services.
• Servicing or refinancing of existing debt.
• Repair, replacement, clearance or demolition of/on privately owned structures/property.
Community Development Block Grants are federally funded and must comply with extensive federal
regulations including procurement, environmental, Davis-Bacon labor standards and others. Failure to
comply could result in grant funds being repaid by the Grantee/Community. Therefore, it is important that
Grantees seek out an experienced Grant Administrator to manage all the details of the grant, provide
oversight and coordination of the project. This management process is called “Activity Delivery.” (see
Section II, Part D of the Guidebook2 for specifics on Activity Delivery, which is located in this Notice of
Funding Opportunity)
All application writers and grant administrators must have administered an Illinois CDBG grant
within the last 2 years or complete the grant administration segment as well as the application
segment of the 2021 workshops.
2 The Guidebook will be referenced throughout this NOFO. The Guidebook can be found at:
https://dceo.illinois.gov/communitydevelopment.html
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NOFO ID: 1637-2010
Additionally, ll Grantees must use an experienced environmental specialist, who has completed at
least one Illinois CDBG Environmental Record Review since January 1, 2018 OR has successfully
completed DCEO Environmental Training conducted on July 18, 2018.
Contracts for the purpose of securing services for Activity Delivery must be competitively procured unless
the contract is with an Intergovernmental Agreement Agency, an Inter-Entity Agreement Agency. If an
applicant is awarded a CDBG grant, the grantee’s procurement process must be documented and kept
with the grant files (see Section IX of the Guidebook, Attachments for the Illinois CDBG Procurement
Policy).
The maximum amount of CDBG funds that may be allowed for reasonable activity delivery costs is $5,000
and must be included in the total grant award. Activity delivery costs above that amount must be
contracted separately and not included in the application.
Activity Delivery costs include costs such as (but not limited to) salaries, travel costs, services performed
under third party contracts, including legal and audit services, environmental record review preparation,
additional fidelity bonding costs or other services required for the delivery of grant activities.
Activity delivery costs may include the estimated cost of an audit to be conducted in accordance with the
Comptroller General's Governmental Auditing Standards, and 2 CFR 200.501, if applicable. However, be
advised that CDBG funds can only be used to pay for its portion of the costs of an audit when a "single
audit" is required. If a grantee expends less than $750,000 of federal funds in one fiscal year, a single
audit is not required. The grantee may still have to conduct an annual audit as required by State statute,
but CDBG funds may not be used to pay for any portion of the audit costs.
A public hearing must be held prior to submission of an application and prior to passage of a local council
resolution of support by the local governing body. If the publication guideline or public hearing
requirements are not met, the application will not be reviewed further nor considered for funding.
Public Participation
• All applicants must provide for public participation. All citizens must be given reasonable access to
the community’s application and reasonable time to review the application prior to the public hearing.
Public Notice
• A Notice of Public Hearing must be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation at
least seven calendar days (excluding the date of publication and the date of the hearing) prior to the
public hearing.
• All project information must be available for viewing on the first date of publication at a location within
the community.
• The Public Comment Period must coincide with the time period between Notice and Hearing;
concluding after the Hearing has been completed. The address for submission of written comments
must be included in the Public Notice.
Conducting the Public Hearing
• Public Hearings must be facilitated by the applicant’s governing body authorized official and certified
by the authorized official or clerk.
• Efforts must be made to assure reasonable access to the public hearing by persons with disabilities;
as well as be conducted in a manner to meet the needs of non-English speaking residents where a
significant number of non-English speaking residents can reasonably be expected to participate.
• Those attending the public hearing must be informed of where and how to access the applicant's
CDBG records.
• The Hearing must allow for public comments on the application and project.
• A sign-in sheet must be provided to document attendance. It is suggested that each person attending
the public hearing provide his address and identify his role of participation (e.g., citizen, elected or
appointed official, municipal employee, contractor, grant administrator, business owner, etc.).
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NOFO ID: 1637-2010
• The public hearing must cover:
The amount of funds available;
o
The project activities that will be undertaken with CDBG funding, including amount;
o
The project activities that will be undertaken with additional project funding, including amount;
o
The estimated amount proposed for activities that will benefit LMI individuals;
o
Plans for minimizing displacement as a result of the CDBG grant-assisted activities and to assist
o
persons actually displaced, if applicable;
A detailed, prioritized list of community development and housing needs; and
o
A narrative discussion of the scope of the project including the proposed improvements, costs,
o
benefit area, impact on community finances, etc.
