Current through February 26, 2024
(1) AUTHORITY AND
PURPOSE. The purpose of this section is to establish rules for the
implementation and administration of grants to nonprofit organizations that
provide financial assistance or other services to Wisconsin veterans and their
dependents, as authorized under s.
45.46,
Stats.
(2) APPLICABILITY. This
section applies to grants awarded under s.
45.46,
Stats.
(3) DEFINITIONS. In this
section the following terms shall have the designated meanings:
(a) "Applicant" means a nonprofit
organization that applies for a grant to provide financial assistance or other
services to veterans or their dependents.
(c) "Evaluation committee" means a committee
established to evaluate applications made under this section that is comprised
of at least one member of the board of veterans affairs and other individuals
appointed by the department.
(cm)
"Financially viable" means the nonprofit organization is able to meet its
financial obligations as they become due for the duration of the grant
period.
(d) "Nonprofit
organization" means an organization described in section 501 (c) (3) of the
internal revenue code that is exempt from federal income tax under section 501
(a) of the internal revenue code.
(4) ELIGIBLE APPLICANT. A nonprofit
organization is eligible to receive a grant under this section when all of the
following apply:
(a) It provides financial or
other assistance to veterans or to the dependents of veterans.
(b) It is current on all federal and state
tax obligations.
(c) It is a
financially viable nonprofit organization. In this subsection, a nonprofit
organization is financially viable if the nonprofit organization can meet its
financial obligations for the duration of the grant period.
(d) It is in current good standing with the
Wisconsin department of financial institutions.
(5) APPLICATION.
(a)
Competitive
solicitation. The department shall ensure that all solicitations are
conducted in a manner that provides for fairness and competition.
(b)
Public notice.
1. The department shall provide reasonable
public notice of all solicitations of grant proposals under s.
45.46,
Stats.
2. Notice may be made
through the print, broadcast, or telecommunications media, including the
Internet, at the discretion of the department.
3. The notice shall include the purpose of
the grant, the selection criteria, application procedures, and all applicable
solicitation deadlines that an applicant is required to meet, or shall contain
instructions for obtaining this information.
(c)
Application
requirements.
1. An application for
a grant under s.
45.46,
Stats., shall be submitted to the department as directed in the notice provided
under par. (b).
2. An application
shall be fully completed and signed by a representative of the applicant having
authority to act for the applicant, and submitted by the required filing
deadline.
3. An application shall
include all of the following:
a. Proof of
nonprofit status and other financial eligibility criteria listed in sub. (4)
(b) to (d).
b. Information about
the organization.
c. A description
of the financial or other assistance or other services it provides to veterans
and their dependents.
d. A
description of the need for the requested
funds.
(6) EVALUATION OF APPLICATIONS.
(a)
Evaluation criteria. The
evaluation committee shall evaluate grant applications submitted under sub. (5)
utilizing all of the following criteria:
1.
Organizational experience providing services to veterans.
2. Understanding and ability to communicate
the needs of veterans and their dependents.
3. Stated purpose and objectives for the
grant funds and method and timetable for expending funds.
4. Budget clarity and
justification.
5. Evaluation plan
for the project.
6. Outreach and
referral plan to identify and assist veterans or their dependents with
services.
7. Program implementation
timeline.
9. Past
performance.
10. Experience serving
underserved populations or underserved geographic areas.
11. Past working relationships with veteran
service organizations.
(b)
Rating applications.
1. The evaluation committee shall weight the
importance of each evaluation criterion by using a numerical point
system.
2. Using the evaluation
criteria specified in par. (a) the evaluation committee shall evaluate each
application against each applicable criterion and assign points signifying the
degree to which the application meets the criterion up to the maximum number of
points.
3. The total points
assigned to the application for all applicable criteria will be the score for
the application.
4. The evaluation
committee shall numerically rank each solicitation for grant proposals under
this section.
(7) NOTIFICATION. Each applicant shall be
notified in writing of the department's decision in accordance with the public
notice.
(8) GRANT AWARDS.
(a) The department shall award a grant to the
applicants with the highest numerical score as funds are available.
(b) A grant awarded under this section shall
be made on forms approved by the department. The award shall be signed by the
authorized representative of the department and shall list the conditions to
which the award is subject.
(c) The
authorized representative of the recipient nonprofit organization shall accept
the grant award by signing the award document and returning it to the
department. The department may terminate a grant award if the award is not
accepted within 10 calendar days of the date of issuance by the
department.
(10)
RESTRICTIONS.
(a)
Prohibited use of
funds.
1. Grant funds shall be used
only for the payment or reimbursement of expenses which are reasonable,
necessary, and properly assignable to the purposes of the approved grant. Any
other use of grant funds is prohibited.
2. A grantee may not use more than a
percentage, as determined by the department, of the grant funds for employee
wages, compensation, travel, and related expenses assignable to the approved
program.
3. A grantee may not use
grant funds to purchase capital equipment unless specified in the grant
award.
(b)
Violation of prohibited use of funds. If a grantee uses grant
funds for prohibited activities under par. (a), the department may terminate
the grant and recover funds previously paid to the grantee for that funding
period on a recoupment schedule specified in the grant award.
(c)
Record keeping. A
grantee shall maintain grant records for at least 3 years and shall provide
information to the department as required by the department for the purposes of
program or fiscal audits and, at the request of the department, shall appear
before the department to respond to any questions about the grant and use of
grant funds.
(11) AMOUNT
OF GRANTS.
(a) Subject to pars. (b) and (c),
the amount of a grant award shall be based on the amount requested by the
applicant and the amount approved by the evaluation committee.
(b) The maximum amount of a grant that the
department may make to any nonprofit organization during any fiscal year is
$25,000.
(c) The amount of a grant
award is subject to the availability of funds under s.
20.485(2)
(tf), Stats.
(12) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. A grantee
receiving a grant under this section shall submit to the department data and
information on the use and effect of the grant funds as specified in this
section and in the grant award by the later of 6 months from the date of award
or June 30 of the fiscal year in which the grant is awarded. The grantee shall
authorize the department to audit and inspect its records.
(13) ASSURANCES AND CERTIFICATIONS.
(a)
Authority to sign and accept
funds. The grantee shall certify that the designated signatory
official has the authority to sign on behalf of the grantee and has the
authority to accept funds.
(b)
Compliance statement. Before the department releases grant
funds, the grantee shall provide a statement that it is in compliance with
applicable state and federal laws, rules, and regulations, including tax laws,
the requirements of this section, and the grant award.
(c)
Nondiscrimination and equal
opportunity. In accordance with s.
16.765,
Stats., the grantee shall follow all state and federal anti-discrimination laws
and equal employment opportunity practices in the administration and delivery
of program services to eligible applicants.