Illinois Grants

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 program provides funding to help unemployed or under-employed individuals, as well as those facing barriers to employment, access job training and support services for successful re-entry into the workforce.

This grant provides funding to expand Community Support Team services for individuals in nine counties who are eligible for the Northwest Crisis Care System but currently lack financial support for mental health treatment.

The Connect Illinois Broadband Grant Program includes $400 million in appropriated funds available for expansion of broadband infrastructure throughout the state. Through multiple rounds of competitive matching grants, Connect Illinois will provide direct matching grants, awarded on a competitive basis via merit based review, to grant applicants including broadband providers, rural cooperatives, local governments, nonprofit organizations, and partnerships.

The mission of AmeriCorps is to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic participation through service and volunteering. The following non-federal entities (all of which are defined in 2 CFR 200.1) are eligible to apply: - Indian Tribes - Institutions of higher education - Local governments, including school districts - Nonprofit organizations - State of Illinois agencies, departments, and commissions Organizations that propose to operate only in Illinois must apply through Serve Illinois Organizations that propose to operate AmeriCorps programs in more than one State or Territory must apply directly to AmeriCorps. Serve Illinois works under the leadership of the Commission of Volunteerism and Community Service to distribute and administer Illinois AmeriCorps State funding from AmeriCorps, the federal agency. AmeriCorps and Serve Illinois' legal authority to award these grants is found in the National and Community Service Act of 1990, as amended, (NCSA) (42 U.S.C. 12501 et seq.) Serve Illinois considers new cost reimbursement proposals from any eligible applicant, as defined above, to: - Assess the feasibility and fit to AmeriCorps with applicants’ ideas. - In close partnership and assistance from select Serve Illinois staff: develop internal controls, hire and train new staff and/or re-focusing and training existing staff, develop AmeriCorps specific policies and procedures, train in the areas of AmeriCorps member recruitment, enrollment, member supervision, and cost-reimbursement grant management. These various products will be developed in a structured, iterative process during the planning period using Serve Illinois’s Program Manual.

The purpose of the EECBG Program is to assist eligible local governments ("eligible entities") in implementing strategies to reduce fossil fuel emissions, reduce total energy use, improve energy efficiency, and build a clean and equitable energy economy. The Illinois EPA Office of Energy identified the following project topic areas for funding eligibility: Energy Planning and Energy Efficiency: Energy Audits, Building Upgrades. Entities may develop various programs and projects that address one or more of the purposes in a cost effective manner that is of maximum benefit to the population served. Funding may not be used for regularly scheduled maintenance.

This program provides funding to community organizations that offer education and job training in clean energy for individuals in Illinois prisons who are nearing their release, helping them successfully reintegrate into society and the workforce.

This program provides funding to local government units in Illinois to help them create a detailed inventory of lead service lines in their water systems, ensuring public health and regulatory compliance.

This program provides funding and support to small, community-based contractors in Illinois to help them overcome barriers and participate in the clean energy economy.

Five Illinois counties, Alexander, Hardin, Pulaski, Gallatin and Saline; face a fundamental lack of mental health services for justice-involved youth; often having to take juveniles out of the home county for services. If the juveniles are in need of anything greater than outpatient treatment, these youth are sent outside of their home county and sent up to central Illinois, many miles away. Lack of social services coupled with the lack of public transportation, can make it very difficult for juveniles to access resources to avoid entering the Juvenile Justice system in the first place or to succeed while in the system.

The Illinois Department of Public Health is seeking to award a grant for the development and implementation, or further expansion, of a toll free abortion navigation hotline that will not only help navigate any patient who is looking for an abortion to the appropriate provider in Illinois, but that can provide education and logistical support, as needed. The grantee must have experience in abortion navigation services and will develop and maintain relationships with the abortion providers in the State and the Illinois Department of Public Health. The grantee shall promote use of the hotline by distributing information about it via low cost means to professional networks and utilize public and social media. The grantee will provide counseling and information to callers, including connecting them with the appropriate provider for their unique needs and circumstances, education on potential clinical issues prior to their appointment, and connection with support services, as needed. The grantee will be responsible for maintaining up-to-date, accurate resources on IL abortion providers, abortion support service providers, and will ensure a warm handoff (closed loop) referral takes place.

The Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Family and Community Services, seeks an organization with which to contract for the establishment and maintenance of an Early Intervention Clearinghouse (EIC), a resource for the parents/caregivers, general public and early intervention professionals to access information and other resources related to early intervention issues including, but not limited to, culturally inclusive and culturally responsive resources. The EIC provides current, up-to-date information and reference materials that are used by parents to learn more about normal development and specific disabilities. This information is also used by educators and EI professionals to maintain and improve competencies in the evaluation and treatment of children with developmental disabilities and delays. The EIC serves as a communication link between the EI Program and families served by the program through newsletters, a Web site, and reference and lending library services. The EIC maintains a federally required central directory.

The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), Division of Family and Community Services (FCS), awards a successful candidate a grant for the establishment and operation of an Early Intervention (EI) Training Program. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C (34 CFR 303) and the state Early Intervention Services System Act (325 ILCS 20/), both require the establishment of a comprehensive system of personnel development for the Early Intervention Program. This system must provide pre-service and in-service training for providers serving children in the EI Program. The EI Training Program helps ensure that the Illinois EI Program meets Federal rule (34 CFR Part 303.118) requirements for a comprehensive system of personnel development, which must include the following: (1) Training personnel to implement innovative strategies and activities for the recruitment and retention of EI Providers; (2) Promoting the preparation of EI Providers who are fully and appropriately qualified to provide EI services under this part; and, (3) Training personnel to coordinate transition services for infants and toddlers with developmental disabilities or delays who are transitioning from an EI Program 663 under Part C of the Act to a preschool program under section 619 of the Act, Head Start, Early Head Start, an elementary school program under Part B of the Act, or another appropriate program.

