(Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 104-423)

As used in this Act:

"Applicant" means a local government that files an application for a grant under this Act.

"Complete application" means an application that has all of the required documentation and is submitted within the notice of funding opportunity application period.

"Department" means the Department of Natural Resources.

"Director" means the Director of Natural Resources.

"Distressed community" means an eligible local government, as determined by the Department, that meets at least one of the following criteria, as determined by the Department:

1. (1) the area has a poverty rate of at least 20% according to the latest American Community Survey from the United States Census Bureau;
2. (2) 75% or more of the children in the area participate in the national school lunch program according to reported statistics from the State Board of Education;
3. (3) at least 20% of the households in the area receive assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; or
4. (4) the area has an average unemployment rate, as determined by the Department of Employment Security, that is more than 120% of the national unemployment average, as determined by the United States Department of Labor, for a period of at least 2 consecutive calendar years preceding the date of the application. If any one or more of the criteria listed in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), or

5. (4) of this definition have not been published within 3 years of an application that is made under this Act, then any of the criteria that is over 3 years old shall not be used by the Department in determining if a local government is a distressed community.

   "Distressed location" means a census tract or comparable geographic area, as determined by the Department, that meets at least one of the following criteria, as determined by the Department:

6. (1) the area has a poverty rate of at least 20% according to the latest American Community Survey from the United States Census Bureau;
7. (2) 75% or more of the children in the area participate in the national school lunch program according to reported statistics from the State Board of Education;
8. (3) at least 20% of the households in the area receive assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; or
9. (4) the area has an average unemployment rate, as determined by the Department of Employment Security, that is more than 120% of the national unemployment average, as determined by the United States Department of Labor, for a period of at least 2 consecutive calendar years preceding the date of the application. If any one or more of the criteria listed in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), or

10. (4) of this definition have not been published within 3 years of an application that is made under this Act, then any of the criteria that is over 3 years old shall not be used by the Department in determining if a location is a distressed location.

    "Local government" means a county, township, municipality, park district, conservation district, forest preserve district, river conservancy district, or any other unit of local government empowered to expend public funds for the acquisition and development of land for public outdoor parks or recreation or conservation purposes.

    "Notice of funding opportunity" means the notice provided to the public that is required under the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act, which provides detailed instructions on how much funding is expected to be available, who can apply for the funding, how to apply for the funding, the notice of funding opportunity application period, and how the applications will be scored.

    "Notice of funding opportunity application period" means the period during which applications for grants issued under this Act must be submitted to the Department.

    "Project" means a proposal for the acquisition of open space lands or for the capital development of park, recreation, or conservation areas by a local government.

(from Ch. 85, par. 2102)

(Source: P.A. 104-423, eff. 1-1-26.)