640 Youth Project LIGHTHOUSE Program

The Illinois Department of Human Services, through its Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery and in partnership with the Office of Firearm Violence Prevention, is offering the competitive 640 Youth Project LIGHTHOUSE Program. Project LIGHTHOUSE is designed to strengthen Illinois' behavioral health response in communities disproportionately affected by firearm violence. The program focuses primarily on high-risk youth ages 14 through 17 and their families, while grantees may extend services to children, youth, and young adults ages 6 through 24. Eligible participants must reside in or attend school in an eligible Service Area and must have been physically or otherwise harmed by firearm violence or determined through screening to be at highest risk of firearm-related harm. The program will fund a coordinated menu of trauma-informed behavioral health supports intended to reduce the effects of community violence and promote healing. Required services include community outreach, validated screening, care coordination and resource navigation, psychoeducation, non-clinical healing services, and community training on trauma. Each participant must be screened, and enrolled participants must have individualized case plans based on identified needs. Grantees must address social determinants of health through linkages to supports such as public benefits, housing and utility assistance, food assistance, employment resources, youth programming, health services, and behavioral health resources. Grantees must also establish an appropriate relationship with a clinical provider capable of accepting referrals for participants requiring more intensive clinical assessment and treatment. Approximately $4,500,000 in State funding is expected to support approximately 16 awards, with an anticipated average award of $280,000. The notice does not state a minimum or maximum individual award amount. No cost sharing or matching contribution is required. Indirect costs are allowed; eligible organizations may use an applicable negotiated indirect cost rate or elect the allowable de minimis rate, up to 15 percent, subject to State requirements. Pre-award costs are not allowable. Grant funding is the payer of last resort and cannot be used to pay for Medicaid services or supplant Medicaid, All Kids, or private insurance when participants are eligible for those programs. Subcontractor agreements and budgets require DBHR pre-approval. Eligible applicants include government organizations, education organizations, public housing organizations, nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations, and small businesses. Applicants must satisfy Illinois registration and prequalification requirements before the application deadline, including applicable Grantee Portal, SAM.gov, UEI, good-standing, exclusion, sanctions, and stop-payment requirements. The program is geographically restricted to sixteen designated Service Areas covering specified RPSA communities in Chicago, suburban Chicago, and Greater Illinois. More than one application per entity is permitted, but only one application may be submitted per Service Area. An organization applying for multiple Service Areas must submit a separate application packet, narrative, and budget for each Service Area. A complete application must be submitted electronically by email to DHS.DBHR.GrantApp@illinois.gov and must include the Uniform Application for State Grant Assistance, Program Narrative, Grantee Conflict of Interest Disclosure, the budget entered and signed in the CSA Tracking System, applicable subcontractor budgets, and, when requested, the Advance Payment Request Cash Budget Form. The email subject line must contain the applicant's entity name and Program 640. The Program Narrative may not exceed 12 pages and must follow the prescribed organization and formatting requirements. A separate application and narrative are required for each proposed Service Area. The FY27 budget must also be electronically signed and submitted in the CSA Tracking System by the application deadline. Applications are evaluated through a competitive merit review. The Program Narrative scoring allocates 15 points to Need, 25 points to Capacity, 45 points to Quality, and 15 points to Data Collection, Evaluation and Reporting Criteria; the Executive Summary is not scored. Reviewers consider the proposed Service Area and target population, demonstrated need, experience with high-risk youth and trauma-informed behavioral health services, community partnerships, staffing and fiscal capacity, readiness, detailed plans for each required service, accessibility, clinical partnerships, insurance enrollment, quality management, performance tracking, and data-sharing procedures. IDHS may also consider geographical distribution, demonstrated need, and past performance, and retains final authority over funding decisions. The opportunity was posted July 29, 2026, and full applications are due August 27, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. Noon Central Time. No letter of intent, pre-application, or white paper is required. Questions are due August 20, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. Noon Central Time and must be emailed to DHS.DBHR.GrantApp@illinois.gov with the required program question subject line. Optional early submission by August 20, 2026 at noon allows DBHR to prescreen the application for administrative completeness and specified curable errors. Barb Roberson is the named program contact. The anticipated award and project start date is October 1, 2026. Subject to appropriation, the initial performance period continues through June 30, 2027. Successful applicants may be eligible for two subsequent one-year renewals at IDHS discretion, contingent upon sufficient appropriations, satisfactory performance, timely reporting, and continued good standing.

Organize the narrative exactly around the scored Need, Capacity, Quality, and Data Collection Evaluation and Reporting sections. Address every required service and place information in the section where reviewers are instructed to score it. Demonstrate direct experience with high-risk youth, trauma-informed behavioral health services, firearm-violence-affected communities, and local partnerships. Clearly identify the required 0.50 FTE Program Coordinator and coverage of all required program roles. Explain the formal clinical referral relationship, insurance enrollment process, service accessibility, performance tracking, and data sharing. Do not exceed the 12-page narrative maximum. Use the correct application and mandatory suffix for each Service Area and confirm the CSA budget is signed and submitted to program review. Consider submitting by 08/20/2026 at noon Central Time for optional administrative prescreening of specified curable errors.