261—23.6 (15) Requirements for the water and sewer and community facilities funds.
	   23.6(1) Restrictions on applicants.
	      a.    	 An applicant shall be allowed to submit one application per year under the water and sewer fund and one application per year under the community facilities fund.
	      b.    	 An eligible applicant involved in a joint application (not as the lead applicant) shall be allowed to submit a separate, individual application only if the applicant is bound by a multijurisdictional agreement by state statute to provide a public service that is facilitated by the joint application and the activity proposed in the joint application is not located in the applicant’s jurisdiction.
	   23.6(2) Grant ceilings. Maximum grant awards are as follows:
	      1. 	  Applicants with populations of fewer than 1,000 shall apply for no more than $300,000.
	      2. 	  Applicants with populations of 1,000 to 2,499 shall apply for no more than $500,000.
	      3. 	  Applicants with populations of 2,500 to 14,999 shall apply for no more than $600,000.
	      4. 	  Applicants with populations of 15,000 to 49,999 shall apply for no more than $800,000.
However, no recipient shall receive more than $1,000 per capita based on the total population within the recipient’s jurisdiction. If a county applies on behalf of one or more unincorporated communities within its jurisdiction, the $1,000 per capita ceiling shall pertain to any project benefiting all residents of the unincorporated community or communities, not the entire unincorporated population of the county applying. Applicants shall use one of the following for population figures to determine the applicable grant ceilings: 2000 census figures, special census figures or adjusted figures based on annexation completed in accordance with statutory requirements in Iowa Code chapter 368. County populations shall be calculated for unincorporated areas only to determine applicable grant ceilings.
	      a.    	 Joint applications for sewer and water projects shall be awarded no more than the cumulative joint total allowed according to the population of each jurisdiction participating in the project. For all other joint applications, an application shall be awarded no more than one and one-half times the maximum amount allowed for either of the joint applicants.
	      b.    	 Applicants may apply for the maximum amount for which they are eligible under both the sewer and water fund and community facilities and services fund.
	      c.    	 Applicants may apply for multiple activities under each fund for an amount up to the applicable ceilings.
	   23.6(3) Water and sewer fund application procedure. The authority shall announce the availability of funds and instructions for applying for funds through direct mail, public notices, media releases, workshops or other means determined necessary by the authority.
	      a.    	 Application forms shall be available at iowagrants.gov.
	      b.    	 Applications shall be submitted by the deadline established by the authority.
	      c.    	 The authority shall review applications and make funding decisions based on criteria described in the annual action plan. Review criteria typically include:
	       (1)  	 Magnitude of need for the project.
	       (2)  	 Impact of the activity on standard of living or quality of life of proposed beneficiaries.
	       (3)  	 Readiness to proceed with the proposed activity and likelihood that the activity can be completed in a timely fashion. Procurement of an engineer shall be considered evidence of readiness to proceed.
	       (4)  	 Degree to which water and sewer fund assistance would be leveraged by other funding sources and documentation of applicant efforts to secure the maximum amount possible of local financial support for the activity.
	       (5)  	 Capacity to operate and maintain the proposed activity.
	       (6)  	 Capacity for continued viability of the activity after CDBG assistance.
	       (7)  	 Scope of project benefit relative to the amount of CDBG funds invested.
	       (8)  	 Degree to which the project promotes orderly, compact development supported by affordable public infrastructure.
	      d.    	 Applicants shall submit preliminary engineering reports with their full applications for drinking water projects.
	      e.    	 Applicants shall submit facility plans with their full applications for wastewater projects.
	      f.    	 Authority staff may consult on proposed activities with other state agencies responsible for water- and sewer-related activities and may conduct site evaluations of proposed activities.
	      g.    	 Applicants selected to receive awards shall be notified by letter from the authority director by date(s) determined by the authority.
	   23.6(4) Community facilities fund application procedure. Each year, the authority shall announce the availability of funds and instructions for applying for funds through direct mail, public notices, media releases, workshops or other means determined necessary by the authority.
	      a.    	 Application forms shall be available at iowagrants.gov.
	      b.    	 Applications shall be submitted by the deadline established by the authority.
	      c.    	 The authority shall review applications and make funding decisions based on criteria described in the annual action plan. Review criteria typically include:
	       (1)  	 Magnitude of need for the project.
	       (2)  	 Impact of the activity on standard of living or quality of life of proposed beneficiaries.
	       (3)  	 Readiness to proceed with the proposed activity and likelihood that the activity can be completed in a timely fashion.
	       (4)  	 Degree to which community facilities and services fund assistance would be leveraged by other funding sources and documentation of applicant efforts to secure the maximum amount possible of local financial support for the activity.
	       (5)  	 Capacity to operate and maintain the proposed activity.
	       (6)  	 Capacity for continued viability of the activity after CDBG assistance.
	       (7)  	 Scope of project benefit relative to the amount of CDBG funds invested.
	       (8)  	 Degree to which the project promotes orderly, compact development supported by affordable public infrastructure.
	       (9)  	 Whether the project meets or exceeds the minimum building and site design criteria established by the authority to be eligible for funding.
	      d.    	 Authority staff may consult on proposed activities with other state agencies responsible for community facilities and services-related activities and may conduct site evaluations of proposed activities.
	      e.    	 Applicants selected to receive awards shall be notified by letter from the authority director by date(s) determined by the authority.
	   23.6(5) Matching funds. The authority may require matching funds as a contingency of an award as described in the annual action plan.
	   23.6(6) Negotiation of awards. The authority may negotiate award amounts and terms as described in the annual action plan.
[ARC 2038C, IAB 6/24/15, effective 7/29/15]