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Once fully implemented, uniformity in grant processes across State agencies will result in dfecreased administrative burden for both grant making-agencies and the provider community.
Once implemented, Illinois will have:
- A uniform notice of funding opportunity
- A uniform prequalification process
- A uniform grant application
- Uniform programmatic and financial risk assessments;
- A uniform guideline for merit based reviews
- A uniform grant agreement
- A uniform budget reporting template;
- A centralized Catalog of State Financial Assistance opportunities (CSFA)
- A centralized debarred and suspended list
- State-wide performance metrics and standards; and
- A centralized electronic document repository
A breakdown of each and what to expect is listed below.
A uniform notice of funding opportunity
Structured to comply with 2 CFR 200.203 and Appendix 1 of the Federal Uniform Guidance, the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is the official public notice of a grant opportunity and informs potential applicants of the program requirements. It will be associated with the funding record in the Catalog of State Financial Assistance (CSFA).
What to Expect:
- The NOFO posted on grants.illinois.gov
- The NOFO added to the Current Grants section on EGrAMS and in the Show Documents Section during application entry
- Publicly posted NOFO at least 45 days, but no less than 30 calendar days for competitive funding opportunities
A uniform pre-qualification process
The pre-qualification process completed at the agency level was created by GATA (30 ILCS 708/25 (6)) to ensure that the prospective grantee has a current DUNS number, active SAMS cage code, acceptable fiscal conditions, and that they are in good standing with the Secretary of State, among other factors. This process also considers grant administration experience in determining the appropriate risk assessment process requirement at the application level.
What to Expect:
- Pre-qualification completed in the State-hosted Grantee Portal
- Immediate notification of qualification status
A uniform grant application
In compliance with the Federal Uniform Guidance, a uniform grant application template has been developed based on the framework of the Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424). The template includes two sections: the Agency Completed Section and the Applicant Completed Section. The template includes standard, mandatory sections applicable to all state agencies and an agency-specific section customizable to the specifications of the grant program.
What to Expect:
- EGrAMS application updated to conform to uniform grant application components
- Application initiation, entry, certification, and submission process in EGrAMS will not be impacted by new application components
- Updated EGrAMS application with uniform application components for grants released after April 1, 2016
Uniform programmatic and financial risk assessments
The Federal Uniform Guidance requires the awarding agency to review risk posed by applicants. The Fiscal and Administrative Risk Assessment will be performed centrally. The Programmatic Risk Assessment will be conducted in the application process. Specific conditions will be imposed as result of the risk assessments to ensure monitoring and technical assistance, as appropriate.
What to Expect:
- Risk assessment completed for all grant applicants regardless of funding source or grant type
- Communication to applicant regarding risk from the State-hosted Grantee Portal and the primary grant contact prior to the signing of the grant agreement
A uniform guideline for merit based reviews
For competitive grants, unless prohibited by statute, the awarding agency must design and execute a merit review process for applications to comply with GATA Legislation 30 ILCS 708 and the Federal Uniform Guidance. This process must be described or incorporated by reference in the applicable funding opportunity and an appeals process must be described and incorporated with the merit based review process.
What to Expect:
- Merit based review process communicated in the Notice of Funding Opportunity
- Communicated merit based review appeals process
A uniform grant agreement
To ensure that grant agreements are uniform across the State, a standard template has been created in alignment with the Federal Uniform Guidance. The grant agreement template provides a framework that recognizes the need for flexibility for unique requirements for individual grants. The grant agreements will require information detailing the compliance requirements associated with the administration of the grants and includes three Parts in addition to a supporting Exhibits section.
What to Expect:
- Uniform grant agreement template with added agency-specific and program-specific components
- Uniform grant agreement template integrated into EGrAMS approval and award process
A uniform budget reporting template
A uniform budget reporting template incorporates three standard sections: State of Illinois Funds, Non-State of Illinois Funds, and t he Budget Worksheet and Narrative. The template allows for agency-specific and/or program-specific line items to be added in addition to the required, standard expense categories and line item detail.
What to Expect:
- Uniform budget reporting template integrated into EGrAMS application and post-award expenditure review process
- Requirement to indicate source of in-kind and/or cash funds included in EGrAMS budget
- Budget template training provided by Grant Accountability and Transparency Unit
A centralized Catalog of State Financial Assistance opportunities (CSFA)
A Catalog of State Financial Assistance (CSFA) is a single, statewide, comprehensive source document of all state financial assistance program information. The CSFA is currently being populated by state agencies and will include a complete list of all state and federal grants available in Illinois.
What to Expect:
- Centrally located on the State-hosted Grantee Portal
- List of all funding opportunities regardless of funding source or grant program type
A centralized debarred and suspended list
GATA Legislation 30 ILCS 708 requires the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget to maintain a list that contains the names of individuals and entities that are temporarily or permanently ineligible to receive an award of grant funds from the state. This initiative establishes a central repository of cross-agency information sharing to improve risk assessment processes and enhance fiscal management transparency.
What to Expect:
- Cross-agency tracking of debarred and suspended entities
- Integration into the risk assessment process
State-wide performance metrics and standards
Grant performance measures will be required in all competitively awarded grants. Grantor agencies will specify these measures within the Grant Agreement. Performance measures are also being developed to evaluate GATA and the process of implementation. The GATA measures will evolve during the implementation and monitoring phases as tracking and reporting capabilities are enhanced.
What to Expect:
- Performance measures included in grant agreements for competitive awards
- Public-facing performance metrics related to GATA implementation (timeline TBD)
A centralized electronic document repository
The Central Repository Vault (CRV) concept, developed for the Management Improvement Initiative Committee (MIIC), will be enhanced and expanded under GATA. Each grantee will file documents required for grant processing in the CRV. Those documents will then be available to all state agencies that have a grant with the same entity.
What to Expect:
- Integration into the GATA implementation process is to be determined
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