Teen REACH (Responsibility, Education, Achievement, Caring, and Hope) (25-444-80-1411-01)

Summary Information

1. Program Description
   1. Program Summary
      1. Program Overview
         Illinois' youth and families face a staggering array of economic demands and social challenges that often make it difficult for young people to reach their full potential.
         With so many parents working away from home, many young people lack adult supervision during the late afternoon and early evening hours on school days - hours during which, research has shown, most risk-taking behavior by youth takes place.
         There are increased pressures to address gaps in academic achievement and high rates of crime and violence in many of our communities. Out-of-school-time programming has been identified as a key strategy for addressing these challenges and helping our young people to build upon their assets and become productive members of society.
         Many youths live in communities with high rates of crime and violence both in and outside of the home. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, in 2019 there were 7,064 deaths by accidents and homicides. The leading causes of death for youths ages 1-17 were, accidents, assault and intentional self-harm.
         COVID-19 continues to be an extremely disruptive force in education, with some schools opting for full remote learning while others are choosing some combination of in-person and remote learning. This crisis will exacerbate persistent educational achievement disparities across income levels as lower-income students are less likely to have access to the resources necessary for effective remote learning such as high-speed internet access, tablets or computers and adequate academic supervision. This is especially true for low-income students and students of black and Hispanic heritage, with one study estimating that low-income youth may lose over 12 months of learning and that the current, disparate achievement gap could increase by 15% to 20%.2.
         A growing body of literature suggests that out-of-school-time programs are effective in addressing many of these challenges and provide youth with enrichment opportunities to build positive life skills. Research has shown that out-of-school-time programs can make a difference in areas such as academic achievement, social-emotional development, and the avoidance of delinquent or high-risk behavior. Parents support these programs in part because the programs are addressing their most basic need - that is, the need for safe environments for their children and youth during the otherwise unsupervised after-school hours.
   2. Intent of the Notice of Funding Opportunity
      The Department is seeking applications from public or private not-for-profit organizations to provide community site Teen REACH services as described throughout the NOFO to at-risk youth. Community site Teen REACH service providers will be reimbursed at a rate not to exceed $5.00 per Youth Attendance Hour (YAH).
      In addition, the Department intends to fund one organization to provide a statewide network of Teen REACH Services. Organizations applying for funding as a statewide network:
      • Must have an existing infrastructure/network of affiliates located throughout the state.
      • Is expected to operate a minimum of 45 to 65 separate programming sites throughout the state.
      • Must provide programming as described throughout the NOFO at each affiliate site.
      • Applicant and/or each affiliate site will be required to utilize the eCornerstone system for data collection and reporting.
      • It is expected that the rate per Youth Attendance Hour (YAH) will not exceed $3.34 for this provider due to implementing through an established network. All remaining performance measures/standards will be the same as the non-statewide provider sites.
      • Affiliate sites may not also apply for funding as an individual agency under this NOFO
        The intent of this funding for both community site applicants and for a single Statewide applicant is to serve:
      1. Older Youth - Current research indicates that older youth are more likely than younger ones to spend out-of-school time unsupervised, and that there is a greater need for out-of-school time programming for older youth. In order to meet the needs of this group, the Department will ensure that all funded applicants have demonstrated the ability and intent to serve youth ages 11 to 17. Agencies serving both younger and older age groups must provide no more than 30% of their services to children ages 6 to 10 (i.e., at least 70% of their services to youth ages 11 to 17). For agencies operating the program at multiple sites, these percentages apply to the total population served by the agency, across all sites, not the number at any individual program site. This will be measured by considering the age of the youth at the time of enrollment into the program.
      2. At-Risk Youth - Applicants must demonstrate the ability and intent to target and serve youth determined to be at risk. This will include youth at risk for academic failure, at risk for involvement in the child welfare system, at risk of involvement in the juvenile justice systems and youth experiencing homelessness. Refer to Section A.4.b "Target Population" below for a listing of targeted individual and/or family risk factors.
      3. High-Need Communities - Applicants must demonstrate the ability and intent to target services to these at-risk youth residing in high-risk communities, as identified through a community needs assessment. Refer to Section A.4.e "Assessment of Community Need." Resources will be allocated to applicants that have very clearly demonstrated that the funds will be most effectively and efficiently used and will have the greatest impact on at-risk youth living within the community.
   3. Goals to be Achieved
      The goal of the Teen REACH program is to expand the range of choices and opportunities that enable, empower and encourage youth to achieve positive growth and development, improve expectations and capacities for future success, and avoid and/or reduce risk-taking behavior. Specifically, this means providing youth with safe environments and caring adults, and guiding them toward educational success, marketable skills and opportunities to serve their communities.
      The program provides the following prevention-focused core services; additional services appropriate to the youth and/or his community may also be provided:
      • Improving academic performance
      • Life skills education
      • Parental involvement
      • Recreation, sports, and cultural and artistic activities
      • Positive adult mentors
      • Service learning
      • Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Learning
        For additional information regarding the Teen REACH program and expectations, please refer to Teen REACH Program Standards Appendix and the Teen REACH Logic Model Appendix
   4. Required Services and Programming
      Following is information about important aspects of the Teen REACH program, with which Applicants will be expected to comply:
      1. CORE SERVICES - Teen REACH programs must include activities in each of seven core service areas. Each youth must participate in activities in all seven core service areas. These core services, the outcomes they are designed to achieve, and the developmental assets that are associated with them are as follows:
         1. Improving Academic Performance -- This includes time to do homework, tutoring in basic skills, and enrichment programs that encourage creativity.
            1. Outcomes
               • Participant will maintain or improve school attendance.
               • Participant will maintain or improve grades or progress reporting in school.
               • Participants will develop or improve career aspirations and choices.
            2. Developmental assets
               • Participants are actively engaged in learning.
               • Participants are motivated and strive to do well in school.
               • Participants are optimistic about a personal future and career.