• The minutes of the public hearing must be certified by the chief elected official or other authorized
local officials, such as county clerk, city clerk, etc.
• Following the Public Hearing, a Resolution of Support from the local governing body must be passed
that authorizes the local government to apply for funds.
Documenting Citizen Participation
The following documents verifying 7-day notice and citizen participation must be submitted with the
application.
• Newspaper Clipping of Notice of Public Hearing
• Publisher’s Certification (cannot be an e-mail)
• Certified Minutes
• Attendance Sheet (original sign-in sheet; not type-written, not roll call from minutes)
A sample of a public hearing notice is contained in Section VII of the Guidebook, which is located in this
Notice of Funding Opportunity.
B. Funding Information
This grant program is utilizing federal funds appropriated by 875-42075-4900-1000 CDBG PROGRAM
ADMIN, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND GRANTS.
Community Development Block Grant funds are authorized by Congress on an annual basis and
allocated by HUD to States and Entitlement programs. HUD has determined the State’s 2021 allocation
to be $31,038.073. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is making $2,120,450
million available for DR grants. The number of grants to be provided will be determined by the number of
disasters and amount of requests.
Agreement(s) and budget(s) with subrecipients and subcontractors must be pre-approved by and on file
with DCEO. Agreements can be submitted to DCEO when available. Subcontractors and subrecipients
are subject to all applicable provisions of the Agreement(s) executed between DCEO and the grantee.
The successful applicant shall retain sole responsibility for the performance of its subrecipient(s) and/or
subcontractor(s).
The release of this NOFO does not obligate the Department to make an award.
C. Eligibility Information
An entity must be registered in the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) Grantee Portal,
https://grants.illinois.gov/portal at the time of grant application. The portal will verify that the entity:
• Has a valid FEIN number;
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NOFO ID: 1637-2010
• Has a current SAM.gov account;
• Is not on the Federal Excluded Parties List;
• Is in Good Standing with the Illinois Secretary of State, as applicable;
• Is not on the Illinois Stop Payment list; and
• Is not on the Department of Healthcare and Family Services Provider Sanctions list.
Entities on the Illinois Stop Payment List and/or the Federal Excluded Parties List at time of application
submission will not be considered for an award.
An automated email notification to the entity alerts them of “qualified” status or informs how to remediate
a negative verification (e.g., not in good standing with the Secretary of State). A federal
Debarred and Suspended status cannot be remediated.
Pursuant to the policy of the Illinois Office of the Comptroller, to receive grant funds from the State of
Illinois, a grantee must be considered a regarded entity by the IRS for federal income tax purposes.
Disregarded entities will not be eligible to receive grant funds.
1. Eligible Applicants include:
Only units of general local government (i.e., cities, villages, townships and counties) may apply
for funding. Eligible municipalities shall not receive funding from HUD as an entitlement
city. Counties and townships that are not participating in the HUD Urban County Entitlement
Program are also eligible to apply for block grant funds.
Because of eligibility requirements and administrative capacity, certain unincorporated areas and
special districts may not qualify for participation by themselves. In these instances, general
purpose units of local government will be allowed to submit applications on behalf of otherwise
ineligible special districts and unincorporated areas provided the unit of general local government
determines that the activity is meeting its needs in accordance with section 106(d)(2)(D) of the
Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended. An Application on Behalf Of or
a joint application may not be filed for an entitlement city or a city located in an entitlement
county. If an Application on Behalf Of or a joint application will be filed, the local governments
involved must submit an executed cooperation agreement with the application for funds. The
agreement shall define grantee responsibilities under a successful application.
When 2 or more eligible local governments face a common problem, a joint application may be
submitted under the following conditions:
• The solution of the problem requires mutual action and is not intended for administrative
convenience; and
• The eligible local governments involved have contacted the Department for prior approval of
submission of the joint application before actual application submission.
All applicants must be registered and have completed the Internal Control Questionnaire
(ICQ) for the current year available at: https://grants.illinois.gov/portal/ prior to application
submission. Applications submitted by communities who have not registered or
completed the ICQ for the current year will not be considered for review.
