Healing Illinois Grant Program

Healing Illinois is a competitive State-funded grant opportunity administered by the Illinois Department of Human Services through the Office of Strategy, Equity, and Transformation and the Division of Family and Community Services. The program is intended to build knowledge and understanding of racial equity and racial justice across Illinois, promote trust and relationship building among Illinois residents, and create a foundation for long-term racial healing and anti-racism. Healing Illinois responds to racial disparities and the effects of systemic racism by supporting community-based activities that acknowledge harms, strengthen relationships, and advance equity and racial justice throughout the state. For State Fiscal Year 2027, the Department expects to make one award totaling approximately 5,000,000 dollars. The stated award range is up to 5,000,000 dollars, while another section states that the anticipated individual award minimum is 5,000,000 dollars. The selected provider will work with IDHS to develop and administer a statewide grantmaking process that distributes between 4,000,000 and 4,500,000 dollars through sub-grants and sub-contracts to organizations conducting racial healing activities. Supported activities may include facilitated small- and large-group conversations, racial healing circles, restorative justice practices, arts and culture activities, and other activities consistent with Healing Illinois goals. Funds must be expended on reasonable, necessary, allocable, and allowable costs. Equipment and building or facility improvements are specifically unallowable. Pre-award costs are allowable. Cost sharing or matching is not required. Indirect costs may be charged to the award. The source contains potentially conflicting indirect-cost language that should be verified before budgeting: the basic information table states that indirect costs are restricted to 15 percent, while later instructions state that an organization may use an approved State of Illinois or Federal negotiated indirect cost rate or elect the 15 percent de minimis rate. Sub-recipient agreements and budgets must be pre-approved by the Department and kept on file, and the primary grantee remains responsible for sub-recipient performance and monitoring. The grantee must distribute sub-grants and sub-contracts strategically across IDHS geographic regions, maintain written agreements, document eligibility, provide technical assistance, conduct statewide racial healing activities, maintain communications and social media efforts, and monitor the appropriate use of sub-award funds. Eligibility is limited to public or private not-for-profit community-based agencies subject to section 501(c)(3) or similar not-for-profit agencies that are in good standing with the State of Illinois and meet all applicable registration and prequalification requirements. Applicants are expected to demonstrate extensive grantmaking experience, the ability to manage a statewide sub-grant or subcontract review process, experience addressing equity and racial justice through community-involved racial healing or restorative activities, training and capacity-building experience, experience with communities of color, large-scale racial healing or cross-cultural conversations, and coalition building. Assigned staff must possess appropriate education, experience, training, communication and project management capabilities, statewide provider relationships, and the ability to direct a statewide grantmaking process. Applicants must be registered and prequalified through the Illinois GATA Grantee Portal, have an active SAM.gov registration and valid UEI, be in good standing when required with the Illinois Secretary of State, and not appear on applicable exclusion, stop-payment, or Medicaid sanctions lists. Each agency is limited to one application. Applications must include the Uniform Application for State Grant Assistance, Grantee Conflict of Interest Disclosure, signed W-9, proposal narrative, and Budget and Budget Narrative. The proposal narrative must be organized as Executive Summary, Need, Capacity, and Quality, with applicable page limits of two, three, five, and five pages respectively. An optional Statement of Priority may also be submitted. Applicants must enter, electronically sign, and submit the budget through the CSA system and include the resulting budget and narrative PDF with the proposal. Proposal files must be PDFs and follow the prescribed naming convention beginning with Healing IL 444-80-2458 and the applicant agency name. The complete application must be emailed only to DHS.Healing@illinois.gov with the NOFO number and agency name in the subject line. Applications sent to another address or submitted by fax, hard copy, disk, or thumb drive will not be considered. Applicants that do not receive an email acknowledging receipt must notify the Department within 48 hours of the deadline. Applications are evaluated through a merit-based review conducted by teams of up to two internal IDHS reviewers. The narrative identifies Executive Summary, Need, Capacity, Quality, the optional Statement of Priority, and Budget Narrative as scored elements. The source contains a scoring inconsistency that should be verified: the application instructions describe the optional Statement of Priority as worth 10 points, which produces a 100-point total, while the later review table lists it as 20 points even though that table also states a total possible score of 100 points. IDHS may also consider geographic distribution, demonstrated need, and past performance, and retains final authority over funding decisions. The application opened April 7, 2026 and closed May 7, 2026 at 12:00 PM CST. The anticipated award date is TBD. Subject to appropriation, the performance period begins no sooner than July 1, 2026 and continues through June 30, 2027, with the possibility of two subsequent one-year renewals at IDHS discretion based on appropriation and satisfactory performance. Program questions may be sent to DHS.Healing@illinois.gov. The named agency and technical contact is Caronina Grimble at caronina.grimble@illinois.gov or 312-505-1895.

Follow the prescribed narrative order and page limits exactly; emphasize demonstrated statewide grantmaking capacity, racial justice and healing experience, community partnerships, staffing readiness, data collection, quality assurance, and ability to meet all deliverables; tie every proposed budget cost to program objectives and ensure the CSA budget reaches signed and submitted to program review status; submit early enough to preserve proof of timely receipt and notify IDHS within 48 hours if no acknowledgment is received; verify the Optional Statement scoring because the source states 10 points in one section and 20 points in the review table while listing a 100-point total.