Illinois Community Development Grants

This funding opportunity supports community-based organizations and public entities in Illinois to develop and plan community solar projects that benefit low-income households and historically disadvantaged communities.

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) offers the Section 319(h) Grant Program to address nonpoint source (NPS) pollution affecting Illinois’ water resources. This program, funded through the Clean Water Act, supports projects that prevent, eliminate, or reduce water quality impairments caused by NPS pollution. Prioritized projects include those implementing approved watershed-based plans or Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Implementation Plans, with activities ranging from BMP implementation to monitoring and outreach efforts. The program encourages applications that demonstrate a comprehensive approach to NPS pollution control and offer sustainable environmental benefits. Grant renewed every year.

Technical Assistance Session August 5, 2024, 2:30-3:30 https://intranet.dhs.illinois.gov/oneweb/page.aspx?item=166292 Program Summary • The Grantee will provide outreach, engagement, training, and support to faith-based organizations serving communities that are underserved by mental and behavioral health resources. Furthermore, the Grantee will utilize all available resources to provide initial relationship building within community areas by delivering training to faith-based leadership and providing connection through personal stories from persons with lived expertise to the leadership of faith communities or their congregations. • The Division is seeking providers who can serve one or more of the following ZIP codes: 60409, 60411, 60419, 60426, 60428, 60458, 60469, 60472, 60473, 60608, 60609, 60612, 60615, 60619, 60620, 60621, 60622, 60623, 60624, 60627, 60628, 60636, 60637, 60639, 60643, 60644, 60647, 60649, 60651, 60653, 60827, 60901, 61832, 61833, 61834, 62002, 62024, 62201, 62202, 62203, 62204, 62205, 62206, 62207, 62208, 62626, 62801, 62832, 62896 Program Goals and Objectives Program Description • The Department of Human Services/Division of Mental Health shall contract with one or more community providers to provide outreach, engagement, training, and support to faith-based organizations serving communities that are underserved by mental and behavioral health resources. The Division shall identify the targeted communities. Under this program, the community providers shall utilize all available resources to provide initial relationship building within community areas by delivering training to faith-based leadership and providing connection through personal stories from persons with lived expertise to the leadership of faith communities or their congregations. The Division shall seek organizations that are providing services within targeted communities in awarding funding under the program. • The Division is seeking providers who can serve one or more of the following ZIP codes: 60409, 60411, 60419, 60426, 60428, 60458, 60469, 60472, 60473, 60608, 60609, 60612, 60615, 60619, 60620, 60621, 60622, 60623, 60624, 60627, 60628, 60636, 60637, 60639, 60643, 60644, 60647, 60649, 60651, 60653, 60827, 60901, 61832, 61833, 61834, 62002, 62024, 62201, 62202, 62203, 62204, 62205, 62206, 62207, 62208, 62626, 62801, 62832, 62896 Performance Requirements The Grantee shall: 1. Build relationships with faith-based communities in the targeted communities and ensure that those organizations are aware of the behavioral health resources available. 2. Build relationships with local community mental health centers (CMHCs) and other behavioral health providers to help facilitate linkage to mental health services for people in targeted communities. 3. Support faith-based communities in advocating for community members who are affected by behavioral health conditions to access mental health treatment and recovery services that shall assist them in living healthy and productive lives. 4. Deliver mental health training to faith-based leadership and provide connection through personal stories from persons with lived expertise to the leadership of faith communities or their congregations. 5. Ensure that consumers in the program experience a warm handoff between the grantee and the CMHC or other service provider. 6. Assist consumers in navigating or bypassing wait lists and other barriers to accessing care to the greatest possible extent. 7. Provide information about the Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS) credential to interested individuals. 8. Use their relationships with CMHCs and service providers to support expansion of services when needed and where possible.

The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program, managed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity in Illinois, provides funds to assist Illinois communities in their economic and community development efforts, particularly focusing on aiding individuals with low-to-moderate income.

Description: The Illinois Grocery Initiative aims to establish new grocery stores in food deserts to increase access to fresh food in underserved areas. This grant, under the funding opportunity number FY24-2 and CSFA number 420-35-3295, anticipates awarding 8 grants with a total program funding of $14,000,000. Eligible projects must involve capital expenditures, as operational costs are not covered. Grants will range from $160,000 to $2,400,000, and applicants are required to meet cost-sharing requirements. The application window opens on 04/09/2024 and closes on 05/24/2024. Indirect costs are allowed but restricted to capital-only expenditures. There are mandatory and optional technical assistance sessions provided to assist applicants, with registration required through provided links.

