1. (a) Contracts.

   1. (1)

      1. (A) After award decisions are made, award letters, contracts, final budget forms, and instructions shall be mailed to recipients.
      2. (B) All documents are to be completed, signed, and returned to the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council by the stated deadline.
      3. (C) Failure to return the completed forms by the deadline may result in a delay of funding or forfeiture of the grant.

   2. (2)

      1. (A) Once the terms of the grant are finalized, no substantive changes that affect the scope or completion of the project may be made in the program or budget as described in the original grant application unless the grantee submits a written request for a change in advance.
      2. (B) This request is to be submitted to the Secretary of the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council, who may approve the request or may determine that the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council officers as a group review the request.

   3. (3)

      1. (A) The grant contract is a legal document.
      2. (B) The grant recipient's failure to abide by the terms of the grant contract will result in immediate suspension of outstanding payments and recall of allocated funds.

   4. (4) The forfeiture of a grant under such conditions:

      1. (A) Will be reported to the Governor and to the Legislative Council; and
      2. (B) May result in the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council no longer accepting grant applications from the forfeiting agency.
   5. (5) Legal remedies available to the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council under state laws may be pursued.

2. (b) Distribution of grant payments.

   1. (1)

      1. (A) When a grant award is made, the state agency receiving the grant is given a new state appropriation and funding specific to the grant.
      2. (B) The Department of Finance and Administration will establish an appropriation code and a fund code for each grant.

   2. (2)

      1. (A) Moneys are transferred to the grantee's new fund account according to the schedule the grantee requests as part of the grant award packet.
      2. (B) The funding schedule is established at the beginning of the grant.
      3. (C) An accurate estimate of timing of funds is important since the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council invests funds not being used by grantees.
      4. (D) Early withdrawals are discouraged and allowed only with the approval of a written request by the secretary.
   3. (3) All expenditures are subject to the State of Arkansas accounting procedures and purchasing laws and rules.

3. (c) Audit requirement.

   1. (1) For accounting purposes, financial records shall reflect all obligations and disbursements of grant and matching moneys.
   2. (2) The financial accounts shall be subjected to audit by the agencies of the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council, State of Arkansas, and/or the federal government, as applicable.
   3. (3) The grantee shall be responsible for the safekeeping and identification of records maintained to account for funds awarded by the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council.
   4. (4) Said records must be kept in the grantee's file for a period of three (3) years after completion of the project.

4. (d) Compliance with state and federal laws.

   1. (1) Each grant project will comply with all applicable state and federal laws relating to the nature and purposes of the grant project (i.e., acquisition of lands, handicapped accessibility, state clearinghouse procedures, retention of records, etc.).
   2. (2) The Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council recommends voluntary compliance with federal laws appropriate to the project that may not be formally required of the applicant, such as environmental, fish and wildlife, historic preservation, civil rights, and equal employment laws.

5. (e) Reports.

   1. (1) Grant recipients are required to submit reports during the year to the secretary.
   2. (2) For all grants, unless dispensation is granted by the officers and noted in the grant award agreement, a mid-year financial summary and activity report (“progress report”) will be due on January 31.
   3. (3) For all grants, a final financial summary (including certification of cash match, in-kind contributions, and copies of the official state financial report for all expenses), final narrative/activity reports (“final report”) and photographs of the completed project as applicable are due no later than thirty (30) calendar days after the project's completion or July 31, whichever comes first.

   4. (4)

      1. (A) Grant recipients shall submit a complete progress report no later than January 31 and a final report no later than July 31.
      2. (B) Reports should include:

6. (i) Detailed narratives identifying the accomplishments associated with each project element;

   1. (ii) Financial information for the specified time period with outline of expenditures related to each project element and appropriate AASIS reports;

      1. (iii) Appropriate photographs or other documentation to give a clear impression of the project’s progress through the specified date;

         1. (iv) Difficulties the project encountered should be discussed;
         2. (v) Confirmation of signage displayed at the site;
         3. (vi) Copies of articles from newspapers, magazines, or other publications related to the project; and
         4. (vii) Copies of any publications or research produced in conjunction with the project.

   2. (5)

      1. (A) Grantees should submit appropriate reports as outlined in the schedule: January 31 and July 31.
      2. (B) A deadline extension should be requested in writing if the grantee is unable to submit the reports on time.
      3. (C) Failure to submit reports as agreed should be reported to the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council by the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council staff.

7. (f) Project directors’ meeting.

   1. (1) After grant awards are made, a meeting will be held for all project directors of funded grants.
   2. (2) Participation in the annual project directors’ meeting is mandatory.

   3. (3) Any grantee who does not send appropriate personnel to review the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council procedures at this meeting shall not receive funds until the grantee has made arrangements to meet with appropriate:

      1. (A) Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council staff;
      2. (B) Fiscal management staff; and
      3. (C) Arkansas Historic Preservation Program staff.

8. (g) Signage.

   1. (1)

      1. (A) Permanent signage for each project funded by the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council is required.
      2. (B) A specific description of the requirements will be provided to each applicant as part of the annual grant application guidelines.
      3. (C) Applicants for emergency grants will be provided the same information.
      4. (D) Each grant contract will include an agreement by the applicant to comply with the signage requirements.

