Illinois Environmental Protection Agency

Through the OSG Program, Illinois will have the resources to make progress to address local governments’ infrastructure needs for combined sewer overflows (CSO), sanitary sewer overflows (SSO), and stormwater management. These efforts will improve water quality and protect local water resources.

33 USC 1301 Sec 221 CWA

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Illinois EPA’s OSG Financial Assistance Program is designed to provide grant funds to municipalities to help implement an Illinois EPA approved Long Term Control Plan for CSOs or SSOs.

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Government Organizations;

Municipalities that have an Illinois EPA approved Long Term Control Plan for CSOs or SSOs.

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Project Grants

Government Services

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It is recommended that applications include appropriate supporting documentation (i.e., photos, maps, designs, etc.).

Applicants must apply for a grant through the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) Grantee Portal, https://grants.illinois.gov/portal/.

All OSG Program applications will be reviewed for completeness, technical merit, and adherence to the Clean Water Act, U.S. EPA Section 221 program guidance, and the competitive grant evaluation criteria described in this Notice of Funding Opportunity. Applications found to be complete will undergo a comprehensive, merit-based review performed in compliance with Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) Legislation 30 ILCS 708 and 2 CFR 200 Uniform Requirements. Applications will be ranked and the highest ranked projects will be entered into the OSG Work Plan. The OSG Work plan is submitted to U.S. EPA for review and approval. U.S. EPA issues comments on the detailed Work Plan to the Illinois EPA. Illinois EPA will then respond to U.S. EPA’s comments to answer their concerns and questions. Illinois EPA expects to send written notice to each applicant whose project was not included in the Work Plan informing them that their application was not selected for funding.

Once U.S. EPA approves the Work Plan, the Illinois EPA will notify the successful grant applicant(s). The grant agreement will specify the funding terms and specific conditions resulting from the GATA risk assessments. Illinois EPA will send a grant agreement to the grant recipients for signature. Upon receipt of the signed agreement, Illinois EPA will provide a fully executed grant agreement to the grant recipients.

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An appeal process is available to applicants and other interested parties; however, appeals are limited to the Illinois EPA evaluation process. Evaluation scores may not be protested. An appeal must be submitted in writing to the following address: Illinois EPA, Attn: Section 319(h) Grant Program, Bureau of Water, Mail Code #15, P.O. Box 19276, Springfield, Illinois 62794-9276 and must be received within 14 calendar days after the date that the grant award notice has been published by the Illinois EPA on Grants.Illinois.gov. The written appeal shall include at a minimum the following: the name and address of the appealing party, identification of the grant, and a statement of reasons for the appeal. Illinois EPA shall acknowledge receipt of an appeal within fourteen (14) calendar days from the date the appeal was received. When an appeal is received, the execution of the grant in contention that Illinois EPA intends to make under this NOFO shall be stayed until the appeal is resolved, unless the agency head or designee determines that the needs of the State require that the grant program move forward despite the appeal. This determination, and its rationale, must be documented in writing. Illinois EPA shall respond to the appeal within 60 days or supply a written explanation to the appealing party as to why additional time is required. The appealing party must supply any additional information requested by Illinois EPA within the time period set in the request. The Director of the Illinois EPA may appoint one or more Appeal Review Officers (ARO) to consider the grant-related appeal and make a recommendation to the Director of the Illinois EPA or designee for resolution. The ARO shall make a recommendation to the Director of the Illinois EPA or designee as expeditiously as possible after receiving all relevant, requested information. In determining the appropriate recommendation, the ARO shall consider the integrity of the competitive grant process and the impact of the recommendation on the Illinois EPA. The Illinois EPA shall resolve the appeal by means of written determination, which shall include, but not be limited to: review of the appeal, appeal determination, and rationale for the determination.

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The maximum funding award is up to 100 percent for rural communities (population 10,000 or less) and/or financially distressed communities (population 30,000 or less and has a median household income (MHI) of 70 percent or less than Illinois' statewide average). For non-rural or financial distress communities, the OSG may provide up to 90 percent of the approved project costs. The remaining 10 percent is the responsibility of the recipient and constitutes the local match. This local match may include money spent or in-kind services utilized to complete the approved project tasks but cannot be federal funds or funds used to match another federal program. Local match can be provided by the recipient, sub-contractor, or project partners (including state programs, private foundations, landowners, etc.) Greater than 10 percent local match is allowed. Per OSG guidelines, rural communities (population 10,000 or less) and/or financially distressed communities (population 30,000 or less and has a median household income (MHI) of 70 percent or less than Illinois’ statewide average) cannot be required to match the program. For non-rural or financially distressed communities, the OSG Program may provide up to 90% of the approved Project costs. The remainder, 10%, is the responsibility of the Grantee and constitutes the match. The Grantee must document the required match at, or before, the time of invoice for reimbursement. Match may include money spent or in-kind services utilized to complete the approved Project tasks. Match cannot be federal funds or funds used to match another federal program. Match can be provided by the Grantee, sub-contractor, or Project partners (e.g., State programs, private foundations, landowners). A Grantee may match greater than 10%. If an applicant wants to use a grant from another funding agency as match, the applicant should check with that funding agency issuing the grant to ensure that it may be used as match for the OSG Program. The following applies when using other grants to match the OSG Program: • The matching grant scope of work must directly satisfy a portion of the OSG Program scope of work • The date that the Grantee incurs costs for the matching grant must fall within the effective and expiration dates of the OSG Program grant agreement • The costs incurred under the matching grant must be eligible according to the OSG Program criteria

