The Broadband Regional Engagement for Adoption and Digital Equity (READY) grant program seeks to maximize the impact of the Connect Illinois broadband investment and related programming by driving regional broadband collaboration for engagement, evaluation, planning, and progress.

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Public Act 101-0029

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This Broadband READY Grant Program will identify digital inequities and opportunities for optimal broadband utilization through regionwide collaboration involving a representative “Planning Team” including but not limited to: community and economic development professionals; regional planners; higher education researchers; and community leaders and other stakeholders. In addition to evaluating current conditions in the broader digital equity ecosystem, the program will seek scalable and/or replicable best practices in broadband access, adoption, and utilization – ranging from economic development innovation to telehealth to remote learning, etc. The following is expected and required of the READY Grantees throughout the program: • Grantees must serve as fiscal agent and have adequate capacity to participate actively over the course of the program, including providing leadership, project and Planning Team management, and grant administration. • Grantees must commit to recruiting and supporting an inclusive Planning Team that reflects the region. • Project managers / principal investigators and Planning Team members must be able and willing to commit significant time and attention to planning and project development/implementation. • Project managers / principal investigators and Planning Team members must participate in select programming with other READY grantees through statewide, regional, or sub-regional convenings.

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Government Organizations; Education Organizations; Nonprofit Organizations; For-Profit Organizations;

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Project Grants

Economic Development

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The Illinois Office of Broadband will award grants to projects that help advance the Connect Illinois vision through regional engagement and evaluation. Applications will be reviewed and scored by a merit-based review committee (“Committee”) led by the Illinois Office of Broadband. This Committee will use the following criteria and associated point values (100 points possible) to assist in systematically scoring applications and awarding grants. These criteria will be applied to information provided by the Applicant in response to the requirements of this NOFO. To ensure that an application receives the highest possible scoring, please be sure to provide complete and comprehensive responses for all information requested. The Committee will strive to achieve geographic balance throughout the state in awarding grants. As a result, applications may be considered on a regional basis per the 10 designated state economic development regions of Illinois. To be considered a qualified applicant, an organization must comply with all of the specifications and respond to all items listed within the application instructions. Assistance Considerations Applications will be graded using the merit-based review process and scored on the criteria specified in Section E.1. The Department will designate a merit-based review Committee to grade each application received for this funding opportunity. The final score of each Committee member will be calculated and an average of all scores will be the final grantee score. Each applicant will then be ranked by their score. Applicants may utilize the appeal process as stated in the merit-based review policy available in the Resource Library at www.grants.illinois.gov.

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The Broadband READY Grant Program requires matching funds and/or in-kind contribution that, in total, is equal to or greater than the grant award. Commitment of matching funds and/or in-kind contribution is required for an application to be considered and/or a grant contract executed.

At any point during the program Grantees may invest their grant funding toward a variety of uses, which may require additional non-state funding to complete in full. These uses include but are not limited to: • Additional broadband-related support, technical assistance, or consultative services • Broadband READY grant overhead, including personnel and/or Planning Team activity • Broadband asset mapping, needs assessment, or related research inputs • Other planning and preparation for broadband access, adoption, and/or utilization.

1. Periodic Performance Report (PPR) and Periodic Financial Report (PFR). Grantees funded through this NOFO are required to submit in the format required by the Grantor, at least on a quarterly basis , the PPR and PFR electronically to their assigned grant manager. The first of such reports shall cover the first three months after the award begins. Pursuant to 2 CFR 200.327, Periodic Financial Reports shall be submitted no later than 30 calendar days following the period covered by the report. Pursuant to 2 CFR 200.328, Periodic Performance Reports shall be submitted no later than 30 calendar days following the period covered by the report. Any additional reporting requirements will be disclosed in the Notice of State Award (NOSA). Grantees are required within 60 calendar days following the end of the period of performance to submit a final closeout report in the format required by the Grantor (See 2 CFR 200.343). 2. Monitoring. Grantees funded through this NOFO are subject to fiscal and programmatic monitoring visits by the Department in accordance with 2 CFR 200.336. They must have an open-door policy allowing periodic visits by Department monitors to evaluate the progress of the project and provide documentation upon request of the monitor. Program staff will also maintain contact with the participating businesses and monitor progress and performance of the contracts. The Department may modify grants based on performance. 3. Audit. Grantees shall be subject to Illinois’ statewide Audit Report Review requirements. Terms of the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996 (31 USC 7501-7507), Subpart F of 2 CFR Part 200, and the audit rules set forth under the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act shall apply (See 30 ILCS 708/65(c)).

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Various

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Pursuant to 2 CFR 200.328, Periodic Performance Reports shall be submitted no later than 30 calendar days following the period covered by the report.

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500 East Monroe, Springfield IL 62701

https://www2.illinois.gov/dceo/ConnectIllinois

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10/19/2021

FY 2021 : $1