   2. (2) Provision of signs.

      1. (A) Each grantee will be provided with one (1) sign per project site.
      2. (B) This sign will be of metal, size twelve inches by eighteen inches (12" x 18").
      3. (C) Each grantee will also be provided camera-ready artwork for an Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council logo for use in printed materials concerning their grant projects.

   3. (3) Additional signs.

      1. (A) If a grantee feels that a grant project needs more than one (1) permanent sign, a request for additional signs with justification as to the need may be submitted to the secretary.
      2. (B) The secretary may grant additional signs for projects.
      3. (C) If a grant project is for further development or expansion of an existing site that already has a permanent Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council acknowledgement sign, another sign is not necessary.

   4. (4) Alternate forms of sign.

      1. (A)

         1. (i) If the grantee feels that the standard twelve inches by eighteen inches (12" x 18") metal sign available at no charge from the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council is not appropriate for a particular project, the grantee may request the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council sign artwork for the purpose of creating a more appropriate permanent sign.
         2. (ii) The Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council will provide the selected PMS colors (which are currently PMS 468C Cream for background and PMS 301c Blue for lettering) and camera-ready artwork in approximate sizes as follows:
9. (a) (a) Seven inches by nine inches (7" x 9");

10. (b) (b) Eight and one-half inches by eleven inches (8 1/2" x 11");

    1. (c) (c) Ten inches by twelve inches (10" x 12"); and

       1. (d) (d) Twelve inches by eighteen inches (12" x 18").

       2. (B)

          1. (i) The grantee may produce a permanent sign from other materials, such as a decal, framed document, bronze or wooden plaque, etc.
          2. (ii) However, the grantee will bear the cost for the production and installation of the alternate sign.
          3. (iii) This cost may not be paid from Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council funds.
       3. (C) If a grantee does not plan to use a metal sign or alternate sign as provided by the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council, a description of the sign intended to be used must be approved by the secretary prior to the sign's creation and installation.

    2. (5) Publications. Any publication produced in part or in whole with Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council funding:

       1. (A) Should use the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council logo provided by the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council; and
       2. (B) Must contain the following statement: "This publication was produced (in part) by a grant from the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council, funded by the Arkansas Real Estate Transfer Tax."

    3. (6) Responsibility for installation.

       1. (A)

          1. (i) Each grantee will be responsible for the permanent installation of the project sign.
          2. (ii) A permanent sign acknowledging receipt of the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council moneys must be in place before a final report will be accepted from the grantee.

       2. (B)

          1. (i) A detailed description of the location of the installed permanent sign must accompany the grantee's final report.
          2. (ii) If more signs than one (1) are granted for a project, the grantee must submit a description of the location of the installation of each sign along with the final report.
       3. (C) If appropriate to the nature of the project, the permanent sign should be erected at the onset of construction or work at a project site.
    4. (7) Location of installation. Signs are to be placed in an appropriate location of maximum visibility.

    5. (8) Replacement of signs.

       1. (A) If a metal sign provided by the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council becomes damaged and needs to be replaced, a replacement sign may be requested of the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council.
       2. (B) The request should be in writing and include a justification.
       3. (C) The requests should be sent to the secretary, who may approve the request.
    6. (9) Requirements for subgrantees. If a grantee's project involves subgrantee activities, the grantee's requirements for subgrants must include these same signage requirements.

    7. (10) Further information. Questions about sign requirements not covered in this part should be submitted to the secretary, who:

       1. (A) Shall advise the inquiring party consistent with the signage requirements; or
       2. (B) May determine that the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council officers or entire Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council as a group address the questions.

11. (h) Publications. If a publication is produced with Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council grant funds, one (1) copy of the publication must be given to the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council as part of the grant's final report.

    1. (i) Forms.
    2. (1) Attached are samples of the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council grant forms.

    3. (2) Application.

       1. (A) Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council Grant Application.

       2. (B) Forms completed after a grant is awarded:

          1. (i) Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council Grant Award Agreement;
          2. (ii) Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council Budget Form;
          3. (iii) Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council Grantee Progress Report; and
          4. (iv) Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council Grantee Final Grant Report.

12. (j) Personnel.

    1. (1)

       1. (A) Each grant recipient shall specify in writing one (1) grant contact and one (1) fiscal officer.
       2. (B) It is the responsibility of the grant recipient to keep the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council informed of any changes in the designated contacts.
       3. (C) The grant contact must be employed by the grantee agency.

    2. (2)

       1. (A) Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council funds cannot be used to pay for consultants to:

          1. (i) Write grant applications or reports; or
          2. (ii) Manage the granted funds.

       2. (B) The agency applying for an Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council grant shall be responsible for providing personnel to:

          1. (i) Write and manage the grant;
          2. (ii) Focus the project on the scope of the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council contract;
          3. (iii) Respond to questions;
          4. (iv) Submit reports in a timely manner;
          5. (v) Provide appropriate financial documents and reports; and
          6. (vi) Monitor the work of:
13. (a) (a) Architects;

14. (b) (b) Contractors;

    1. (c) (c) Consultants; and

       1. (d) (d) Extra help workers.

Codification Notes: "AASIS" means Arkansas Administrative Statewide Information System.