The Department complies with all applicable provisions of state and federal laws and regulations
pertaining to nondiscrimination, sexual harassment and equal employment opportunity including,
but not limited to: The Illinois Human Rights Act (775 ILCS 5/1-101 et seq.), The Public Works
Employment Discrimination Act (775 ILCS 10/1 et seq.), The United States Civil Rights Act of
1964 (as amended) (42 USC 2000a-and 2000H-6), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
(29 USC 794), The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 USC 12101 et seq.), and The Age
Discrimination Act (42 USC 6101 et seq.).
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NOFO ID: 1637-2010
2. Cost Sharing or Matching.
At minimum, 25% of project costs will be paid from other non-Department funds. Examples of
other funding sources may include USDA Rural Development, EPA or local funds. The grantee
may request, in writing to the Office of Community Development Deputy Director, Wendy Bell,
that the 25% minimum leverage requirement be waived. This request must include a reasonable
justification. The Department will review each request on a case-by-case basis.
3. Indirect Cost Rate.
The grant will not compensate for indirect costs.
4. Other, if applicable.
Units of local government may apply for one grant per program per year. Applicants that received
a grant in the previous year must demonstrate reasonable progress by the time the application is
reviewed, or it will not be considered. Applications that further a project in progress, whether
funded with or without CDBG funds, will not be accepted.
D. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package.
Grant application forms are available at the web link provided in the “Grant Application Link” field
of this announcement or by contacting the Program Manager:
Office of Community Development
Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity
500 East Monroe
Springfield, IL 62701
Telephone: 217/785-6174
E-mail: ceo.ocd@illinois.gov
2. Content and Form of Application Submission.
A standard application package must be submitted to and reviewed by DCEO. Each package
must contain the following items:
• Uniform Grant Application in fillable PDF format. (print, sign and scan signature page
with submission)
• Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form
• Mandatory Disclosures Form
• The Uniform Budget will be completed after a NOSAF has been issued. Grantee will
utilize the template provided by DCEO for this project. The entire budget with all
worksheets included even if the worksheets are not relevant to the grant opportunity
must be submitted with the application materials. (print, sign and scan signature page
with submission after NOSAF)
This Notice of Funding Opportunity also requires the submission of the following other
programmatic specific items:
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NOFO ID: 1637-2010
• Letter of Transmittal (template provided)
• Completed Submission Checklist
• CDBG Applicant Project Information Form
• Project Summary - should consist of a narrative covering all key points of the project.
Describe the emergency nature of the project (the severity and immediacy of the
problem) and what was completed to address the issue. Describe the threat to health
and safety being addressed. List the date the emergency occurred. Describe the
status of the project. Has the project been completed. Describe the project area,
including legal boundaries. Describe who affected and how. Include justification of the
local government's need for CDBG assistance in relation to its overall financial
capability, including discussion of outstanding indebtedness.
• Project Location Map must be included in the application. It is expected to be
sufficiently detailed to show the specific boundaries of the project area and railroads,
highways, interstates, and corporate limits. The project map must be suitable for
reproduction and shall not exceed the page size of 11 x 17 inches. (Applicants may
also submit blueprints or larger project maps as a supplement to their submission, if
they deem necessary in order to show project details sufficiently)
• FEMA Issued Floodplain Map - must be included in the application. You can obtain
this map by calling FEMA at 1(800) 358-9616 or by using the website
https://msc.fema.gov. The project area must be clearly drawn on the map prior to
submission
• Disaster Response Costs Summary Form
• Force Account Labor Summary Record (FEMA Form 90-123)
• Materials Summary Record (FEMA Form 90-124)
• Rented Equipment Summary Record (FEMA Form 90-125)
• Contract Work Summary Record (FEMA Form 90-126)
• Force Account Equipment Summary (FEMA Form 90-127)
• Minority Benefit/Affirmative Action Statement Form
• Council Resolution of Support or Resolution of Support and Commitment of
Local Funds (templates provided)
• Citizen Participation (7-Day Notice/Public Hearing) – newspaper clipping,
publisher’s certification (no emails), certified minutes, and/or attendance sheet(s)
• Local Government Certifications Form
• Intergovernmental Cooperation Agreement, if applicable (template provided)
• Unit of Local Government’s most recent financial statement audit - If unavailable,
please contact the Department to determine potential alternative documentation.
