There is no anticipated impact on small businesses.
10. Effect on small business:
There is no anticipated impact on small businesses.
10. Fiscal Estimate:
This rule will have no fiscal impact on small businesses. The program described by this rule may provide funds to some small businesses. It requires the completion of an application if the business wishes to receive grant funds, but imposes no duty on businesses not wishing to apply for the grant funds.
11. Comments and opinions prepared by the Board of Veterans Affairs under s. 45.03(2m), Stats.: The Board members unanimously voted to approve adopting the proposed language to Chapter VA 2.08, the Employment and Entrepreneurship Program, and offered no comments. 12. Agency contact person and place where comments are to be submitted and deadline for submission:
The public record on this proposed rule-making will be held open until close of business the day of the hearing to permit the submission of comments in lieu of public hearing testimony, or comments supplementing testimony offered at the hearing.
Prior to September 1, 2016, comments on proposed rules should be sent to:
Kelly Brady, paralegal
Office of Legal Counsel
Department of Veterans Affairs
201 W Washington Avenue
PO Box 7843
Madison, WI 53707-7843
Phone: 608-266-0518
Beginning September 1, 2016 comments on proposed administrative rules will be accepted through the Legislature's website at http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/code/comment. All submitted comments will be sent to the appropriate agency rules coordinators. It is necessary to include your contact information in your submitted comments if you wish to receive a response. The previous administrative rules website at health.wisconsin.gov/admnrules/public/Home will be decommissioned on September 1, 2016. Section 1.
VA 2.08 (title) and VA 2.08 are created to read:
VETERANS EMPLOYMENT AND ENTREPENEURSHIP GRANTS
(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 help fund employment training for veterans, especially disabled veterans, as authorized under s. 45.437, Stats. (2) APPLICABILITY. This section applies to grants awarded under s. 45.437, Stats. (3) DEFINITIONS In this section:
(a) “Applicant” means employer or nonprofit organization located in the state, that applies for a grant to improve employment outcomes for veterans living in the state.
(b) “Department” means the Wisconsin department of veterans affairs.
(c) “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. (d) “Employer” means a person or organization that employs people, but does not include local, state and federal government agencies.
(e) “Evaluation committee” means a committee comprised of members of the board of veterans affairs that evaluates applications made under this section.
(f) “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.
(g) “Grant participant” means a person who meets the requirements of s. 45.01(12), Stats. (h) “Nonprofit organization” is an organization described in section 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(6) of the internal revenue code which is exempt from federal income tax under s. 501(a) of the internal revenue code. (i) “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.
(j) “Veteran” means a person who meets the requirements of s. 45.01(12), Stats. (4) VETERANS EMPLOYMENT GRANTS.
(a) From the appropriation account under s. 20.485 (2) (qm) the department may award a grant in any of the following amounts to any employer who hires a veteran to work at a business in this state: 1. For each disabled veteran the employer hires in a twelve month period 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 month period in which the veteran is hired.
2. Subject to sub. 4(d), for each disabled veteran the employer hires in a twelve month period 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 month period in which the veteran is hired.
(b) An employer shall apply for a grant under this section in the manner prescribed by the department.
(c) The department shall not pay a grant to an applicant in any calendar year in which the veteran voluntarily or involuntarily leaves his or her employment with the applicant.
(d) The department shall determine the amount of the grant under sub. (4) (a) as follows:
1. Divide the number of hours that the disabled veteran worked for the applicant during the calendar year by 2,080.
2. Multiply the amount of the grant under sub. (4) (a) 2., as appropriate, by the number determined under subd. 1.
(5) VETERANS ENTREPRENEURSHIP GRANTS.
(a) ELIGIBLE APPLICANT. A nonprofit organization is eligible to receive a grant under this section when all of the following apply:
1. It provides entrepreneurship training, technical or business assistance, financial assistance and/or other assistance to veteran entrepreneurs to improve employment outcomes.
2. It is current on all federal and state tax obligations.
3. 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.
4. It is in current good standing with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.
(b) APPLICATION.
1. Competitive solicitation. The department shall ensure that all solicitations are conducted in a manner that provides for fairness and competition.
2. Public notice. The department shall provide reasonable public notice of all solicitations of grant proposals under s. 45.437, Stats. Notice may be made through the print, broadcast or telecommunications media, including the Internet, at the discretion of the department. 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. 3. Application requirements. All applications for a grant under this subsection shall be submitted to the department as directed in the notice provided under par. (b)2. All applications 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. Applications shall include all of the following:
a. Proof of nonprofit status and other financial eligibility criteria listed in sub. (5)(b) and (c).
b. Information about the organization.
c. A description of the entrepreneurship training, technical and business assistance, financial assistance and/or other entrepreneurship assistance it provides to veterans.
d. A description of the need and purpose for the requested funds.
e. The applicant shall demonstrate that it has achieved the following required program goals during the previous year.
(1) Expand entrepreneur opportunities for veterans by providing services that may include entrepreneurship training, technical and business assistance, financial assistance and/or other entrepreneurship services to veterans .
(2) Increase collaboration with other agencies to strengthen the delivery of programs, resources and services to veteran entrepreneurs.
(3) Expand outreach to underserved geographic areas of the state and underserved populations.
(c) EVALUATION OF APPLICATIONS. The evaluation committee shall evaluate grant applications submitted under this subsection against selection criteria. The department shall develop criteria to evaluate each applicant with regard to applicant’s:
1. Background and Organizational History.
2. Organizational Qualifications and Past Performance.
3. Experience Working with Veterans.
4. Need for Grant Funding.
5. Outreach and Referral Plan.
6. Program Implementation Timeline
7. Monitoring and Program Evaluation.
8. Program Goals and Objectives.
9. Past Working Relationships with other Start-up Businesses and Entrepreneurship Programs.
(d) NOTIFICATION. Each applicant shall be notified in writing of the department’s decision in accordance with the public notice.
(e) GRANT AWARDS. The department shall award a grant to the applicants with the highest numerical score as funds are available. A grant awarded under this section shall be made on forms prepared 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.
