(30 ILCS 738/40-20)

Sec. 40-20. Award of grants.

(a) The Department shall award grants under this Article using a competitive request-for-proposal process administered by the Department and overseen by the Board. No more than 2% of funds used for grants may be retained by the Department for administrative costs, program evaluation, and technical assistance activities.

(b) The Department must award grants competitively in accordance with the priorities described in this Article. Grants must be awarded in support of the implementation, expansion, or implementation and expansion of weatherization and job training programs consistent with the priorities described in this Article. Strategies for grant use include, but are not limited to, the following:

(1) Repair or replacement of inefficient heating and cooling units.

(2) Addressing of air infiltration with weather stripping, caulking, thresholds, minor repairs to walls, roofs, ceilings, and floors, and window and door replacement.

(3) Repair or replacement of water heaters.

(4) Pipe, duct, or pipe and duct insulation.

(c) Portions of grant funds may be used for:

(1) Work-aligned training in weatherization skill sets, including skills necessary for career advancement in the energy efficiency field.

(2) Basic skills training, including soft-skill training, and other workforce development services, including mentoring, job development, support services, transportation assistance, and wage subsidies tied to training and employment in weatherization.

(c-5) Portions of grant funds may also be used for any purpose for which bonds are issued under Section 4 of the Build Illinois Bond Act.

(d) All grant applicants must include a comprehensive plan for local community engagement. Grant recipients may devote a portion of awarded funds to conduct outreach activities designed to assure that eligible households and relevant workforce populations are made aware of the opportunities available under this Article. A portion of outreach activities must occur in convenient, local intake centers, including but not limited to churches, local schools, and community centers.

(e) Any private, public, and non-profit entities that provide, or demonstrate desire and ability to provide, weatherization services that act to decrease the impact of energy costs on low-income areas and incorporate an effective local employment strategy are eligible grant applicants.

(f) For grant recipients, maximum per unit expenditure shall not exceed $6,500.

(g) A grant recipient may not be awarded grants totaling more than $500,000 per fiscal year.

(h) A grant recipient may not use more than 15% of its total grant amount for administrative expenses.

(Source: P.A. 101-10, eff. 6-5-19.)