Frequently Asked Questions

• On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed into law the $787 billion economic stimulus bill known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The economic stimulus bill is designed to revive the economy and put America back to work by saving or creating 3.5 million jobs over the next two years through $499 billion in critical investments and providing $288 billion in tax relief.

• Governor Quinn has taken swift action to ensure that Illinois receives the maximum amount of funds available through the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Illinois ranks first in the number of transportation projects and the amount of ARRA dollars approved by the Obama Administration. Illinois was the first state to have a signed Memorandum of Understanding for high-speed rail. Illinois has also initiated increased services such as extended unemployment benefits, 3.5 million pounds of food for food banks, and additional funding for Medicaid. Governor Quinn will use additional ARRA State Stabilization discretionary dollars to increase education funding by $174 million.

• To find out more information about a specific ARRA grant program that the State of Illinois is applying for, visit http://www.recovery.illinois.gov/documents/ARRA_Grant_Program_Doc.pdf. This document is a valuable resource that can be used to locate specific information about individual grant programs:
  
  
  • CFDA Numbers
  • Dollar Amounts
  • Program Descriptions
  • Website Links
  • Program Contacts

 

• First, the federal government requires that all organizations seeking federal grants to have what is called a DUNS number. The DUNS numbers (which stand for Data Universal Numbering System) is a nine digit number that is used by the federal government to help track the distribution of federal stimulus dollars. Contact your grants administrator or Chief Financial Officer to find out if your organization has already been issued a DUNS number. Second, if your organization has not already done so, it must register with the Central Contracting Registration (CCR). The CCR is an electronic database that is used by the federal government to collect, validate, store and disseminate data in support of agency acquisition missions.

 

• To apply for a DUNS number, call the toll-free number for federal grant applicants: 1-866-705-5711. To register with the CCR, visit their website at http://www.ccr.gov/Default.aspx.

 

• If your organization is planning on applying for federal grant dollars, the State of Illinois encourages all organizations to secure a DUNS number and register with the CCR immediately. Grant program deadlines are fast approaching each day and this information is mandatory in order to apply for available stimulus dollars.

 

• To locate and apply for federal grants, visit www.grant.gov.

• If you think you have a project or proposal that is eligible for federal stimulus funds, visit http://www.recovery.illinois.gov/projectideas.cfm. This page allows you to share information about a potential stimulus project. We will then direct submissions to relevant state and/or federal agencies.

• Batches are used for people submitting more than 5 project ideas. Please use Word, Excel, or PDF to submit project lists that include all information requested on the Suggest a Project form. Once your batch is ready to be submitted, attach the document to an email and send it to gov.recovery@illinois.gov.

• Governor Quinn is dedicated to making the economic stimulus package completely open and transparent to the public. If your project submission qualifies for possible stimulus funding, it will be forwarded to the appropriate agency staff for immediate consideration and follow up.

• To find out how much money has been allocated to Illinois to date, visit: http://www.recovery.gov/?q=content/investments-state

• Illinois anticipates receiving approximately$8.3 billion in stimulus funds by the end of FY 2010. Most of these funds will be channeled through the appropriate state agencies while a significant portion of the awarded funds will be sent directly to local municipalities in order to expedite its availability. Stimulus funds will be spent in a number of ways that will initiate job growth and allow for re-investment in our state:

Programs/Operating Spending

• $3 billion in aid to schools to avert cuts and improve teacher quality
• $2.9 billion in extra federal Medicaid funds over a 27- month period
• $250 million to create "green jobs" and save energy by weatherizing homes
• $157.5 million for training Illinoisans for new careers and providing access to job training programs
• $118 million in higher education assistance

Infrastructure Development/Capital

• $936 million to rebuild highways and bridges
• $260 million in Clean Water and Drinking Water funds
• $40 million in transit assistance

Aid to Unemployed:

• Unemployment insurance has been extended by 26 weeks
• Eligibility for unemployment insurance has been expanded by adopting the use of the Alternative Base Period (ABP) to determine benefits
• Dependents' allowances have been increased by at least $15 per dependent per week

• The federal government has outlined strict rules for responsible spending. These rules include:

   

  • Strict time limits for obligating funds;
  • Public access to contract and grant information;
  • Requirements for competitive contracting;
  • Certifications by the Governor or local officials that infrastructure expenditures have been reviewed and are an appropriate use of tax dollars;
  • Reports on how the state distributes funds it receives, the estimated number of new or saved jobs, tax increases averted and other information.

     

    • The law also includes federal oversight, which includes reviews and audits coordinated by a Recovery Act Accountability and Transparency Board. For more, visit recovery.illinois.gov/transparency.htm

• Governor Pat Quinn is urging government employees and taxpayers to demand integrity and honesty in state government. The Illinois Office of the Executive Inspector General will investigate alleged fraud or misuse of ARRA grant funds. To report a violation you may do one of the following:

   

  • Call the OEIG's toll-free hotline at 866.814.1113
  • Contact the Office via teletype at 888.261.2734 (TTY)
  • Send a completed Complaint Form to:

    Office of Executive Inspector General
    for the Agencies of the Illinois Governor
    Attention: Complaint Division
    32 West Randolph, Suite 1900
    Chicago, Illinois 60601

  • Fax a completed Complaint Form to 312.814.5479
  • Visit the OEIG's Springfield or Chicago office to fill out a Complaint Form

• Visit http://www.illinoisworknet.com/vos_portal/?partner=. This site provides links to current information for job seekers and for unemployment benefits.

• Most of the tax incentives in ARRA are changes to the federal tax code. The Internal Revenue Service is the best source of information for these tax incentives. The Illinois Department of Revenue can provide assistance for how these incentives will affect state taxes. Visit http://www.revenue.state.il.us/.

• Yes. ARRA stipulates that if funds are not obligated (that is, marked for specific purposes) within 90 to 180 days of receiving them, the money will be available to other states. Using stimulus money quickly will create jobs, repair communities, and help families hurt by the national economic crisis.

• Under the news tab, you will be able to view press releases and subscribe to an RSS feed.

   

  • Press releases are sent out by the Illinois Governmental News Network and are posted as they become available.
  • You can also subscribe to an RSS feed by clicking on the orange RSS icon at the bottom of the News tab. In order to read RSS feeds, you will need an RSS reader. This reader will aggregate and display all of the feeds that you subscribe to. There are a variety of RSS readers available on the Internet; most are free to download or use. Some RSS readers do not require a download, including Google Reader. How to subscribe to Recovery.Illinois.Gov

     

    • Choose an RSS reader (Get an RSS Reader)
    • Paste http://www.illinois.gov/PressReleases/RSS/Recovery.xml into the "Add New Channel" or "Subscribe" section of the reader.