This funding opportunity provides matching grants to public charities and local government agencies in DuPage County, Illinois, to support creative public art projects that enhance the community's cultural landscape.

The Illinois Energy Transition Navigators Program, funded by the state's Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, aims to establish a network of community-based providers throughout Illinois to facilitate community education, outreach, and recruitment. These providers will connect individuals to clean energy workforce and contractor development programs, with a focus on equity investment eligible communities and individuals. The program has a budget of $6 million and expects to award 13 grants ranging from $250,000 to $600,000. It targets specific hub regions and operates on a rolling, first-come, first-served basis.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations in the Greater St. Louis region for projects that improve transportation, safety, and access to services for seniors aged 55 and older.

This grant provides funding to counties, municipalities, nonprofit organizations, and local promotion groups in Cook County to promote tourism and increase overnight stays in paid accommodations through marketing and promotional activities.

The Governor and the General Assembly direct the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) to administer grants for specific miscellaneous purposes to bolster the state’s economy, promote a clean environment, and improve the overall quality of life throughout the state of Illinois. This grant program is available to any entity receiving funding via lump sum appropriation. Eligible costs for this program are bondable costs associated with site improvements. This includes demolition; grading/earthwork; landscaping; sidewalks; replacement of bridges; construction and/or upgrade of roads, parking lots, curb and gutter, parks and other open spaces as well as structures within them; etc. This may include associated streetscaping.

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is offering a Business Resiliency program, funded by federal Community Development Block Grant-Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) Funds. This grant aims to support the construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or acquisition of property for homeless shelters, with the goal of increasing their capacity to pre-COVID levels. The program is federally funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and requires all awarded projects to demonstrate a connection to the prevention, preparation, and response to the coronavirus. The primary objective is to provide stable, safe, and adequate housing for individuals experiencing homelessness, aligning with the broader mission of community development and support for vulnerable populations. The target beneficiaries are homeless individuals, with the impact goal of increasing the capacity of shelters to serve more people and improve living conditions. This program directly addresses the critical need for enhanced housing infrastructure in the wake of the pandemic, ensuring that communities are better equipped to handle homelessness. A key priority of this grant is to fund projects that meet the National Objective of Low to Moderate Income for the benefiting businesses, ensuring that the assistance reaches those most in need. The program also emphasizes robust collaboration among local entities, requiring letters of support from a minimum of five community homelessness support services. This fosters a coordinated approach to addressing homelessness and ensures comprehensive service delivery. Expected outcomes include an increase in the number of available shelter beds and improved facilities for homeless individuals. While the total funding amount is yet to be precisely determined, it will be at least $15 million, with individual awards ranging from $500,000 to $2 million. The number of grants will be based on the amounts requested. The project period is anticipated to run from January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2026, allowing for a substantial duration to achieve the program's objectives. Measurable results will be tied to the increased capacity of shelters and their ability to provide stable and safe housing. Eligibility criteria require entities to be registered in the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) Grantee Portal, possess valid FEIN and UEI numbers, have current and public SAM.gov registrations, and be in good standing with state and federal lists. Eligible applicants must also be units of local government receiving "Entitlement" CDBG funding, have a current Shelter Funding Strategy, and remain compliant with all applicable nondiscrimination laws.

This funding opportunity is designed to support organizations in Illinois that are focused on developing and implementing training and evaluation programs to improve service delivery and workforce effectiveness.

This program provides financial support to local governments, public colleges, and qualified nonprofits to help hire and retain law enforcement officers, improving recruitment and retention efforts across the state.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to local governments in Illinois for rehabilitating homes occupied by low-to-moderate income households, promoting neighborhood revitalization and improving housing conditions.

This funding opportunity supports programs that engage AmeriCorps members in service activities to strengthen communities across Illinois, focusing on areas like education, economic opportunity, and public health, with eligible applicants including nonprofits, local governments, and educational institutions.

This funding initiative provides $10,000 to small U.S. towns and nonprofit organizations to engage residents in shaping their community's future through a structured participatory model, requiring a matching contribution to ensure local investment.

