CHAPTER 9
IOWA SUMMER YOUTH CORPS
817—9.1(83GA,SF482) Purpose and program description. The purpose of the Iowa summer youth corps is to provide youth with meaningful community service opportunities along with instruction and reflection activities to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities. On a competitive basis, Iowa summer youth corps grants will give support to summer youth corps projects in Iowa. The program is established under the authority of the Iowa commission on volunteer service, pursuant to Iowa Code chapter 15H as amended by 2009 Iowa Acts, Senate File 482.
[ARC 8158B, IAB 9/23/09, effective 9/2/09]
817—9.2(83GA,SF482) Applications. Appropriate forms and applications for grants are available from the commission at www.volunteeriowa.org.
[ARC 8158B, IAB 9/23/09, effective 9/2/09]
817—9.3(83GA,SF482) Incentives. Incentives will be determined by federal funding guidelines or restrictions depending on the source of funds utilized for the Iowa summer youth corps in a given grant year. Types of incentives may include:
	1.	Education awards that may be used to further educational attainment and that may be earned upon completion of a defined number of hours;
	2.	Living allowances that are not considered wages but are paid evenly over the course of a service period; or
	3.	Wages that are based on the hours worked.
Types of incentives or combinations of incentives that may be used for a program design will be described in the application instructions.
[ARC 8158B, IAB 9/23/09, effective 9/2/09]
817—9.4(83GA,SF482) Grant criteria. To respond to funding priorities, as funds are made available, the executive director of the commission will establish criteria consistent with federal regulations. If federal funds are being offered, applicants will be considered on a competitive basis. At a minimum, the criteria will contain the following:
	1.	Goals and objectives of the project;
	2.	Qualifications of the applicant to manage funds;
	3.	For new and recompeting applicants, letters of local support verifying coordination and communitywide cooperation;
	4.	Total project budget;
	5.	For previous grantees, evidence of ability to submit timely and accurate reports;
	6.	Description and time line of planned activities;
	7.	Agreement to develop for the project a community partnership group whose membership should include a cross section of the community served;
	8.	Description of the applicant organization, including staffing pattern; and
	9.	Documentation of the applicant’s ability to provide the required local match.
[ARC 8158B, IAB 9/23/09, effective 9/2/09]
817—9.5(83GA,SF482) Designated funds. A percentage of the grants will be designated by the commission to address the needs of the city enterprise zones that meet the distress criteria outlined in Iowa Code section 15E.194.
[ARC 8158B, IAB 9/23/09, effective 9/2/09]
817—9.6(83GA,SF482) Application process for new grants.
	9.6(1) The commission shall issue a request for proposals containing project criteria and application forms for the appropriate fiscal year.
	9.6(2) The applicant shall submit the completed application to the commission according to the time line identified in the request for proposals.
	9.6(3) Applications submitted will be reviewed by a grant review committee, which is composed of members of the commission grant review committee, individuals with expertise in youth programming, and the citizens of Iowa. Using the criteria in rule 817—9.4(83GA,SF482), the committee will review the applications for appropriateness and to determine the merit of the project.
	9.6(4) Applicants whose projects have been selected for funding shall be notified by the commission.
[ARC 8158B, IAB 9/23/09, effective 9/2/09]
817—9.7(83GA,SF482) Administration of grants.
	9.7(1) Contracts. The commission shall prepare contractual agreements for the grants.
	a. 	The contract shall be executed by the executive director of the commission and the duly authorized official of the project.
	b. 	The contract shall include due dates and the process for the submission of project reports and financial reports.
	9.7(2) Reporting. All grant recipients shall submit progress and financial reports to the commission as outlined in the contract.
	9.7(3) Availability of funds. Separate request for proposals will only be issued when there are funds available for this program. To the extent allowable by federal regulations, summer youth corps will always be an acceptable program model for annual AmeriCorps grants and will be listed in the annual AmeriCorps program request for proposals.
[ARC 8158B, IAB 9/23/09, effective 9/2/09]
817—9.8(83GA,SF482) Reversion of funds. Grant funds not expended by the project closeout date shall revert to the commission.
[ARC 8158B, IAB 9/23/09, effective 9/2/09]
These rules are intended to implement 2009 Iowa Acts, Senate File 482, section 1.
[Filed Emergency ARC 8158B, IAB 9/23/09, effective 9/2/09]