         2. Life Skills Education -- This encompasses training and education that promotes the development of healthy lifestyles and encourages abstinence from risk-taking behaviors in the areas of alcohol and/or substance use, criminal activity, violence and sexual activity.
            1. Outcomes
               • Participants will increase knowledge of harmful effects of substance use and abuse.
               • Participants will increase knowledge of harmful effects of early sexual activity and pregnancy.
               • Participants will increase anger management and conflict resolution skills.
               • Participants will increase decision making and problem-solving skills.
               • Participants will increase healthy nutritional choices.
            2. Developmental assets
               • Participants believe it is important not to use alcohol and other drugs.
               • Participants believe it is important not to be sexually active.
               • Participants seek to resolve conflict nonviolently.
               • Participants know how to plan and make choices.
         3. Parental Involvement - Programs must provide opportunities for parents and/or guardians to meet with staff to discuss their children's activities, and to participate in events that strengthen parent/child bonds and community involvement.
            1. Outcomes
               • Increase in parental monitoring of academic performance.
               • Increase in understanding of child and adolescent developmental stages and appropriate expectations.
               • Increase in positive and effective communication with children and teens regarding alcohol, tobacco and other drug use, sexual activity, abstinence and other life skills.
               • Increase structured activities that promote positive family interaction.
            2. Developmental assets
               • Parents are actively involved in helping the child succeed in school.
               • Parents understand child and adolescent developmental stages and have appropriate expectations.
               • Families have clear and consistent rules and consequences.
               • Parents and children communicate positively regarding alcohol, tobacco and other drug use, sexual activity, abstinence and other life skills.
               • Parents foster resilience.
               • Parents plan and spend time in structured activities that promote positive family interaction.
         4. Recreation, Sports, and Cultural/Artistic Activities - This includes providing activities and arranging safe outlets for youth to try new skills and develop new interests, to build friendships, find their place in a group, and gain developmentally relevant experiences.
            1. Outcomes
               • Provide opportunities for participants to engage in cultural enrichment and fine art activities.
               • Provide opportunities for participants to demonstrate sportsmanship and athletic skills.
               • Provide opportunities for participants to increase their level of activity.
            2. Developmental assets
               • Participants demonstrate sportsmanship.
               • Participants believe it is important to follow rules.
               • Participants respect the ability and contribution of others.
               • Participants engage in activities that foster creativity and spirituality.
               • Participants demonstrate positive relationships with peers.
         5. Positive Adult Mentors - Programs must allow opportunities for youth to develop and maintain positive, sustained relationships with caring adults through mentoring and other programs that emphasize one-on-one interactions.
            1. Outcomes
               • Increase support to youth during times of personal or social stress.
               • Increase support for decision making.
               • Increase access to support with academic tasks and/or homework.
               • Increase opportunities for career awareness and mentoring.
            2. Developmental assets
               • Participants have a connection with a caring adult.
               • Participants believe they can be successful.
               • Participants believe they can make good decisions.
               • Participants believe they have a future.
         6. Service-Learning Activities - Service-learning is a method of teaching and learning that connects classroom lessons with meaningful service to the community. Students build academic skills while strengthening communities through service. Service learning combines service tasks with structured, youth-driven opportunities that link the task to self-reflection, self-discovery, and the acquisition and comprehension of values, skills and knowledge content with service tasks.
            1. Outcomes
               • Youth determine and meet real, defined community needs.
               • Youth learn beyond the classroom through active participation in service experiences.
               • Youth develop and use skills and knowledge in real-life situations.
               • Youth increase the amount of time spent to reflect by thinking, discussing and/or writing about service experiences.
               • Youth experience a sense of belonging to a community and an awareness of their responsibility to that community.
            2. Developmental assets
               • Youth experience opportunities for experiential learning.
               • Youth are empowered to assume leadership roles.
               • Youth are involved in the decision-making process.
               • Youth place a high value in helping others.
               • Youth develop empathy for others.
               • Youth believes that his/her life has a purpose.
               • Youth engage in productive activities that build job and life skills and reinforce community-mindedness.
         7. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) - Students must develop the skills to solve problems and make sense of complex information. The skills developed in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) are crucial because they impact almost every aspect of life. Afterschool Applicants cultivate STEM curiosity in young people. Learning STEM skills better prepare students for school and future careers. These skills are useful in all careers, not just STEM careers.
            1. Outcomes
               • Youth will demonstrate problem-solving skills within a scientific, mathematic or technological context.
               • Youth will learn how to work in teams and help to build relationships.
               • Youth will develop the ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
               • Youth will be better prepared to enter the workforce.
            2. Developmental assets
               • Improve attitudes toward learning.
               • Improve behavior, self-confidence and overall well-being.
               • Improve decision making skills.
               • Develop long-term academic improvement.
               • Develop time management and organization skills.
               • Develop career interests.
               • Improve math literacy and science knowledge.
                 Providers will evaluate these objectives and developmental assets through self-developed annual surveys administered to youth and their parents. The provider will report the results to the Department annually. Refer to Section A.4.l "Program Evaluation".
      2. TARGET POPULATION
         Teen REACH program services are provided for at-risk children and youth ages 6 to 17, or any subset within that age range. Accepted age group subsets are 6-10, 11-13, and 14-17. Because the Department only intends to fund applications targeting services to youth ages 11-17, agencies serving both younger and older age groups must provide no more than 30% of their services to children ages 6 to 10 (i.e., at least 70% of their services to youth ages 11 to 17). This will be measured by considering the age of the youth at enrollment into the program. For agencies operating the program at multiple sites, these percentages apply to the total population served by the agency, across all sites, not the number at any individual program site.