Illinois EPA’s OSG Financial Assistance Program is designed to provide grant funds to communities with Long Term Control Plans for CSO and SSO control. This is a reimbursement program. Grant recipients must perform the work, pay project costs, and submit an invoice with supporting documentation before Illinois EPA will reimburse grant recipients for any approved costs. Illinois EPA will only make reimbursements to the grant recipient and will reimburse the grant recipient no more frequently than monthly. There is no limit on the number of applications an applicant may submit under this announcement. Federal funding may not make up any part of the grant recipient’s share (match) of the total project cost and the grant recipient’s share must be used exclusively for the project. The grant recipient’s share for the project may not be used to match or financially qualify for any other federal grant. Costs incurred prior to the effective date of the grant agreement or after the grant agreement term ends are ineligible for reimbursement. Costs incurred prior to the effective date of the grant agreement or after the grant agreement term ends are ineligible as match unless otherwise approved as match by Illinois EPA.

All projects require quarterly reporting of progress and a final project evaluation and report. All projects involving BMP implementation require the development of designs and “BMP Application Forms” for all BMPs to be implemented. The design must be certified by a registered or licensed professional engineer of Illinois. The designs must be approved by the Illinois EPA prior to the start of BMP construction or implementation. Costs associated with development of BMP designs are eligible for grant funds as long as the costs are incurred within the term of the grant agreement and conform to the budget incorporated into the grant agreement. All projects involving BMP implementation are required to obtain all applicable state and federal permits for all BMPs to be implemented. All projects involving BMP implementation require the development and implementation of an operation and maintenance plan (O & M Plan) for all the BMPs installed during the project period. This includes BMPs installed with match funds or OSG funds. O & M Plans must be approved by the Illinois EPA and are for a minimum of ten (10) years starting from the completion of the implementation of the BMP, unless otherwise agreed to by Illinois EPA. Reports must be submitted to the Illinois EPA in both paper and electronic formats. The Illinois EPA has the right to use (including, but not limited to, citing to, circulating, displaying, and reproducing) all products that result from the grant recipient receiving financial assistance under the grant agreement whether the product is developed by the recipient or a sub-recipient.

See Illinois Administrative Code 7000.90

Grantee shall maintain for three (3) years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report, adequate books, all financial records and, supporting documents, statistical records, and all other records pertinent to this Award, adequate to comply with 2 CFR 200.334, unless a different retention period is specified in 2 CFR 200.334, 44 Ill. Admin. Code 7000.430(a) and (b) or PART TWO or PART THREE. If any litigation, claim or audit is started before the expiration of the retention period, the records must be retained until all litigation, claims or audit exceptions involving the records have been resolved and final action taken.

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The OSG Grant Program does not have a set maximum or minimum total project cost or grant amount.

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In the grant agreement, the grant recipient will be required to certify that it does and will comply with all provisions of the Federal Internal Revenue Code (26 USC 1), the Illinois Revenue Act (35 ILCS 5), and all rules promulgated thereunder, including withholding provisions and timely deposits of employee taxes and unemployment insurance taxes. In the grant agreement, the grant recipient will be required to certify that it does and will comply with the reporting requirements of the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (P.L. 109-282) (FFATA) with respect to Federal Awards greater than or equal to $25,000. A FFATA sub-award report must be filed by the end of the month following the month in which the award was made. In the grant agreement, the grant recipient will be required to certify that it shall adhere to the applicable Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements, which are published in Title 2, Part 200 of the Code of Federal Regulations, and are incorporated herein by reference. See 44 Ill. Admin. Code 7000.30(b)(1)(A). In the grant agreement, the grant recipient will be required to certify that it and its sub-grantees shall: (i) be registered with the Federal SAM if seeking an Award that is partially or fully paid by Federal funds, and registered with the State equivalent of SAM; (ii) be in good standing with the Illinois Secretary of State; and (iii) have a valid DUNS number. It is Grantee’s responsibility to remain current with these registrations and requirements. If Grantee’s status with regard to any of these requirements change, or the certifications made in and information provided in the Uniform Grant Application changes, Grantee must notify the Grantor in accordance with ARTICLE XVIII.

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2520 W Iles Avenue, Springfield, IL 62704

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5/13/2025

FY 2022 : $1,070,000
FY 2024 : $1,000,000