Section 2738.10  Summary and Purpose

 

a)         The Grant Program for a Child Raised by Grandparent provides financial assistance to individuals who have been in the legal custody of their grandparents and received public assistance under the Illinois Public Aid Code.

 

b)         This Part governs the Grant Program for a Child Raised by Grandparent. Additional rules and definitions are contained in General Provisions (23 Ill. Adm. Code 2700).

 

Section 2738.20  Applicant Eligibility

 

a)          A qualified applicant shall be:

 

1)                 a resident of Illinois;

 

2)                 a United States citizen or eligible noncitizen;

 

3)                 in the legal custody of his or her grandparents and received public assistance under the Illinois Public Aid Code for at least 12 consecutive months preceding the initial application for assistance under this Part;

 

4)        a high school graduate with a cumulative grade point average of at least a 2.7 on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent and recommended for this grant by the principal or other appropriate administrative officer of his or her high school; and

 

5)         enrolled or plans to enroll on a full-time basis at an institution that is approved for participation in the Monetary Award Program (23 Ill. Adm. Code 2735).

 

b)                  Renewal applicants shall meet all requirements in subsection (a), including:

 

1)         to provide ISAC with the certification statement on the application, signed by an authorized official at the student's institution of higher learning; and

 

2)          to have a cumulative grade point average of at least a 2.7 on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent.

 

Section 2738.30  Program Procedures

 

a)         All first-time applicants shall complete an application that includes biographical information regarding themselves and their grandparents.  Additionally, the applicant must provide documentation of his or her eligibility according to Section 2730.20(a)(3) for the 12 months previous to the signature date on the application.

 

b)         Renewal applicants shall complete an application each year assistance is requested.

 

c)         The application must be submitted between August 1 and May 30 of the academic year for which assistance is being requested.

 

d)         All applications are considered submitted as of the date on which they are received at ISAC's Deerfield office and are determined complete.  If an application is incomplete, a correction notice will be sent to the applicant. The applicant will then have an opportunity to furnish the missing information.

 

e)         Grants are applicable toward tuition and mandatory fees.

 

f)         In the event that funds are insufficient to make awards to all eligible applicants, ISAC will make award determinations based on the date that the completed application is received at the Deerfield office.

 

g)         Each applicant will be notified of the grant to be awarded. Applicants not receiving awards will be notified as well.

 

h)         Benefits are limited to full-time enrollment and will be awarded for 4 years of undergraduate study, unless the applicant fails to meet all qualifications of the program.

 

i)          ISAC pays grant funds directly to the institution of record in the name of the recipient.

 

j)          A recipient shall agree to notify ISAC, in writing, within 15 days after any change affecting his or her enrollment status, name or address.

 

k)         If a recipient withdraws from enrollment after the expiration of the tuition refund/withdrawal adjustment period, the recipient shall receive a grant for payment of tuition and mandatory fees incurred up to the maximum term award ($1000), provided the institution's tuition refund policy indicates the recipient has incurred those charges.

 

l)          The $1,000 award applies to any terms during the academic year.

 

Section 2738.40  Institutional Procedures

 

a)         The institution shall certify the applicant's award amount within the time frame requested by ISAC, which shall be no sooner than 30 days unless a more rapid response is necessary to expend appropriated funds prior to the end of the academic year.

 

b)         The institution shall determine the amount of each grant, which shall be the lesser of:

           

1)         $1,000; or

 

2)         tuition and mandatory fees.

 

c)         Institutional packaging of assistance:

 

1)         If the recipient receives other assistance targeted specifically for tuition and mandatory fees, the combined assistance shall not exceed the total tuition and mandatory fee expenses incurred by the student.  If it does, the institution shall reduce awards accordingly.

 

2)         Notwithstanding the provisions of other ISAC administered programs, the total amount of a student's gift assistance may not exceed the student's cost of attendance at that institution. Any excess gift assistance is considered an overaward and the institution is required to notify ISAC to reduce this grant or other gift assistance to prevent an overaward.

 

3)         If the recipient is eligible for assistance under MAP, the recipient may not be eligible for a full MAP grant because the Grant Program for a Child Raised by Grandparent must be factored into the financial aid package prior to receiving MAP gift assistance. The institution, however, may request a MAP grant to finance tuition and mandatory fee expenses not paid by this program.

 

d)         When submitting payment requests, the institution shall certify that the recipient meets the eligibility requirements.

 

e)         Within 30 days after and including the date of receiving payment, the institution shall credit the award toward the recipient's tuition and mandatory fee charges for the appropriate term.

 

f)         Award payments made in the name of one recipient cannot be applied to another recipient at the same institution. A refund of the payment must be submitted to ISAC and a supplemental request must be made and processed for the proper recipient.

 

g)         To provide sufficient time for processing and vouchering through the State Comptroller's Office in Springfield, all payment requests except for summer term must be received by ISAC no later than July 1. Summer term payment requests must be received no later than July 31.