(20 ILCS 700/Art. 2 heading)

(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.)