• Local Government Insurance Policy applicable to the damage experienced.
• Governor’s Disaster Declaration
• W-9 Form – Include a completed W-9 form. The name of the entity must exactly match
the name indicated on the IRS certification letter, and the W-9 must be the most current
issued (https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf).
• SAM Registration/CAGE Code: All grantees, sub-recipients and contractors
participating in the CDBG Program are required to be registered in the System for
Award Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov for the purpose of obtaining a Commercial
and Government Entity (CAGE) Code. The CAGE Code is a unique identifier assigned
to government agencies and various organizations. CAGE codes provide a
standardized method of identifying a given facility at a specific location. This
documentation, for the grantee, must be submitted with the application.
• IRS Certification Letter: Include in the application “Letter 147c” or “Letter 4158c”
provided by the IRS to verify the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) or Federal
Employer Identification Number (FEIN) for the applicant. If you do not have a current
(dated within five years) copy of an IRS certification letter on file, please call the IRS
Business line, 1-800-829-0115, to request a “Letter 147C”, or call 1-877-829-5500 to
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NOFO ID: 1637-2010
request a "Letter 4158c.” Only the applicant is authorized to request a copy of this
letter.
All original Application Forms and Materials as shown Section VI, Part H, and Section VII of the
Guidebook must be utilized. All Letters, Notices, Resolutions, Agreements or other
communication provided by the unit of local government as part of the application must be of the
exact verbiage contained in Section VI, Part H, and Section VII of the Guidebook, be on the
applicant community’s official letterhead, and have original signatures where required.
All original Application Forms and Materials as shown in the Guidebook must be utilized. The
Department WILL designate an application “DO NOT FUND”, and not complete the rest of its’
scoring for the following reasons:
• Using self-created forms.
• Adding to or removing any language in forms.
• Forged, copied, taped, pasted or any alterations to original signatures or dates.
All application forms and certifications requiring signature must be signed by the Chief Elected
Official of the applicant community, unless otherwise noted.
The Application Checklist contained in Section VI, Part H, of the Guidebook, lists all required
application elements and identifies in what order the elements should be submitted. Two copies
of the application must be submitted: “original” and “copy.”
PACKAGING YOUR APPLICATION
All grant application materials must be:
• Typed (except for signatures and maps)
• Clipped together with a large binder clip on the top. Any oversize pages such as maps
should be placed at the end of the application.
• Contained in two brown legal-size, open-top (no foldovers with cords or ties) expandable
folders (One marked “original,” and one marked “copy”)
• Brown legal size folders are to be labeled with a 2”x 4” white label, placed in the top right-
hand corner of the folder with the following information:

Name of Applicant

Grant Year & Type of Grant

Original or Copy

For Example:
VILLAGE OF ABRACADABRA
2021 Disaster Response
Original
DO NOT USE: dividers, staples, binders, folders or other methods of containment.
3. System for Award Management (SAM) and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).
Each applicant (unless the applicant is an individual or Federal or State awarding agency that is
exempt from those requirements under 2 CFR 25.110(b) or (c), or has an exception approved by
the Federal or State awarding agency under 2 CFR 25.110(d)) is required to:
(i) Be registered in SAM before submitting its application. To establish a SAM
registration, go to www.SAM.gov and/or utilize this instructional link: How to
Register in SAM from the www.grants.illinois.gov Resource Links tab.
(ii) Provide a valid UEI number in its application, which matches the UEI number used in
both the applicant entity’s SAM registration and its GATA registration; and
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NOFO ID: 1637-2010
(iii) Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times
during which it has an active Federal, Federal pass-through or State award or an
application or plan under consideration by a Federal or State awarding agency. The
Department will not make a Federal pass-through or State award to an applicant until the
applicant has complied with all applicable UEI and SAM requirements and, if an applicant
has not fully complied with the requirements by the time the Department is ready to make
a Federal pass-through or State award, the Department may determine that the applicant
is not qualified to receive a Federal pass-through or State award and use that
determination as a basis for making a Federal pass-through or State award to another
applicant.
4. Submission Dates and Times.
Applications for the Disaster Response program must be received by the Department within six
(6) months from the date of the Gubernatorial Disaster Declaration.
Complete application packages must be submitted to the Department’s Springfield Office at:
Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
Office of Community Development
500 East Monroe Street, Mail Code: R-2
Springfield, Illinois 62701
Facsimile or electronic submissions will not be accepted.