This funding opportunity is designed to assist local governments and organizations in Rockford's Metropolitan Planning Area with projects that improve transportation infrastructure, such as bike paths, streetscapes, and historic preservation efforts.

Program Summary • The Grantee shall deliver mental health services to individuals who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing or DeafBlind by utilizing a culturally affirmative approach. This approach will adhere to the Americans with Disabilities Act. The culturally affirmative approach shall serve these populations in an individualized manner and shall provide any level of outpatient mental health service delivered by staff who directly provide such in the individual's language and communication mode. Additionally, these staff will exhibit a distinct knowledge base, specialized clinical skills, and specialized cultural linguistic skills. The service delivery may also include staff who exhibit a knowledge base in serving these minority populations and utilize reasonable accommodations for the individual's language needs and communication modes. The Grantee's staff providing mental health services may include case managers, therapists, counselors, and/or psychiatrists. The Grantee shall communicate in an accessible manner, by utilizing Video Phones, TTYs, licensed sign language interpreters and/or other reasonable accommodations according to the individual's needs. Funding Priorities or Focus Areas • IDHS is working to counteract systemic racism and inequity, and to prioritize and maximize diversity throughout its service provision process. This work involves addressing existing institutionalized inequities, aiming to create transformation, and operationalizing equity and racial justice. It also focuses on the creation of a culture of inclusivity for all regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or ability. Project Description • The Grantee must deliver mental health services to individuals who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing or DeafBlind by utilizing a culturally affirmative approach. This approach will adhere to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Each of these minority populations have unique cultural and linguistic needs, which are not exclusively homogeneous. Therefore, the culturally affirmative approach must serve these populations in an individualized manner. An individual who is Deaf, Hard of Hearing or DeafBlind, that is served by this grant funding, may reside or be originally from any county in Illinois. The cultural affirmative service delivery must provide any level of outpatient mental health service delivered by staff who directly provide such in the individual’s language and communication mode. Additionally, these staff will exhibit a distinct knowledge base, specialized clinical skills, and specialized cultural linguistic skills. The service delivery may also include staff who exhibit a knowledge base in serving these minority populations, and utilize reasonable accommodations for the individual’s language needs and communication modes. The Grantee’s staff providing mental health services may include, but are not limited to: case managers, therapists, counselors, and/or psychiatrists. The Grantee must communicate in an accessible manner, by utilizing Video Phones, TTYs, licensed sign language interpreters and/or other reasonable accommodations according to the individual’s needs. There are community networks across the state of Illinois that serve as a separate referral source for these populations. In these networks, information is communicated on how and where to access these services that are delivered in a cultural affirmative approach. The Grantee must serve as an embedded entity of these community networks as it relates to their cultural affirmative service delivery of mental health services. The Grantee’s staff will outreach, collaborate, and network across various service systems to effectively address these challenges. As part of this, the Grantee will assist individuals served in addressing the complex language, cultural, clinical, and administrative challenges when navigating the various service systems and their associated processes. Most often, these systems’ information is not readily accessible in the population’s native language and communication mode. Specifically, the Grantee’s staff will assist individuals in identifying and linking to other applicable providers, how to access their services, and/or apply for applicable benefits. Additionally, there is an absence of any evidence-based mental health treatment developed for or evaluated for use with these populations. The grantee must adapt evidence-based mental health treatment using an effective and culturally affirmative approach. This must include but is not limited to: consideration of the individual’s culture, community, beliefs, thinking and learning style, communication mode(s), and language needs. This funding is designated to support costs associated with cultural affirmative service delivery approach; the necessary outreach, networking, and collaboration necessary as an embedded entity providing for these populations; adaptation of evidence-based mental health treatment; and paying for licensed sign language interpreter services. The mental health services provided are billed to Healthcare and Family Services’ Illinois Medicaid as well as any of their associated Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCOs). Therefore, the Grantee must also have certification as (Comprehensive) Community Mental Health Center (CMHC), as defined in Part 132, Subparts B and C.

This funding opportunity is designed to support local organizations in Illinois that provide essential nursing care and support services to high-risk pregnant and postpartum individuals and their infants, aiming to improve health outcomes and reduce disparities in maternal and infant health.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to community-based organizations in Illinois to improve blood pressure control and address social factors affecting cardiovascular health among adults at high risk.