Section 850.40  Eligible Grant Applicants

a)         To be eligible to receive a grant, at a minimum, applicants must demonstrate the following:

1)         Be a nonprofit organization;

2)         Have an active GATA registration at the time the application is submitted and be qualified on the GATA Grantee Portal (https://grants.illinois.gov/portal/) by the time the application is reviewed by the Department.

3)         Be a regarded entity by the Internal Revenue Service (26 CFR 301.7701-3(b)(1)(ii)) for federal income tax purposes;

4)         Be able to effectively serve diverse and underrepresented populations, including low-wage or low-skilled workers from economically disadvantaged communities within the proposed service regions, by providing employment services to such populations;

5)         Have experience with the construction and building trades, including demonstrated relationships with construction and building trades registered apprenticeship programs, industry contractors and contractor associations;

6)         Be able to recruit, prescreen, and provide pre-apprenticeship training to prepare workers for employment in the construction and building trades;

7)         Have a plan to provide the following:

A)        Preparatory classes;

B)        Workplace readiness skills, such as resume preparation and interviewing techniques;

C)        Strategies for overcoming barriers to entry and completion of an apprenticeship program; and

D)        All prerequisites for acceptance into an apprenticeship program;

8)         Have relationships with local residents and other organizations serving the communities in the proposed region; and

9)         Able to satisfy the required activities set forth in Section 850.50 and 850.60.

b)         The Department will award grants to fund one Climate Works Hub in each of the following three designated areas:

1)         Illinois Department of Transportation Region 1;

2)         Illinois Department of Transportation Regions 2 and 3; and

3)         Illinois Department of Transportation Regions 4 and 5.

c)         An eligible organization may serve as the designated Climate Works Hub for more than one designated hub area.  However, the applicant must be able to serve program participants for all regions for which they apply.