Applicants may confirm the Department’s receipt of application via telephone or email:
Telephone: 217/785-6174
E-mail: ceo.ocd@illinois.gov
5. Intergovernmental Review, if applicable.
The Department reserves the right to consider an outside technical review by an appropriate
agency or agencies.
6. Funding Restrictions.
Costs previously incurred (such as design) as well as costs incurred in preparation of applications
and local income surveys are not reimbursable under this grant program.
The use of in-kind services as additional funding is limited. Applicants must identify the specific
tasks/services that will be performed or provided. Each task/service must be quantified by
outlining the number of personnel assigned to the task and current payroll status; number of
hours; and the hourly rate. Additionally, the qualifications of each individual to perform the
assigned task/service (e.g., construction inspection) must be provided. If in-kind services are
being utilized, a local council resolution must be included in the application.
The Department reserves the right to reject any or all applications received and/or negotiate or
cancel in part or in entirety grants resulting from application awards if it is in the Department’s
best interest to do so.
The Department reserves the right to withdraw a commitment for CDBG funds where special
grant conditions have not been satisfied 90 days after the date of the Notice of State Award
Finalist, or at the discretion of the Department if it is determined the project will not progress.
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NOFO ID: 1637-2010
The Department reserves the right to establish the amount of grant funds awarded, raise the
individual grant ceilings, and to shift funds from one CDBG component funding area to another.
The Department further reserves the right to award funds to the next highest rated applicant(s) for
any component should funds become available due to de-obligations, etc.
The Department reserves the right to deny funding when submitted applications involve eligible
units of government with serious unresolved audit or monitoring findings related to performance.
On an annual basis, the Department will re-evaluate the timely distribution of funds under all
CDBG program components, as well as the availability of unspent and recaptured funds.
Unspent and recaptured funds will be awarded to fund additional CDBG-eligible projects.
Depending upon available funds, a Back-up Funding round may be implemented later in the
program year.
The Department reserves the right to not fund applications that address problems which
obviously are a result of deferred maintenance.
The Department reserves the right to consider an outside technical review by an appropriate
agency or agencies. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, the Illinois Department of
Public Health, and/or USDA Rural Development may be asked to review public infrastructure
projects involving water or sewer activities.
Any additional non-CDBG resources must be firmly committed. Also, it must be evident in the
application that both CDBG and non-CDBG funds will address the same need.
Proposed projects (including the fund source, cost estimates, benefit, urgency, project area,
and/or construction activities) supplied in the grant application submitted for funding must not be
changed or modified prior to grant award or at the time the project is bid. If extenuating
circumstances exist, the Grantee may submit a modification request after the receipt of its
executed Grant Agreement.
Requests for Modifications must be presented to the Department prior to any changes being
made to the project area, beneficiaries, cost estimates, or funded activities. All modifications
must be within the original and environmentally-cleared project area. Requests for activities
outside the original project area will not be considered. In addition, if the proposed modification
alters the LMI benefit, the percentage of benefit must be within the same “LMI scoring” received
in the review of the application. Modifications that will decrease the benefit to low-to-moderate
income persons will not be considered. Modifications to decrease or increase the scope of work
due to greater than or less than estimated costs will not be considered.
CDBG grant funds may not be used for any activity in an area delineated as a special flood
hazard area in FEMA's most current flood advisory maps unless it also ensures that the action is
designed or modified to minimize harm to or within the floodplain in accordance with Executive
Order 11988 and 24 CFR 55. In accordance with 24 CFR 55, CDBG grant funds must not be
committed in a FEMA-designated floodway, unless the project is a functionally dependent use of
the floodway, as approved by the Department ahead of time.
7. Other Submission Requirements.
No environmental review activities can take place until the applicant has received the Notice of
State Award Finalist. Once this Notice is received, the grantee will initiate the required early
warning contact in accordance with Federal NEPA requirements and State law.
In accordance with the Interagency Wetland Policy Act of 1989, an applicant whose proposed
project site is located on or within 250 feet of a wetland site listed on the National Wetlands
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NOFO ID: 1637-2010
Inventory will be required to comply with the requirements of the Act. This includes developing a
plan to minimize adverse impacts on wetlands or providing written evidence that the proposed
project will not have an adverse impact on a wetland. Project must also comply with Federal
Wetlands Protection regulations at 24-CFR 58.5(b)(2) and Executive Order 11990, which may
require preparation of an Eight-Step Wetlands Review.
