VA 2.07(3)(a)(a) “Applicant” means a nonprofit organization that applies for a grant to provide financial assistance or other services to veterans or their dependents. VA 2.07(3)(c)(c) “Evaluation committee” means a committee established to evaluate applications made under this section that is comprised of at least one member of the board of veterans affairs and other individuals appointed by the department. VA 2.07(3)(cm)(cm) “Financially viable” means the nonprofit organization is able to meet its financial obligations as they become due for the duration of the grant period. VA 2.07(3)(d)(d) “Nonprofit organization” means an organization described in section 501 (c) (3) of the internal revenue code that is exempt from federal income tax under section 501 (a) of the internal revenue code. VA 2.07(4)(4) Eligible applicant. A nonprofit organization is eligible to receive a grant under this section when all of the following apply: VA 2.07(4)(a)(a) It provides financial or other assistance to veterans or to the dependents of veterans. VA 2.07(4)(b)(b) It is current on all federal and state tax obligations. VA 2.07(4)(c)(c) It is a financially viable nonprofit organization. In this subsection, a nonprofit organization is financially viable if the nonprofit organization can meet its financial obligations for the duration of the grant period. VA 2.07(4)(d)(d) It is in current good standing with the Wisconsin department of financial institutions. VA 2.07(5)(a)(a) Competitive solicitation. The department shall ensure that all solicitations are conducted in a manner that provides for fairness and competition. VA 2.07(5)(b)1.1. The department shall provide reasonable public notice of all solicitations of grant proposals under s. 45.46, Stats. VA 2.07(5)(b)2.2. Notice may be made through the print, broadcast, or telecommunications media, including the Internet, at the discretion of the department. VA 2.07(5)(b)3.3. The notice shall include the purpose of the grant, the selection criteria, application procedures, and all applicable solicitation deadlines that an applicant is required to meet, or shall contain instructions for obtaining this information. VA 2.07(5)(c)1.1. An application for a grant under s. 45.46, Stats., shall be submitted to the department as directed in the notice provided under par. (b). VA 2.07(5)(c)2.2. An application shall be fully completed and signed by a representative of the applicant having authority to act for the applicant, and submitted by the required filing deadline. VA 2.07(5)(c)3.c.c. A description of the financial or other assistance or other services it provides to veterans and their dependents. VA 2.07(6)(a)(a) Evaluation criteria. The evaluation committee shall evaluate grant applications submitted under sub. (5) utilizing all of the following criteria: VA 2.07(6)(a)1.1. Organizational experience providing services to veterans. VA 2.07(6)(a)2.2. Understanding and ability to communicate the needs of veterans and their dependents. VA 2.07(6)(a)3.3. Stated purpose and objectives for the grant funds and method and timetable for expending funds. VA 2.07(6)(a)6.6. Outreach and referral plan to identify and assist veterans or their dependents with services. VA 2.07(6)(a)10.10. Experience serving underserved populations or underserved geographic areas. VA 2.07(6)(a)11.11. Past working relationships with veteran service organizations. VA 2.07(6)(b)1.1. The evaluation committee shall weight the importance of each evaluation criterion by using a numerical point system. VA 2.07(6)(b)2.2. Using the evaluation criteria specified in par. (a) the evaluation committee shall evaluate each application against each applicable criterion and assign points signifying the degree to which the application meets the criterion up to the maximum number of points. VA 2.07(6)(b)3.3. The total points assigned to the application for all applicable criteria will be the score for the application. VA 2.07(6)(b)4.4. The evaluation committee shall numerically rank each solicitation for grant proposals under this section. VA 2.07(7)(7) Notification. Each applicant shall be notified in writing of the department’s decision in accordance with the public notice. VA 2.07(8)(a)(a) The department shall award a grant to the applicants with the highest numerical score as funds are available. VA 2.07(8)(b)(b) A grant awarded under this section shall be made on forms approved by the department. The award shall be signed by the authorized representative of the department and shall list the conditions to which the award is subject. VA 2.07(8)(c)(c) The authorized representative of the recipient nonprofit organization shall accept the grant award by signing the award document and returning it to the department. The department may terminate a grant award if the award is not accepted within 10 calendar days of the date of issuance by the department. VA 2.07(10)(a)1.1. Grant funds shall be used only for the payment or reimbursement of expenses which are reasonable, necessary, and properly assignable to the purposes of the approved grant. Any other use of grant funds is prohibited. VA 2.07(10)(a)2.2. A grantee may not use more than a percentage, as determined by the department, of the grant funds for employee wages, compensation, travel, and related expenses assignable to the approved program. VA 2.07(10)(a)3.3. A grantee may not use grant funds to purchase capital equipment unless specified in the grant award. VA 2.07(10)(b)(b) Violation of prohibited use of funds. If a grantee uses grant funds for prohibited activities under par. (a), the department may terminate the grant and recover funds previously paid to the grantee for that funding period on a recoupment schedule specified in the grant award. VA 2.07(10)(c)(c) Record keeping. A grantee shall maintain grant records for at least 3 years and shall provide information to the department as required by the department for the purposes of program or fiscal audits and, at the request of the department, shall appear before the department to respond to any questions about the grant and use of grant funds. VA 2.07(11)(a)(a) Subject to pars. (b) and (c), the amount of a grant award shall be based on the amount requested by the applicant and the amount approved by the evaluation committee. VA 2.07(11)(b)(b) The maximum amount of a grant that the department may make to any nonprofit organization during any fiscal year is $25,000. VA 2.07(12)(12) Reporting requirements. A grantee receiving a grant under this section shall submit to the