         The individual and/or family risk factors of youth targeted by the Teen REACH program include but are not limited to the following:
         • Youth living in a single-parent household
         • Youth residing in a household receiving TANF funds
         • Youth experiencing academic difficulties
         • Youth is in danger of or has been previously held back to repeat one or more academic years
         • Youth experiencing truancy concerns
         • Youth is reported to have behavior issues
         • Youth is reported to be a victim of bullying
         • Youth is reported to be a perpetrator of bullying
         • Youth is unsupervised after school
         • Youth has witnessed or been a victim of family violence
         • Youth identifies as LGBTQ
         • Youth with siblings who dropped out of school
         • Youth with siblings who are teen parents
         • Youth with siblings who are involved in the juvenile justice system
         • Youth with one or both parents who are incarcerated
         • Youth with siblings who are gang involved
         • Youth is reported to be gang - involved
         • Youth in the DCFS system
         • Youth is homeless
         • Youth is pregnant
         • Youth is parenting
      3. DAYS AND HOURS OF OPERATION
         Programs must be operational for 12 consecutive months, minimum 240 days and provide, on average, 3 hours of programming each day open minimum 720 hours. This will be demonstrated in the agency's Youth Attendance Plan (available as an Appendix) submitted as Attachment P2. A day/hour open is determined by recording attendance in the e-Cornerstone system.
         Please note that agencies may use ten (10) of the 240 days of program operation for staff training, however, the minimum hours of programming may not be less than 720.
         Programs must operate during out-of-school hours, based on the needs of the community. Programs are encouraged to operate the program during the critically important late afternoon/early evening hours, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Programs may operate later in the evening if a need is determined based on the community assessment. Programs may operate before school and/or after school. Agencies are encouraged to offer programming on Saturdays and Sundays, and during school breaks.
         Programs are required to maintain the level of service identified in their Youth Attendance Plan or risk non-compliance with the program contract, which may result in a reduction or loss of grant funds. Level of service will be monitored by the Department utilizing the e-Cornerstone system.
         Please refer to Section A.6 "Performance Based Funding" for more information regarding Performance Based Funding.
      4. ENROLLMENT AND ATTENDANCE
         Each Teen REACH participant must be enrolled in the program via the eCornerstone system. Drop-in services will not be supported with Teen REACH grant funds. Required program data will be collected and maintained on all youth enrolled in the program in accordance with Department guidelines.
         Programs are required to maintain attendance at the level for which funding is requested, projected in the Youth Attendance Plan, or risk non-compliance with the program contract, which may result in a reduction or loss of grant funds. Attendance will be monitored by the Department utilizing the e-Cornerstone system.
         Refer to Section A.6 "Performance Based Funding" for more information regarding Performance Based Funding.
      5. ASSESSMENT OF COMMUNITY NEED
         Teen REACH programming must be designed to meet the specific needs of the community in which it is located. Each Applicant must have a plan to conduct / update their community needs assessment or at a minimum, part of their community needs assessment, annually. This includes local youth, family, school and community surveys and focus groups in addition to reviewing all relevant available data and recently completed community assessments. These will be analyzed to determine the level of need in the community and to provide a foundation for developing carefully planned and thoughtful service provision. The results of the assessment/updates will be presented and supported in the application. A thorough description of youth, family, and community risk-factors that demonstrate that programming is intended to target services to at-risk youth, as identified in Sec A, 3B, residing in high-risk communities. There should also be a direct correlation of needs with the activities planned and described in the program description section of the application and in the activities indicated in the completed Activity Calendar(s).
      6. COMMUNITY-CENTERED PROGRAMMING
         Programming should be comprehensive and holistic in its approach, offering a range of services designed to have a positive impact on youth participants' social, creative, physical and cognitive development. Programs must be designed around the seven core services described in Section A.4.a "Core Services," above.
         Agencies are encouraged to utilize established, evidence-based programming models that have a high potential to be effective with at-risk youth in at-risk community settings. Best practice or promising practice programming models should be utilized, if these models meet community needs and can be implemented. Best practice models are those known to be research-based and proven to be effective at preventing and/or delaying risk-taking behaviors. Promising practices are those for which some data has shown positive effects on delaying risk-taking behaviors, but the data are insufficient to support generalized outcomes. (Please refer to the Best & Promising Practices Appendix for a list of relevant to out-of-school time programs.) Applications that do not indicate the intention to implement best practice models will receive lower scores.
         In addition to considering community need in the selection of program model, agencies must also demonstrate their experience in implementing the type of programming they have chosen and discuss their capacity to do so.
         The Department recognizes that communities have a unique perspective on what works and what is needed in their own community. Therefore, Applicants may adapt best or promising practice models as necessary to meet the unique needs of the community. However, it should be noted that any modifications to established program models might reduce the likelihood of achieving the predicted outcomes. Applicants may also propose programming not included in the Best & Promising Practices Appendix, if it can be clearly demonstrated that the proposed activities are consistent with commonly accepted guidelines for effectiveness and that those activities are aligned with the specific needs of the community.
      7. ACTIVITY CALENDAR
         Teen REACH activities must be age-appropriate, conducted in an organized manner, and carried out on a regular, periodic basis. Activities chosen should also be supported by youth, family and/or community needs. A Sample Activity Calendar (available as an Appendix) of this Funding Notice must be completed for each site and submitted as Attachment P1 of your application. The completed Activity Calendar(s) will demonstrate that planned program activities will address all six core services and will be carried out on a regular basis. Please note that if a site is planned to have a varied scheduled, please complete additional activity calendars to demonstrate that planned variance. Example: School-Year schedule vs. a Summer schedule.
      8. TIMELINE
         Applicants must include a proposed timeline for implementation of the Teen REACH program, including any time required for start-up activities, and significant milestone activities and events throughout the year. Applicants are required to begin serving youth within 8 weeks of award.
      9. COMMUNITY ADVISORY COUNCIL
         Programs must form and utilize a Community Advisory Council or board in conducting Teen REACH activities in order to integrate active partners who can devote time and resources to the program. Existing councils may be utilized if they properly represent the positive youth development concept of Teen REACH. The Community Advisory Council must include at least two youth who are current or former Teen REACH participants. The Advisory Council must meet, at a minimum, on a quarterly basis. Minutes, agendas and attendance lists must be maintained on file to evidence this activity. The Community Advisory Council Membership List (including anticipated members as appropriate) must be included as Attachment P3 of your Application.
