State Grants

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) is offering a discretionary federal grant opportunity titled “IL Special Education Leadership Academy – ISELA Project RFP” for Fiscal Year 2026. The funding is derived entirely from federal sources under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B Discretionary funds. This initiative is designed to enhance the professional capacity and leadership skills of special education administrators across Illinois. The grant is aimed at meeting the statewide and regional training needs of experienced and new directors of special education through structured professional development, mentoring, and an annual conference. The Illinois Special Education Leadership Academy (ISELA) will determine and address the evolving training needs of special education administrators by facilitating regional and statewide professional development sessions. The training will cover topics identified through needs assessments conducted in collaboration with ISBE. The grantee is expected to coordinate and implement these professional development offerings, facilitate mentoring for new directors, and manage the delivery of an annual two-day statewide directors’ conference. The focus is on compliance with federal performance expectations and advancing inclusive practices for students with disabilities. The total funding available for this opportunity is $186,000 per fiscal year, with one award anticipated. The award is renewable for up to two additional years through FY 2028, contingent upon continued compliance with grant requirements and appropriation of funds. Allowable expenditures under this grant include salaries and benefits, facility rental, training materials, equipment rental, presenter fees, travel expenses, and duplication services. However, the use of funds must supplement—not supplant—existing initiatives and comply with federal Uniform Guidance at 2 CFR 200. Indirect costs are allowed but are restricted based on entity type and federal guidance. Eligible applicants include Local Education Agencies (LEAs), institutions of higher education, Regional Offices of Education (ROEs), other public agencies, and private nonprofit organizations. Only one application per entity, identified by Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN), will be accepted. Entities must complete the State of Illinois Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) prequalification process, which includes registration in the System for Award Management (SAM), and must obtain a Region County District Type (RCDT) code before submission. Applications must be submitted online as a complete PDF package by 4:00 PM on August 18, 2025. The grant opportunity was posted on July 2, 2025, and applications were accepted from that date forward. The ISBE does not offer a technical assistance session but applicants may contact Sherry Bochenek via email or phone with any questions. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review any posted FAQs or changes to the NOFO/RFP before the deadline. Award notifications are expected approximately 90 days after the application deadline. Unsuccessful applicants will be informed via a Notice of Non-Award and may appeal under ISBE’s Merit-Based Review Policy. The application includes several required attachments, including a uniform application, a narrative detailing experience and plans, a budget, and evaluation methods. Scoring is based on need, capacity, program quality, implementation strategy, program awareness efforts, and evaluation design. Applicants must achieve at least 80 points to be considered for funding. The awarded entity will also be responsible for periodic reporting to ISBE, including monthly meetings, quarterly financial reports, and annual programmatic evaluations.

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