E. Application Review Information
1. Criteria.
The screening and review process for the program is designed to ensure that limited CDBG funds
are awarded to communities that demonstrate the need for financial assistance. This will be
accomplished by evaluating the community’s most recent financial audit, insurance policies,
extent and cost of damage and repair.
2. Review and Selection Process.
Applications will be reviewed in the order in which they are received. Projects that meet the
program requirements will be funded until all allocated funds are exhausted. The actual number
of awards will be subject to funding availability and the amount of each applicant's request.
The Department reserves the right to perform a site visit or request additional information. All
recommendations are forwarded to the Director of the Department who makes the final funding
decisions.
The Merit Based Review process is subject to appeal. However, competitive grant appeals are
limited to the evaluation process. Evaluation scores may not be protested. Only the evaluation
process is subject to appeal. The appeal must be submitted in writing to the Department within 14
calendar days after the date that the grant award notice has been published. The written appeal
shall include the name and address of the appealing party, the identification of the grant and a
statement of reasons for the appeal. To file an appeal, applicants must submit the appeal in
writing and in accordance with the Merit-Based Application Review Appeals Process listed on the
Grant Opportunities page of the DCEO website:
https://dceo.illinois.gov/aboutdceo/grantopportunities/meritappreview.html.
3. Anticipated Announcement and State Award Dates, if applicable.
The Department anticipates sending Notices of State Award (NOSA) by 90 days after receipt of
application, but reserves the right to issue a reduced award, or not to issue any award.
F. Award Administration Information
1. State Award Notices.
Successful applicants will receive a Notice of State Award Finalist (NOSAF) specifying terms and
conditions of the grant. This will include completion of a Programmatic Risk Assessment
Questionnaire (PRAQ) to be answered by the Grantee and the Grant Administrator, clearance of
special conditions resulting from the application review, and Conflict of Interest and Mandatory
Disclosures. Grantees are expected to meet all special conditions within 90 days of the NOSAF
date or the Department may withdraw the Notice of State Award Finalist (NOSAF).
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NOFO ID: 1637-2010
Once terms are accepted, and the conditions met, the Grantee will receive a Notice of State
Award (NOSA) which includes information regarding your entity, grant funding, grant terms and
conditions, and specific conditions assigned to the grant based on the risk assessments. In order
to receive the formal Grant Agreement, the Grantee must indicate agreement to the contents of
the NOSA by remitting its acceptance through Grantee Portal (https://grants.illinois.gov/portal).
After the Grantee has submitted all applicable documents, they will receive a formal Grant
Agreement with further instructions. Grantees will be expected to sign and return the agreement
within 30 days for formal execution by the Department.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements.
Grant Uniform Requirements: The Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (30 ILCS 708/1
et seq.) (and its related administrative rules, 44 Ill. Admin. Code Part 7000), was enacted to
increase the accountability and transparency in the use of grant funds from whatever source and
to reduce administrative burdens on both State agencies and grantees by adopting federal
guidance and regulations applicable to those grant funds; specifically, the Uniform Administrative
Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (2 CFR 200).
Federal Mandates: Applicants who receive a grant award will be expected to submit signed
assurances that they will comply with all federal mandates. Some areas which applicants must
comply with include:
1. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) which establishes procedures for
protecting the environment. In order to use the CDBG funds awarded to a local
government, the grantee has to comply with environmental procedures, standards and
guidelines mandated by NEPA and all other applicable environmental regulations (e.g.,
prime farmland protection, historic preservation, floodplain hazards, etc.).
2. The Interagency Wetland Policy Act of 1989 requires applicants to certify that the
proposed project is compatible with established State of Illinois policy regarding
wetlands (i.e., to minimize the destruction of existing wetlands in Illinois as a result of
State and State-supported activity). The Federal Wetlands Protection regulations at 24
CFR 58.5(b)(2) and Executive Order 11990 also applies.