      10. TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
          Programs must agree to receive consultation and technical assistance from authorized representatives of the Department. The program and collaborating partners will be required to attend site visits by Department staff. Programs will be required to attend regular meetings and specific trainings as required by the Department and should budget accordingly. It is anticipated that this will include three regional meetings, approximately two regional trainings, and one (overnight) statewide conference.
      11. PROCESS PERFORMANCE MEASURES
          Each Teen REACH program's performance on the measures listed below will be assessed using data gathered from the e-Cornerstone system, the projected information provided by the agency in their Application, their Youth Attendance Plan, and the total Teen REACH grant amount. These measures have been selected to reinforce the quality findings from various out-of-school time at-risk youth programming research and evaluations.
          1. Days Open - 240 days open per year. Acceptable performance is 90%.
          2. Youth Attendance Hours - 100% of Youth Attendance Hours as projected in the Youth Attendance Plan will be achieved. Acceptable performance is 80%.
          3. Actual Average Daily Attendance - 100% of projected Average Daily Attendance will be achieved. Acceptable performance is 80%.
          4. Actual Population Served - 70% or more youth receiving services will be 11-17 years old.
          5. Program Dosage (Days) - 100% of enrolled youth will attend on average 5 days per week. Acceptable performance is 50% enrolled youth will attend on average 3 days per week.
          6. Cost per Youth per Hour - $5.00 per youth attendance hour. Statewide Program Cost per Youth per Hour - $3.34 per youth attendance hour.
      12. PROGRAM EVALUATION
          Applicants may be required to participate in the formal evaluation of the program developed by the Department and must cooperate in the collection of data for this purpose. Toward this end, programs will be required to administer parent and youth surveys in the spring of the year, in a format provided by the Department. These surveys are designed to measure progress toward the objectives and developmental assets detailed in Section A.4.a "Core Services," above.
          Other data will be collected from programs via the eCornerstone system, including, at a minimum, the following data elements:
          • unduplicated number of program participants
          • Intake and demographic information of program participants
          • individual and family risk factor data
          • Participant status data (Education, Employment, Living Arrangement)
          • Future aspirations
          • annual enrollment data
          • participant attendance data
          • program service activities
          • participant academic information
          • Discharge Information, including status data
          • Participant outcome information (promotion/graduation, school attendance, homework completion, improved grades etc. as well as measured change in the other core service areas.
          • Applicant agency administrative information; staff information; site information; subcontractor information; and other program plan information as required.
            Please note that some records and other information obtained by programs concerning the individuals served under this agreement may be confidential pursuant to state and federal statutes and/or administrative rules and shall be protected from unauthorized disclosure.
      13. STAFFING
          At a minimum, a .5 FTE (full-time equivalent) Teen REACH Coordinator must be committed to the program and identified in the organizational chart. Program must have a staff contact who is responsible for STEM programming. Programs must recruit, hire, and take necessary steps to retain staff that are qualified for their positions with the Teen REACH program through education, experience and/or training. The Agency's Organizational Chart must be included as Attachment A3 of the application.
      14. SNACKS AND MEALS
          Teen REACH programs must offer nutritious snacks to the participants. All food must be served in accordance with relevant local and state health standards for food preparation and handling and meet the standards of the National Afterschool Association.
          While program funds may be used to purchase food, programs must demonstrate that they researched and applied for assistance through the food programs sponsored through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE),  or through Feeding America.
      15. TRANSPORTATION
          Program funds may be used to cover reasonable transportation costs for program participants, with the exception of transportation across state lines. In addition, transportation across state lines will require prior approval from the Department. Field Trips and Educational Excursions If a Teen REACH program coordinates an educational field trip or excursion for Teen REACH participants that is located 60 miles away or more from the Teen REACH site or out of state or exceeds a Spending Plan of $1,000, prior approval of IDHS is required. A Spending Plan justification must list the number of participants attending the field trip and the estimated expenses must be itemized. Field trip expenditures that meet these criteria but are NOT approved in advance will be disallowed.
          If transportation is provided, the agency will be required to develop a written transportation plan directly related to project activities and to maintain the plan on file at the agency. This plan should have the approval of the agency's governing body and be available for review by the Department upon request.
      16. COLLABORATION
          The importance of community collaboration cannot be overemphasized. Working together, youth, families, and community entities can design programs that are best suited to meet the needs of local youth and to connect out-of-school time programs with community resources. Community-based agencies, government, faith-based organizations, civic organizations, businesses, foundations, youth and their families, working together, can provide a wide range of resources to support high-quality out-of-school time programs. The issues and concerns of the entire community can best be addressed by drawing upon diverse resources. The key to successful programming is collaborative planning and implementation.
          Successful applicants will have developed community partnerships, which, at a minimum, must include strong collaboration with the schools whose students will be attending Teen REACH program activities.
          Applicants are encouraged to collaborate with schools in planning program services, in an effort to address state standards for academic achievement. Programs will be required to submit information about students' progress, based on grade reports and attendance and suspension records, to the Department. Copies of Signed School Linkage Agreements with every school where participants are attending must be included with your Application as Attachment P4, indicating an acknowledgment of the schools' willingness to provide copies of information about students' progress, based on grade reports and attendance and suspension records. Please note that schools will need to obtain parental/guardian consent before school records can be submitted to the Teen REACH program.
          Additionally, youth and families can play a key role in the development of out-of-school time programming. Programs that include families and youth in the planning draw greater support in the long run and tend to be more culturally relevant. Parents should be involved in all phases of program development and implementation.
          Teen REACH also encourages collaboration with other youth serving programs in the community.
