(405 ILCS 155/30)

(This Section may contain text from a Public Act with a delayed effective date)

Sec. 30. Eligibility criteria; applications; evaluation.

(a) The Secretary shall set priorities and develop criteria for the award of grants to outdoor environmental, ecological, agricultural, or other natural resource-based or outdoor-based therapy programs considering, at a minimum, programs that:

(1) use veterans for at least 50% of the program's implementation or administration;

(2) contribute to healthy lifestyles through outdoor recreation;

(3) will commit matching and in-kind resources;

(4) create partnerships with public and private entities;

(5) maximize the number of participants who can be served, particularly participants who are veterans or who are recovering from substance abuse or physical or mental trauma;

(6) use a State park, other natural venue, or Department personnel as a resource;

(7) use research-based and effective environmental, ecological, agricultural, or other natural resource-based or outdoor-based therapy;

(8) provide citizens of the State of Illinois with opportunities to directly experience and understand nature and the natural world; and

(9) include ongoing program evaluation and assessment and reporting of program effectiveness.

(b) The Secretary shall select activities eligible for the awarding of grants. The activities may include, but need not be limited to, the following:

(1) outdoor recreation;

(2) outdoor environmental studies;

(3) agricultural activities;

(4) natural resource-based activities;

(5) conservation;

(6) ecological activities; and

(7) stewardship or restoration.

(c) The following activities are ineligible for the awarding of grants from the Outdoor Rx Program:

(1) activities that may be perceived to lobby or advocate for political purposes;

(2) activities that are not in compliance with local, State, or federal laws; and

(3) organized youth sports, such as a community league or school team.

(d) The following criteria shall be used to evaluate applications:

(1) proposals that provide for public or private partnerships;

(2) proposals that provide for innovative ways to increase the availability and use of outdoor recreation facilities;

(3) proposals that show consideration for the economics of installation or implementation to provide the greatest cost-to-benefit ratio, for example, where private parties contribute more than the minimum amount;

(4) proposals that commit matching and in-kind resources;

(5) proposals that use a State park, other natural venue, or Department personnel as a resource;

(6) proposals that contribute to healthy lifestyles through outdoor recreation and sound nutrition;

(7) proposals that contribute to the statewide network of facilities or programs;

(8) proposals that encourage community involvement;

(9) proposals that encourage sound environmental practices;

(10) proposals that maximize the number of participants who can be served;

(11) proposals that provide an opportunity to experience the outdoors directly and understand nature and the natural world;

(12) proposals that include ongoing program evaluation and assessment and reporting of program effectiveness;

(13) proposals that make use of research-based and effective environmental, ecological, agricultural, or other natural resource-based therapy; and

(14) proposals that demonstrate innovative approaches to outdoor-based therapy.

(Source: P.A. 103-284, eff. 1-1-24.)