3. The Illinois Endangered Species Protection Act and the Illinois Natural Area
Preservation Act & Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 Compliance requires
consultation with the Endangered Species Consultation Program of the Illinois
Department of Natural Resources to assure compliance. The consultation process
must be implemented to avoid or minimize adverse impacts to State-listed species and
their essential habitats that may result from the actions of state and local units of
government. Applicants must certify the completion of the consultation process, as well
as Federal Endangered Species Compliance under 24 CFR 58.5(e). This process can
be initiated through the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Endangered Species website
(https://www.fws.gov/endangered/).
4. The Davis-Bacon Prevailing Wage Act requires the payment of prevailing wages for all
construction funded in whole or in part with federal funds, including funds passed
through to private firms. If your project involves construction and/or equipment
installation, go to https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/compliance-assistance/handy-
reference-guide-flsa for information concerning the applicability of federal labor
standards.
5. The Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1987
applies to federally assisted activities that involve the acquisition of real property or the
displacement of persons, including displacement caused by rehabilitation and
demolition activities. Any person or business displaced as a direct result of federal
assistance must be provided with Uniform Relocation benefits.
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NOFO ID: 1637-2010
6. Equal Opportunity and Fair Housing Accessibility Laws require that CDBG grantees
administer their project in a manner that affirmatively furthers equal opportunity and fair
housing. All CDBG grantees will be required to undertake specific activities to further
fair housing. CDBG grantees must assure all activities and services are accessible to
persons with disabilities.
7. Section 3 under the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 requires recipients to
give, to the greatest extent feasible and consistent with the existing federal, state, and
local laws and regulations, job training, employment, contracting and other economic
opportunities to Section 3 residents and Section 3 business concerns.
8. The National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) of the U.S.
Clean Air Act assures that, when existing buildings are demolished and/or renovated,
people outside of those buildings (i.e., passers-by or neighborhood residents) are
protected from airborne asbestos. If asbestos materials are involved in the
rehabilitation work, the applicant must contact the Field Operations Section, Bureau of
Air of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to ensure compliance with Asbestos
NESHAP.
9. Steel Products Procurement Act (30 ILCS 565 et seq.). The Grantee, if applicable,
hereby certifies that any steel products used or supplied in accordance with this Award
for a public works project shall be manufactured or produced in the United States per
the requirements of the Steel Products Procurement Act (30 ILCS 565 et seq.).
3. Reporting.
Section 3 Report
All recipients of HUD housing and community development financial assistance covered by
Section 3 are required to report through the applicable program office reporting system on
projects for which funds are committed on or after July 1, 2021.
Periodic Performance Report (PPR) and Periodic Financial Report (PFR)
Grantees funded through this NOFO are required to submit in the format required by the Grantor,
at least on a quarterly basis, the PPR and PFR electronically to their assigned grant manager.
The first of such reports shall cover the first three months after the award begins. Pursuant to 2
CFR 200.328, Periodic Financial Reports shall be submitted no later than 30 calendar days
following the period covered by the report. Pursuant to 2 CFR 200.329, Periodic Performance
Reports shall be submitted no later than 30 calendar days following the period covered by the
report. Any additional reporting requirements will be disclosed in the NOSA. Grantees are
required within 60 calendar days following the end of the period of performance to
submit a final closeout report in the format required by the Grantor (See 2 CFR 200.344).
Monitoring
Grantees funded through this NOFO are subject to fiscal and programmatic monitoring visits by
the Department in accordance with 2 CFR 200.337. They must have an open-door policy allowing
periodic visits by Department monitors to evaluate the progress of the project and provide
documentation upon request of the monitor. Program staff will also maintain contact with
participants and monitor progress and performance of the contracts. The Department may modify
grants based on performance.
Audit
Grantees shall be subject to Illinois’ statewide Audit Report Review requirements. Terms of the
Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996 (31 USC 7501-7507), Subpart F of 2 CFR Part 200, and
the audit rules set forth under the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act shall apply (See 30
ILCS 708/65(c)).
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NOFO ID: 1637-2010
G. State Awarding Agency Contact(s)
If you have any questions concerning the application process, please call the Department at (217) 785-
6174, TDD 800/785-6055; via e-mail at ceo.ocd@illinois.gov or contact the CDBG Grant Manager for
your county.
H. Other Information, if applicable
This program is funded on an annual basis through an allocation by the U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development. For further information on the program, including the Guidebook and Application,
please visit: https://dceo.illinois.gov/communitydevelopment.html or read in this Notice of Funding
Opportunity.
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