      17. PROGRAM PARTICIPATION FEES
          Programs may develop a sliding scale for payment of program registration fees. If this is done, programs must develop written policies that ensure that inability to pay a fee will not preclude participation by any eligible youth. In addition, any fees secured must be put back into the Teen REACH program and utilized for direct services activities to youth. This must be demonstrated in the proposed Spending Plan. Fees collected should be captured as "Non-State Funds".
   5. Service Area
      The Illinois Department of Human Services is interested in gathering information about the service delivery area for each Teen REACH agency (or each site, if an agency has multiple program sites). This geographic analysis helps us to assure that services are being delivered in the areas of greatest need, in the most efficient and effective manner possible. Because of the importance of this information, your proposed service delivery area will be reviewed in the context of your application and the State's need for services in that area.
      The Site Information Form (available as an Appendix) provides space for you to enter your proposed service area by site. If your agency will have more than one program site, the Site Information Form must be completed for each site . Submit the Site Information Form(s) as Attachment P5 of your Application.
   6. Performance Based Funding
      To assure accountability at all levels of service provision, the Illinois Department of Human Services will implement performance-based funding with all of its Teen REACH grantee agencies. The six primary performance measures / standards will be tracked via the Department's eCornerstone data system.
      • Days Open
      • Average Cost per Youth Attendance Hour
      • Youth Attendance Hours
      • Population Served
      • Average Daily Attendance
      • Program Dosage
        Data will be analyzed quarterly. Applicants not meeting the minimum acceptable performance levels will receive a contact either by phone or in person to discuss performance. Technical assistance will be provided by staff and a three-month corrective action plan developed and implemented to increase performance.
        If the Applicant is unable to sufficiently increase performance in the subsequent three-month period, additional action will be taken including but not limited to: additional technical assistance; decreased funding; termination of the agreement.
   7. Quality Improvement
      1. The Applicant Agency must, over the course of this grant, demonstrate an ongoing commitment to quality improvement thorough implementation and assessment of Illinois Quality Program Self-Assessment (IL-QPSA)
      2. The Applicant Agency must, over the course of this grant, demonstrate an ongoing commitment to develop trauma informed capacity within the organization with a goal of achieving Trauma Informed Agency Status as recognized through the CBAT-O Assessment tool.
   8. Performance Measures
      1. Percent of seniors graduating
      2. Percent of youth promoted to the next grade level or graduating
      3. Percent of youth demonstrating improved anger management/conflict resolution skills
      4. Percent of youth with improved school attendance
      5. Percent of youth with improved grades
      6. Percent of youth with improved homework completion
      7. Percent of youth that were safe from violence during program hours
      8. Percent of youth served from the target population
      9. Days open
      10. Youth Attendance Hours
      11. Average Daily Attendance
      12. Population Served
      13. Program Dosage (Days)
      14. Average cost per Youth per hour
      15. STEM Programming
   9. Performance Standards
      1. Percent of Seniors Graduating - Considers all youth in the program 6 months or longer. 100% of youth will graduate, 90% acceptable.
      2. Percent of Youth Promoted - Considers all youth in the program 6 months or longer that were promoted to the next grade level or graduated. 100% of youth will be promoted to the next grade level, 90% acceptable.
      3. Improved Conflict Resolution Skills - Considers those youth who participated in anger management and/or conflict resolution, 80% of youth demonstrating improved skills. 100% of youth will demonstrate improved skills, 80% acceptable.
      4. Improved School Attendance - Considers percent of youth tracked with improved school attendance in one or more periods during the report year. 100% of youth will have improved attendance, 70% acceptable.
      5. Improved Grades - Considers percent of youth tracked with improved grades in one or more periods during the report year. 100% of youth will have improved grades, 60% acceptable.
      6. Improved Homework Completion - Considers percent of youth tracked with improved homework completion in one or more periods during the report year. 100% of youth will have improved homework completion, 75% acceptable.
      7. Safe from Violence - Considers the number of youths injured during program hours as a direct result of violence. Includes acts between youth and acts between youth and adults. 100% of youth will be safe from violence.
      8. Target population served - 100% of youth served will be from the target population. Acceptable performance is 85%. Considers all youth that meet one or more of the Youth and/or Family Risk Factors as identified in Section A.4.b "Target Population," above.
      9. Days Open - TR Program sites will be open 240 days per year. Acceptable performance is 90%.
      10. Youth Attendance Hours - Compares proposed vs. actual youth attendance hours. 100% of Youth Attendance Hours as projected in the Youth Attendance Plan will be achieved. Acceptable performance is 80%.
      11. Average Daily Attendance - Number of youths attending the program divided by the number of days the program is open. 100% of projected Average Daily Attendance will be achieved. Acceptable performance is 80%.
      12. Population Served - Considers age of youth at time of enrollment (youth are enrolled each year). 70% or more youth receiving services will be 11 to 17 years old.
      13. Program Dosage (Days) - 100% of enrolled youth will attend on average 5 days per week. Acceptable performance is 50% enrolled youth will attend on average 4 days per week.
      14. Average cost per Youth per Hour - Grant amount divided by total youth attendance hours. $5.00 per youth attendance hour. Statewide-$3.34per youth attendance hour.
      15. STEM Programming - 100% of youth participating in STEM will complete a minimum of 2 hours of STEM programming a week for a minimum of 4 or more consecutive weeks. Acceptable performance is 85%.
          The majority of the above measures are tracked in eCornerstone. Applicants are required to use the eCornerstone system to report data per the Uniform Grant Agreement on ALL youth served in the program. Grant expenditures for direct services to youth not supported by eCornerstone data will be disallowed expenditures.
   10. 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.
   11. Authorizing Statutes
       Public Act 099-0700
2. Awarding and Funding Information
   1. This is a competitive funding opportunity.
   2. Applications from current or previous Teen REACH Providers will be scored using the same scoring rubric as applications from new organizations.