department data and information on the use and effect of the grant funds as specified in this section and in the grant award by the later of 6 months from the date of award or June 30 of the fiscal year in which the grant is awarded. The grantee shall authorize the department to audit and inspect its records. VA 2.07(13)(a)(a) Authority to sign and accept funds. The grantee shall certify that the designated signatory official has the authority to sign on behalf of the grantee and has the authority to accept funds. VA 2.07(13)(b)(b) Compliance statement. Before the department releases grant funds, the grantee shall provide a statement that it is in compliance with applicable state and federal laws, rules, and regulations, including tax laws, the requirements of this section, and the grant award. VA 2.07(13)(c)(c) Nondiscrimination and equal opportunity. In accordance with s. 16.765, Stats., the grantee shall follow all state and federal anti-discrimination laws and equal employment opportunity practices in the administration and delivery of program services to eligible applicants. VA 2.07 HistoryHistory: EmR1416: emerg. cr., eff. 8-14-16; CR 14-058: cr. Register September 2017 No. 741, eff. 10-1-17; correction in (5) (c) 1. made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register September 2017 No. 741; CR 21-012: am. (3) (intro.), r. (3) (b), am. (3) (c), cr. (3) (cm), am. (3) (d), (4) (d), renum. (5) (b), (c) to (5) (b) 1., (c) 1. and am., r. (6) (a) 8., renum. (6) (b) to (6) (b) 1. and am., am. (8) (b), r. (9), renum. (10) (a) to (10) (a) 1. and am., am. (13) (c) Register September 2021 No. 789, eff. 10-1-21; correction in (3) (c) made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register September 2021 No. 789. VA 2.08VA 2.08 Veterans employment and entrepreneurship grants. VA 2.08(1)(1) Authority and purpose. The purpose of this section is to establish rules for the implementation and administration of grants to assist veteran entrepreneurs, to give employers in this state incentives to hire veterans, especially disabled veterans, to improve veteran employment outcomes, and to help fund employment training for veterans, especially disabled veterans, as authorized under s. 45.437, Stats. VA 2.08(2)(2) Applicability. This section applies to grants awarded under s. 45.437, Stats. VA 2.08(3)(3) Definitions. In this section the following terms have the designated meanings: VA 2.08(3)(a)(a) “Applicant” means an employer or nonprofit organization located in this state that applies for a grant to improve employment outcomes for veterans living in this state. VA 2.08(3)(b)(b) “Certification request” means a form approved by the department used to verify the employee is a veteran and a resident of this state in accordance with ss. 45.01 (12) and 45.02, Stats., and has a service-connected disability rating of at least 50 percent, under 38 USC 1114 or 1134. VA 2.08(3)(d)(d) “Disabled veteran” means a veteran who is verified by the department to have a service-connected disability rating of at least 50 percent under 38 USC 1114 or 1134. VA 2.08(3)(e)(e) “Employee” means a person who is hired for a wage, salary, fee, or payment to perform work for an employer. VA 2.08(3)(f)(f) “Employer” means a person or organization located in the state that employs people, but does not include local, state, and federal government agencies. VA 2.08(3)(fe)(fe) “Entrepreneur” means an individual who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business, enterprise, or non-profit organization. VA 2.08(3)(g)(g) “Evaluation committee” means a committee established to evaluate applications made under sub. (5) that is comprised of at least one member of the board of veterans affairs and other individuals appointed by the department. VA 2.08(3)(gm)(gm) “Financially viable” means a nonprofit organization is able to sustain itself over the long term in order fulfill the organization’s mission and support continuance of the organization’s operations, programs, and services without the sole reliance on grant funds awarded under this section. VA 2.08(3)(h)(h) “Full-time job” means a regular, nonseasonal, full-time position in which an individual, as a condition of employment, is required to work at least 2,080 hours per year, including paid leave and holidays. VA 2.08(3)(i)(i) “Grant” means an agreement between the department and the grantee where the department provides funds from the appropriation under s. 20.485 (2) (qm), Stats., for the purposes specified in s. 45.437, Stats. VA 2.08(3)(j)(j) “Grantee” means an employer or nonprofit organization receiving a grant from the department. VA 2.08(3)(k)(k) “Grant participant” means a person who meets the requirements of s. 45.01 (12), Stats., and receives services under sub. (5). VA 2.08(3)(L)(L) “Nonprofit organization” means an organization described in section 501 (c) (3) or 501 (c) (6) of the Internal Revenue Code that is exempt from federal income tax under section 501 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code. VA 2.08(3)(m)(m) “Part-time job” means a regular, nonseasonal, part-time position in which an individual, as a condition of employment, is required to work fewer than 2,080 hours per year, including paid leave and holidays. VA 2.08(3)(mg)(mg) “Program” means the veterans employment and transition support grant program. VA 2.08(3)(mr)(mr) “Transitioning service member” means an individual who is separating or has separated from the U.S. armed forces to return to civilian life. VA 2.08(3)(n)(n) “Underserved geographic areas of the state” means rural communities. VA 2.08(3)(o)(o) “Underserved veteran populations” means minority groups, women, low-income, or veterans with disabilities. VA 2.08(4)(a)(a) From the appropriation under s. 20.485 (2) (qm), Stats., the department may award a grant in any of the following amounts to any employer who hires a disabled veteran to work at a business in this state: VA 2.08(4)(a)1.1. For each disabled veteran the employer employs for 12 consecutive months to work a full-time job at the employer’s business in this state, $2,500 following the first 6 months of employment, and $2,500 following the second 6 months of employment. VA 2.08(4)(a)2.2. Subject to par. (d), for each disabled veteran the employer employs for 12 consecutive months to work a part-time job at the employer’s business in this state, $1,250 following the first 6 months of employment, and $1,250 following the second 6 months of employment.
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