Minnesota Administrative Rules

9210.0825 FINAL GRANT AND LOAN APPLICATION PROCEDURES.

Subpart 1.

Final applications.

Eligible applicants must submit an application to the agency in the format specified by the commissioner. Applications for a participation loan must be submitted in coordination with a financial institution or provider. Applications received by the commissioner after the deadline in the RFP will not be considered for funding. Final applications must include the following information:

A.

the names, addresses, and qualifications of the applicant and other project participants, and a brief summary of the organization's history;

B.

a description of the opportunity, problem, issue, or need the project will address;

C.

project information, including:

(1)

a work plan that includes a list of each project activity or task, an implementation schedule with specific timelines, and persons involved;

(2)

the anticipated project outcomes;

(3)

if applicable, a discussion of the economic or social benefits to be achieved by the project; and

(4)

a discussion of the technical and financial feasibility of the proposed project;

D.

a project budget that:

(1)

provides an itemized description of the project costs, including the total estimated cost, total eligible costs, and the amount of funding requested; and

(2)

provides an itemized description of project financing, including applicant contributions, participant contributions, other government contributions, other private contributions, and, if applicable, any projected revenues from the project;

E.

for all loans, financial information demonstrating creditworthiness and ability to repay the loan;

F.

for participation loans, a copy of the financial institution's or provider's file on the applicant's loan and a letter containing the financial institution or provider's assessment of the risks associated with the loan and the creditworthiness of the applicant;

G.

evidence that affected counties, regions, or districts have been notified of the proposed projects;

H.

a statement of the current status of the project;

I.

a description of how the project's impacts will be quantified and evaluated, including the criteria for a successful project; and

J.

additional information as established by the commissioner in the RFP required in part 9210.0810, subpart 2, item C.

Subp. 2.

Nonpublic data.

The agency shall treat specific data in the application that meets the definition in Minnesota Statutes, section 13.37, subdivision 1, paragraph (b), or is sales information, as the data is required to be treated by Minnesota Statutes, section 115A.06, subdivision 13; however, the recipient of an environmental assistance grant or loan shall provide to the agency, for public distribution, complete and thorough reports about the results of the project in a way that does not disclose proprietary information.

Subp. 3.

Evaluation of final proposal.

In order to determine which projects should receive environmental assistance funding, the commissioner shall evaluate each application using the following criteria:

A.

clarity and completeness of application;

B.

qualifications of the individuals who will perform the work described in the project;

C.

anticipated outcomes of the project;

D.

cost-effectiveness of the proposed project;

E.

for all loans, assets, and resources available to the applicant to repay the loan;

F.

assets and resources available to the applicant to conduct the project;

G.

project utilization of innovative technologies, methods, or techniques;

H.

applicability of the proposed project and future dissemination of project results to other persons or organizations in the state;

I.

consistency of the proposed project with the legislative goals and policies in Minnesota Statutes, sections 115A.02 and 115D.02; and

J.

additional criteria specified in the RFP required by part 9210.0810, subpart 2, item C.

The commissioner shall request additional information from the applicant during the evaluation process if needed to clarify the information provided pursuant to subpart 1.

Subp. 4.

Consultation.

In the commissioner's evaluation of an application, the commissioner may solicit and shall consider any recommendations provided by the Pollution Control Agency, advisory councils, task forces, citizen groups, other Minnesota state agencies, or any independent consultant hired by the commissioner to assist in the review of applications.

Subp. 5.

Award.

The commissioner shall award grants or loans to those projects that best meet the evaluation criteria in subpart 3. The commissioner shall promptly notify all applicants as to whether they have been awarded a grant or loan. Awards are contingent upon the commissioner and the grant recipient or borrower successfully entering into an agreement as specified respectively in part 9210.0845 or 9210.0850, and, if applicable, a contract and participation agreement as specified in part 9210.0855.

Subp. 6.

No awards.

If no proposed project has sufficient potential to implement environmental assistance in Minnesota, the commissioner shall not award any grants or loans. The commissioner may then reinitiate the process for awarding either grants or loans by publishing the notice under part 9210.0810, subpart 1.

Statutory Authority:

MS s 115A.0716

History:

22 SR 23; L 2005 1Sp1 art 2 s 161

Published Electronically:

October 10, 2013