   3. Work cannot begin until a contract is fully executed by the Department.
   4. The Department anticipates funding 60 community site grant awards under this program.
   5. The Department anticipates that approximately $13.25 million will be available for grants under this Notice of Funding Opportunity.
   6. Up to $3.5 million will be granted to one entity for administration of a statewide network of Teen REACH programs, with programs in every area of the state.
   7. This grant does not require an in-kind or financial match requirement.
   8. This award will be funded with State General Revenue funding.
   9. This grant does not have limitations on indirect costs.
   10. Subject to appropriation, the FY25 grant period will begin no sooner than the grant start date, anticipated to be 7/1/2024, and will continue through 6/30/2025.
   11. Successful applicants under this NOFO may be eligible to receive up to two subsequent one-year grant renewals for this program. Renewals are at the discretion of the department and are based on sufficient appropriation and performance criteria including, but not limited to:
       1. Grantee has performed satisfactorily during the previous reporting period;
       2. All required reports have been submitted on time, unless a written exception has been provided by the Division/Department;
       3. No outstanding issues are present (e.g., in good standing with all pre-qualification requirements and no outstanding corrective action, etc.).
   12. Funding will not be awarded in excess of the funding formula below. While applications will not be disqualified for miscalculating the funding formula, applications will NOT be funded in excess of the funding formula.
   13. Funding Formula - The Maximum Annual Grant Amount will be based on the projected Average Daily Attendance times the minimum required program hours (720) funded at a rate not to exceed $5.00. ($3.34 for SW)
       

       ADA x 720 = MYAH

       ADA = Projected Average Daily Attendance

       (240 days x 3 hours per day)

       $5.00 = Maximum cost per required Youth Attendance Hour

       $ = Maximum Grant Amount

       MYAH x $5.00 = $

       720 = Minimum hours of programming per site

       MYAH = Minimum Required Youth Attendance Hours

       ($3.34 per required YAH for Statewide Applicant)

       
       Funds may be requested at an amount less than the maximum annual grant amount as defined in the funding formula.
       NOTE: If your agency is proposing to offer more than 720 hours of programming, you must still use 720 in your funding calculation. The only number in the above formula that can be adjusted is the projected Average Daily Attendance (ADA).
   14. Award Expectations - The minimum award amount will be $54,000 (ADA=15). The maximum annual award amount will be $360,000 (ADA-100). The Department expects that very few awards will be made at these levels. The average grant award amount will range from $90,000 (ADA-25) to $144,000 (ADA-40). The Department anticipates awarding approximately 60 TR grant awards.
       While applicants may submit multiple applications, NO applicant will receive funding for multiple applications in the same county. If one applicant submits two (2) applications for the same county, and both are eligible and score high enough to be recommended for funding, only the highest scoring application will receive further funding consideration.
       Of the approximately $14 million, up to $3.7 million will be granted to one entity for administration of a statewide network of Teen REACH programs, with programs in every area of the state.
       Agencies applying for funding as a statewide network:
       1. Applicant must have an existing infrastructure/network of affiliates located throughout the state
       2. Applicant will be expected to operate approximately 45 to 65 separate programming sites throughout the state
       3. Each site must adhere to the same requirements as non-statewide program sites.
       4. Applicant must provide programming as described throughout the NOFO at each affiliate site
       5. This provider and/or each affiliate site will be required to utilize the eCornerstone system for data collection and reporting.
       6. It is expected that the rate per YAH will not exceed $3.34 for this provider due to implementing through an established network. All remaining performance measures/standards will be the same as the non-statewide provider sites.
       7. Affiliate sites may not also apply for funding as an individual agency under this NOFO
       8. Applicant must clearly state the intention to apply as a Statewide TR program in the Executive Summary and throughout the Application, including the spending plan.
   15. Funding allocated under this grant is intended to provide direct services to youth. It is expected that administrative costs, both direct and indirect, will represent a small portion of the overall program budget.
   16. Program participation fees are allowed; however, they are discouraged. Programs may develop a sliding scale for payment of program registration fees. If this is done, programs must develop written policies that ensure that inability to pay a fee will not preclude participation by any eligible youth. Programs that elect to charge fees will not be scored down provided a sliding scale is developed and written implementation policies are included with the application that ensure no youth is excluded for inability to pay. In addition, any fees secured must be put back into the Teen REACH program and utilized for direct services activities to youth. This must be detailed in the Budget. Fees collected should be captured as "Non-State Funds". All participation fees collected are subject to compliance review/audit.
   17. Proposed budgets must be sufficiently detailed and justified to be approved by IDHS. Successful applicants will NOT receive a grant agreement until after their budget has been approved through the Community Service Agreement Tracking System (CSA) system. Refer to IDHS: CSA Tracking System (state.il.us) for additional instructions for registering and completing budgets in the CSA system.
   18. Procurement Contractor Allowability: Subrecipient Agreement(s) and budgets must be pre-approved by the Department and on file with the Department. Subrecipients are subject to all provisions of this Agreement. The successful applicant organization shall retain sole responsibility for the performance and monitoring of the subrecipient.
   19. Pre-award costs will be allowed under the following conditions:
       The applicant must:
       1. have received and accepted the Notice of State Award (NOSA)
       2. have a current, approved budget in the CSA system for this award
       3. have submitted any and all requested program plan and budget revisions per the NOSA
       4. NOT incur pre-award costs prior to the start date of the grant agreement.
       5. Refer to 2 CFR 200.209 Pre-award Costs for more information.
   20. All funding is subject to sufficient appropriations.
   21. The release of this NOFO does not obligate the Illinois Department of Human Services (the Department) to make an award.
3. Eligibility Information and Grant Funding Requirements
   1. Eligible Applicants
      1. This competitive funding opportunity is limited to applicants that meet the following requirements and are subject to limitations described below:
         1. Eligible applicants are limited to those public and private nonprofit community-based organizations subject to 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the tax code (26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) or 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(4))
         2. In addition to the above non-profit community-based organizations, eligible applicants are inclusive of units of local government, public schools, districts and Regional Offices of Education.