It is the policy of the State to enhance the development of all eligible infants and toddlers to minimize developmental delays and maximize individual potential for adult independence. It is the need of the State to implement, on a statewide basis, locally based, comprehensive, coordinated, multidisciplinary, interagency, Early Intervention (EI) services for all eligible infants and toddlers. The EI Program is a statewide program for the evaluation and assessment of infants and toddlers ages birth to three, as well as the provision of services for those who have a qualifying disability or diagnosis, a 30 percent delay in development in one or more of the five developmental domains, or who are at risk of developmental delays. Children and families access EI services through one of 25 Child and Family Connections (CFC) offices. This Notification of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) issued by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), Division of Family and Community Services, Bureau of EI, seeks agencies located within Illinois to serve as the CFC offices for designated geographic areas. (See chart in Appendix I to identify the area served by each CFC office.) CFC offices are the regional intake entities defined in state statute (325 ILCS 20) and rule (89 IL Admin. Code 500) as IDHS’s designated entity responsible for implementation of the EI Program within its designated geographic area. IDHS is required to assure the designation of regional points of entry to accomplish consistent and equitable intake and service coordination throughout the State, with services defined in Section A.2. Separate proposals for each geographical intake region must be submitted for those agencies submitting for more than one geographical intake region.

The Lifestyle Coach Assistance Program is to support existing National Diabetes Prevention Program and Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support Lifestyle Change Coaches, as well as train additional Lifestyle Change Coaches that currently work for organizations with the capacity to establish and/or expand this work. Funding may be used to increase enrollment and retention of priority populations in the National DPP lifestyle intervention, the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program, and the Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support program, including support programs not accredited by ADA/ADCES, by improving awareness and appeal of the program, access to and appropriateness of classes, ease of enrollment, and relevant participant support.

The Illinois Grocery Initiative New Stores in Food Deserts program, authorized by Public Act 103-0561, is intended to address the challenge of food deserts. Food deserts are census tracts meeting specific criteria related to poverty standards, population density, and limited food accessibility. This program aims to combat food insecurity by offering competitive grants to support the establishment of new grocery stores in these areas by reimbursing successful applicants for eligible capital and non-capital costs.

The Agricultural Education Pre-service Teacher Internship Program by the Illinois State Board of Education aims to address the shortage of middle and secondary school agricultural educators in Illinois. The program provides a statewide internship for pre-service agricultural educators, enhancing their content knowledge, promoting industry partnerships, and offering professional development. Eligible applicants must form partnerships between educational entities and postsecondary institutions offering internship programs. The total funding available for this program is $360,960, with the application period running from April 12, 2024, to May 28, 2024, at 4 PM. The program seeks to recruit pre-service teachers from all accredited agricultural education programs in Illinois, offering them an eight-week or 300-hour internship. Applicants must submit their proposals electronically via the ISBE Attachment Manager. The grant period begins no sooner than July 1, 2024, and may extend to August 31, 2025, if summer programming occurs. The program is renewable for up to two additional years, contingent on compliance and performance.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in Scott County, Iowa, and Rock Island County, Illinois, for projects that enhance culture and the arts, education, and social welfare, particularly for underserved communities.

IDPH will work with two FQHCs to improve upon screening reminders/prompts/alerts for diabetic retinopathy and chronic kidney disease within their electronic health record. The FQHCs will be selected based on the following criteria: • Current capability for diabetic retinopathy screening and/or chronic kidney disease screening • Serving target population • Interested in pilot project • EHR capable of integrating workflow • Of sites that meet these criteria, preference will be given to a site that shares the same EHR with additional sites. Applicants must demonstrate how their services will specifically target the black, Hispanic, and/or rural IDPH priority populations.

The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), Bureau of Early Intervention (EI), seeks a Vendor to establish and maintain an EI Credentialing program to support a system of credentialing and enrollment for approximately 4,800 EI Providers. The EI Program currently serves approximately 21,000 children between birth-to-three who have developmental delays or disabilities. Children eligible for the EI Program receive a range of services, chief among them: speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and developmental therapy. In addition, approximately 10,000 children are receiving limited services to evaluate their eligibility and assess their needs for particular services to help them overcome developmental delays and disabilities. The EI Program is operated under federal Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the state Early Intervention Services System Act. Both state and federal laws require the establishment and enforcement of personnel standards for EI Providers serving children in the EI Program. In Illinois, this is accomplished through the credentialing process. The EI Credentialing Office coordinates the credentialing process with EI enrollment to allow EI Providers to be authorized and reimbursed for EI services and Medicaid enrollment to support Medicaid Federal Financial Participation (FFP) reimbursement to IDHS for EI services. IDHS’s goal is to improve the quality of services offered to infants and toddlers in the EI Program through an effective network of EI providers. Maintaining a system of credentialing ensures that new EI Providers are qualified and prepared with the appropriate pediatric experience and education to provide services to infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities and their families. The credential renewal process establishes requirements for EI providers to participate in continuing professional education activities and ongoing professional development that will help maintain and improve their competencies.