2023 Illinois Compiled Statutes › Chapter 20 - EXECUTIVE BRANCH › 20 ILCS 700/ - Technology Advancement and Development Act. › Article 2 - Technology Challenge Grant Program

(20 ILCS 700/Art. 2 heading)
ARTICLE 2
TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGE GRANT PROGRAM
(20 ILCS 700/2001) (from Ch. 127, par. 3702-1)
Sec. 2001. 
		Technology Challenge Grant Program.
(a) The Department
may, subject to appropriated funds, establish a Technology
Challenge Grant
Program to provide initial grant funding requirements to help secure
federal research and development projects for this State and to identify and
develop technology programs capable of commercialization or establish one or
more programs authorized under this Article as part of its Technology Challenge
Grant Program Initiative to serve as a catalyst and assure a strong base to
develop, transfer, or commercialize new technologies.  The Department
shall, pursuant to Section 2003 of this Article, evaluate which grant
applications best serve the economic and technological objectives of the State.
(b) Grants shall be awarded from appropriations made for that purpose to:
(i) universities, colleges, community colleges, nonprofit research foundations
or laboratories, State research institutions, industry technology associations,
(ii) technology partnerships or technology consortiums established by a
formal joint project agreement between: (1) two or more private industries, or
(2) any combination of one or more private industries with one or more
universities, colleges, community colleges, nonprofit research laboratories,
nonprofit research foundations, or State research institutions, or (iii) any
private enterprise developing or commercializing technology or leveraging
federal technology development financing, including, but not limited to, the
small business innovative research program.
(Source: P.A. 91-476, eff. 8-11-99.)
(20 ILCS 700/2002) (from Ch. 127, par. 3702-2)
Sec. 2002. Grant purposes.
(a) Grants authorized under this Article
shall be awarded only for the following purposes: (i) applied innovation
research that provides initial grant funding to help serve critical research
and development projects to respond
to
unique, advanced technology projects and which foster the development of
Illinois' economy through
the advancement of the State's economic, scientific, and technological
assets, or
which are recognized as technology programs of exemplary and outstanding
research in the field of science and technology; or to assist
eligible
applicants in the State apply for, or qualify for and leverage, federal
funds awarded for advanced technology projects concerning research and
development, business innovation research or technical development, or the
transfer of useful technology to the private sector;
(ii) university and industry partnerships that create high-skill employment
opportunities and internship
activities in the communities that enable graduates and faculty to stay in
Illinois and
university and industry initiatives that strengthen the relationship between
industry and academia in
Illinois so that applied university research is responsive to the needs of the
various state industries
and industry clusters;
(iii)
centers of excellence in technology commercialization, innovation evaluation,
and intellectual
property management that encourages the growth of new enterprises based on
technologies
developed at Illinois research centers including technology
partnerships, technology consortiums or research centers and industry
technology associations that are, or will be, established to perform research
and development in present and emerging technologies that can be developed for
use by commerce and industry;
(iv) technology
transfer projects involving promotion of new or innovative technologies
among
small and medium-sized Illinois manufacturers where the technologies have
immediate commercial application; training
and information dissemination that is directly applicable to small and
medium-sized Illinois manufacturer needs; or information transfer to Illinois
based
research institution regarding best practice in industrial
commercialization of technology developments; (v) planning and operational
support for statewide support that improve practices in technology
commercialization including
needs
assessment and evaluation of the status of technology implementation throughout
the State; and (vi) research and testing of products that render the use of anhydrous ammonia inert in the production of methamphetamine.
(b) Grants awarded pursuant to this Article may be used to help
subsidize expenses, as approved by the Department, for capital
improvements, equipment, contractual services, commodities, personnel,
support costs, including telecommunication, electronic data and
commodities, or other costs.
(Source: P.A. 95-433, eff. 8-24-07.)
(20 ILCS 700/2003) (from Ch. 127, par. 3702-3)
Sec. 2003. 
		Grant evaluation and amounts.
(a) The Department shall evaluate grant applications based upon
criteria provided under this Section.  The Department shall not award any
Challenge Grant that is not recommended for funding by the Illinois
Science and Technology Advisory Committee and the Illinois
Coalition.  In determining which grant
applicants shall be awarded a Challenge Grant, the Department shall conduct
an evaluation of prior compliance with loan or grant agreements for any
grant applicant previously funded by the Department.  In addition, the
Department shall consider the following criteria in determining grant
awards:  the relationship of a proposed advanced technology project to the
State's future economic growth; the qualifications and expertise of
consultants, firms or organizations undertaking the effort; the potential
for leveraging federal or private research dollars, or both, for the
initiative; the extent of
the capacity of the applicant or the applicant partnership or consortium to
finance the initiative; the potential for adapting, commercializing or
adopting the results of the applicant's project for the economic benefit of
the State; and the likelihood that the project has a potential for creating
new jobs or retaining current jobs in the State.
(b) The Director of the Department shall determine the level of the
grant award and shall determine the share of total directly attributable
costs of an advanced technology project which may be considered for funding
under this Article.
(c) The Department and the Department of Natural
Resources are hereby authorized to cooperate with and provide support to
the Illinois Science and Technology Advisory Committee
and the Illinois
Coalition.  Such support may include the provision of office space and may be
technical, advisory or operational in nature.
(Source: P.A. 91-357, eff. 7-29-99; 91-476, eff. 8-11-99.)