         3. No applicant will receive funding for multiple applications in the same county. However, a single applicant may be funded for multiple sites within the same county. Refer to Section B.14 "Award Expectations" above for further information.
         4. Statewide Applicants:
            1. Applicant must have an existing infrastructure/network of affiliates located throughout the state
            2. Applicant will be expected to operate a minimum of 45 to 65 separate programming sites throughout the state.
            3. Affiliate sites may not also apply for funding as an individual agency under this NOFO
      2. Mandatory Requirements
         The Mandatory Requirements are essential items that must be met by the applicant. If any Mandatory Requirement is not met, the responding applicant's entire proposal will not be considered. If all responding applicants fail to meet a particular mandatory requirement, that mandatory requirement may, at the sole discretion of the State, be removed from the Mandatory Requirements so the evaluation process may continue. However, this does not obligate IDHS to make an award to any applicant that fails to meet all mandatory requirements.
         1. The application must propose a minimum of one program site with an Average Daily Attendance of at least 15 youth.
         2. The Application must reflect that 70% or more of youth served will be youth 11-17.
         3. The Application and the Youth Attendance Plan must demonstrate a plan to provide Teen REACH services a minimum 240 days and 720 hours at each program site. 
         4. Program start-up will not exceed 8 weeks in the first year of funding. Implementation will begin on or before 9/1/2024.
            Additional detail regarding these requirements will be found throughout this funding notice.
      3. Gata Registration and Prequalification
         Eligible applicant entities must be registered and prequalified through the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) Grantee Portal, available here: Illinois GATA Grantee Portal.
         1. Registration and prequalification are required annually. For assistance navigating government application prequalification procedure, refer to IDHS: Pre-Qualification Instructions and Resources (state.il.us)
         2. Applicants must be prequalified; applications from entities that have not prequalified prior to the due date of this application will NOT be reviewed and will NOT be considered for funding.
   2. System for Award Management (SAM) and Unique Entity Identifier
      Each applicant (unless the applicant is an individual or Federal or State awarding agency that is exempt from those requirements under 2 CFR § 25.110(b) or (c), or has an exception approved by the Federal or State awarding agency under 2 CFR § 25.110(d)) is required to:
      1. Be registered in SAM.gov before the application due date.
      2. Provide a valid unique entity identifier (UE) in its application; and
      3. Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal, Federal pass-through or State award or an application or plan under consideration by a Federal or State awarding agency.
      4. The Department may not make an award until applicant has fully complied to all UEI and SAM requirements.
      5. The department may determine that an applicant is not qualified if they have not complied to requirements and use that determination as a basis to award to another applicant.
   3. Registration in CSA
      1. The CSA Tracking System is where the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) expects all applicant entities to enter their GATA Budget information. It is also where IDHS staff will review and act on the proposed budget.
      2. Applicants must be registered in the CSA Tracking System to enable the applicant to submit a signed budget in CSA by the application due date. For instructions on registering in CSA, refer to IDHS: CSA Tracking System (state.il.us)
      3. When submitting an application, the applicant entity's proposed budget must be entered into the CSA system. The Budget must be electronically signed by the Applicant's Chief Executive Officer and/or Chief Financial Officer. Refer to IDHS: Process for Adding GATA Budget Signoff Authority (state.il.us). Please be sure the budget status in CSA says "GATA Budget signed and submitted to program review." This status will appear after the budget is electronically signed by the agency CEO or CFO and submitted to IDHS.
      4. Successful applicants will NOT be issued an award without a fully approved budget in the CSA System. Furthermore, if the Uniform Grant Budget is not entered, signed, and submitted in the CSA system by the application due date and time, points will be deducted from the Budget Narrative section.
      5. It may take several days to complete the registration process so do not wait until the application due date to begin the process. For more information about registering and submitting a budget in the CSA system, refer to IDHS: CSA Tracking System (state.il.us)
   4. Pre-Award Requirements
      1. All successful applicants are required to complete a risk assessment prior to execution of a grant award. The Internal Controls Questionnaire (ICQ) is one instrument used to assess risk of grantees by identifying an organization's potential weaknesses. The ICQ is accessed through theIllinois GATA Grantee Portal. The Department may NOT issue a Notice of Award or a Grant Agreement to any applicant that does not have a submitted and approved FY25 ICQ. While these are NOT required prior to submitting the application, they are required prior to the Department issuing an award.
      2. Applicants that have not completed an FY25 ICQ at the time of application will be contacted by the Department to complete these pre-award requirements.
      3. These grantee pre-award requirements are mandated by Federal Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200) and the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA). Grantees must complete these requirements prior to receiving a grant award from the State of Illinois.
   5. Cost Sharing or Match Requirements
      Providers are not required to provide in-kind and/or financial match. However, if a successful applicant proposes a voluntary match amount and the budget is approved, the total match amount incorporated into the approved budget becomes mandatory and subject to audit.
   6. Grant Fund Use Requirements
      All applicants will use grant funds according to the guidelines, conditions, and parameters set forth in this funding notice and in compliance with federal statutes, regulations and the terms and conditions of any applicable federal awards.
      Please refer to 2 CFR 200 - Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, PART 200 Subpart E - Cost Principles to determine the appropriateness of costs.
      1. Allowable Costs
         Allowable costs are those that are necessary and reasonable based on the activity(ies) contained in the Scope of Work, are justified in the Budget Narrative, and are allowable under Subpart E of 2 CFR 200. It is expected that administrative costs, both direct and indirect, will represent a small portion of the overall program budget. Any budget deemed to include inappropriate or excessive administrative costs will not be approved. Program budgets and narratives must detail how all proposed expenditures are necessary for program implementation.
