Proof of Eligibility

Please review the following eligibility requirements carefully. 

The Illinois Arts Council Agency provides public funding to Illinois residents, not-for-profit, tax exempt (501c3) organizations, units of government, and institutions of higher education. Applicants must include proof of eligibility at the time of application. 
 

• Organizations
• Branches of Government
• Charitable Trusts
• Schools and Religious Organizations
• PTOs, PTAs and other School Affiliate Organizations
• Grant Accountability and Transparency Act - required for all organizations
• Individuals

ORGANIZATIONS must comply with the following:

• be registered as a not-for-profit organization in good standing with the Office of the Illinois Secretary of State.
  • At the time of application, applicant organizations must submit one of the following as proof:
    • Online Proof
    • Annual Report
    • Certificate of Good Standing
• hold tax-exempt status from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and must qualify as a charitable organization under Section 170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as amended. Units of government, institutions of higher education, or Federally-recognized Indian tribal governments are not required to obtain this status and are still eligible to apply.
  • At the time of application, applicant organizations will be required to provide a Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN), assigned by the Internal Revenue Service.  No other form of verification will be accepted. The Illinois Arts Council Agency will use Guidestar’s Charity Check to verify status.
    • For information on how to obtain tax-exempt status go to: http://www.irs.gov/Charities-&-Non-Profits/Application-Process
• have a current DUNS number. The Data Universal Numbering System is Dun & Bradstreet's copyrighted, proprietary means of identifying business entities on a location-specific basis. It is a unique nine-digit number recognized as the universal standard for identifying and keeping track of businesses and is required by the U.S. Federal Government.
• ​At the time of application, applicant organizations will be required to provide the DUNS number.  Provided below are two options for obtaining a DUNS number
  • ​​DUNS Number by Web, visit:http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/pages/CCRSearch.jsp
    ​DUNS Number by phone, call: 1-866-705-5711, Monday – Friday 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. CST
• ​If you have misplaced or forgotten your DUNS number, follow this link for step by step instructions on how to retrieve your number from Duns and Bradstreet.

• Beginning April 4, 2022, all Federal Systems will no longer accept DUNS numbers and will require a Unique Entity ID (UEI) number. For all applicants with an established SAM.gov account (active or inactive) the UEI number can be found by logging into your SAM.gov account. New applicants will set-up a UEI as part of the SAM.gov registration. The General Service Administration (GSA) has created this video to assist in this transition.  Through this transition, the IACA will be requesting both DUNS and UEI identifiers.  

• ​SAM Registration and Unique Entity ID (UEI) - The System for Award Management (SAM) registration is an IACA requirement under GATA.  This federal registration incorporates all grant recipient information into one system.  Your organization is required to register with SAM once a year.  Upon registration, organizations will automatically be assigned a Unique Entity ID (UEI).  If your organization has an established SAM.gov account (active or inactive) you can find your UEI alphanumeric identifier by logging into your SAM.gov account.  Much like a DUNS number, the UEI provides a standardized method of identifying your organization’s location.  Your organization’s UEI is tied to your SAM Registration. Should your SAM Registration lapse, your UEI would also expire.  As soon as you renew your SAM Registration, the UEI will also be renewed.  See the IACA web page on GATA for more information.

Branches of Government (e.g., Municipal, County, Libraries, Park Districts, etc):  In addition to providing FEIN and DUNS numbers on the application form must submit one of the following:

• a copy of the enabling legislation
• a letter from the appropriate governmental body on its letterhead stating that the applicant is an official agency or branch of government

Charitable Trusts: In addition to providing FEIN and DUNS numbers on the application form, must submit one of the following:

• a current Charitable Organization Supplement (Form AG990-IL) 
• a letter from the Attorney General verifying current good standing

Schools and Religious Organizations: In addition to providing FEIN and DUNS numbers on the application form must submit:

• a letter claiming exemption from the Illinois not-for-profit requirement as such entities are not required to be incorporated in Illinois. This letter must be signed by the authorizing official on the organization's letterhead.

PTOs, PTAs and other School Affiliate Organizations: In addition to providing FEIN and DUNS numbers on the application form must submit:

• a letter from the affiliated school on school letterhead acknowledging this affiliation. This letter must be signed by the school principal or authorizing official.

Illinois Grant Accountability and Transparency Act 

• Before submitting an application through the Illinois Arts Council Agency’s Salesforce system, applicants must first complete a validation process through the State of Illinois’s Grantee Portal to obtain a pre-qualification status. The IACA will not be able to consider an application for funding until the applicant has completed this step.
• Pre-qualification through the Grantee Portal is required for all organizations, units of government, and schools and school-affiliate organizations applying for grant funding from the IACA.
• To obtain a pre-qualification status, go to the Grantee Portal (https://grants.illinois.gov/portal).
• Refer to the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act/GATA page on the IACA website for specific details.

INDIVIDUALS

At the time of application, applicants must:

• Certify that they are:
  • A U.S. citizen or have been granted permanent resident alien status.
  • Currently and have been a legal resident of the state of Illinois for at least 12 months prior to the application deadline.
• Submit a copy of one of the following:
  • A valid Illinois driver’s license which includes the date issued and expiration date (entire front and back).
  • A valid State of Illinois identification card which includes the date issued and expiration date; (entire front and back).

If awarded IACA funds, recipients may be required to provide additional documentation that confirms residency status for at least one year prior to the application deadline.  The documentation provided must be:

• Dated at least one year prior to the application deadline;
• In the recipient’s name; and
• Show a legal street address in Illinois.