      2. Unallowable Costs
         Please refer to 2 CFR 200 - Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, PART 200 Subpart E - Cost Principles to determine the appropriateness of costs. In addition, and specific to this grant, the following costs will be unallowable without specific prior written approval from IDHS:
         1. Entertainment costs, except where specific costs that might otherwise be considered entertainment have a programmatic purpose and are authorized in the approved budget (2 CFR 200.438)
         2. Capital expenditures for general purpose equipment, including any vehicle regardless of cost, buildings, and land (2 CFR 200.439)
         3. Capital expenditures for improvements to land, buildings, or equipment which materially increase their value or useful life (2 CFR 200.439)
         4. Food, and other goods or services for personal use of the grantee's employees, contractors, or consultants of the grantee unless authorized as per diem under the State of Illinois Governor's Travel Control Board (2 CFR 200.445).
         5. Deposits for items, services, or space
      3. Limitation of Use
         Limitation of Use of Award funds for Employee Compensation: With respect to any award over $250,000, recipients may not use federal funds to pay total cash compensation to any employee that exceeds 110% of the maximum annual salary payable to a member of the Federal Government's Senior Executive Service (SES) at an agency with a Certified SES Performance Appraisal System for that year.
         Salary Table No. 2024-ES
         Rates of Basic Pay for Members of the Senior Executive Services (SES)
         *Effective January 2024
         

         Structure of SES Pay System	Minimum	Maximum
         Agencies with a Certified SES Performance Appraisal System	$147,649	$221,900
         Agencies without a Certified SES Performance Appraisal System	$147,649	$204,000

         
         The Further Additional Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024 (P.L. 118-35, January 19, 2024) continues the pay freeze on the payable pay rates for the Vice President and certain senior political appointees through March 8, 2024. Future Congressional action will determine whether the pay freeze continues beyond that date.
      4. Indirect Cost Requirements and Restrictions
         1. This grant does not have limitations on indirect costs.
         2. All grantees receiving awards from Illinois grant making agencies must enter State of Illinois Centralized Indirect Cost Rate Negotiation System (powered by the Crowe Review & Monitoring Platform (CRMP) via the Illinois GATA Grantee Portal to substantiate its organizations' election regarding indirect cost reimbursement.
         3. Grantees that wish to negotiate a rate with the State of Illinois will start their election process in the Grantee Portal and the case will then be sent to CARS to begin negotiation. To view the CRMP User Manual.
         4. Grantees are expected to complete the indirect cost rate proposal process every fiscal year, based upon Grantee fiscal year-end (not State of Illinois fiscal year-end).
      5. Administrative Costs
         It is expected that administrative costs, both direct and indirect, will represent a small portion of the overall program budget. Program budgets and narratives will detail how all proposed expenditures are directly necessary for program implementation and will distinguish between Indirect/Direct Administrative and Direct Program expenses. Any budget deemed to include inappropriate or excessive administrative costs will not be approved. At no time may the approved NICRA be exceeded under this agreement. Documentation will be required to verify the approved NICRA.
      6. Simplified Acquisition Threshold
         Potential grantees under this funding announcement may receive an award in excess of the Simplified Acquisition Threshold, currently $250,000 (Refer to 2 CFR 200 Section 200.88). Therefore, the grantee must be aware of the following regarding the Simplified Acquisition Threshold as it will be applicable to any qualifying subaward:
         1. That the grantee agency, prior to making a subaward with a total amount of funds greater than the simplified acquisition threshold, is required to review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM (currently FAPIIS) (see 41 U.S.C. 2313);
         2. That an applicant, at its option, may review information in the designated integrity and performance systems accessible through SAM and comment on any information about itself that the awarding agency previously entered and is currently in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM;
         3. That the awarding agency will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in the designated integrity and performance system, in making a judgment about the applicant's integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in §200.206 awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants.
   7. Post Award Requirements of Applicant
      1. Program Services: Applicants agree to provide program services as described throughout this Funding Notice.
      2. Start Date: Applicants must be prepared to begin offering services within 8 weeks of the Initial (first year of funding) contract start date.
      3. Implementation Timeline: Applicants will submit an implementation timeline as Attachment A5, which will include program milestones, hiring staff, training, start dates, etc.
      4. Technology: Organizations awarded funds through this funding notice must have a computer that meets the following minimum specifications for the purpose of utilizing any required IDHS web-based reporting system and the receipt/submission of electronic program and fiscal information:
         1. Internet access, preferably high-speed
         2. Email Capability
         3. Microsoft Excel
         4. Microsoft Word
         5. Adobe Reader
            The purchase of this technology would be an allowable expenditure under the grant and may be budgeted for as part of this application.
      5. Equity and Racial Justice
         IDHS is working to counteract systemic racism and inequity, and to prioritize and maximize equity and diversity throughout its service provision process. This work involves correcting 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. Organizations that provide services under this funding opportunity and all related RPSA programs must reflect IDHS' commitment to advance equity and racial justice by enabling all to thrive, regardless of race, zip code, and disability. This includes but is not limited to having leadership (board and/or executive staff) that is reflective of the community/population being served; having (or an intention to develop) a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)/racial justice plan that outlines how the organization ensures equity in access to its supports/services as well as equity in outcomes; having a plan to identify and address implicit bias in all areas of the organization, including programming; having (or an intention to develop) an equity and racial justice training plan for organization staff.
      6. Quality Improvement: The Applicant Agency must agree to, over the course of this grant, to demonstrate an ongoing commitment to quality improvement thorough implementation and assessment of Illinois Quality Program Self-Assessment (IL-QPSA).
      7. Trauma Informed: Applicants must commit to becoming trauma-informed as recognized through a Department recognized/accepted assessment tool. For example, the CBAT-O Assessment tool. Applicants will demonstrate an ongoing commitment to developing/maintaining trauma informed capacity within the organization. Training and technical assistance will be made available to successful applicants to achieve/maintain this status.
      8. Training and Technical Assistance: Programs must agree to receive consultation and technical assistance from authorized representatives of the Department. The program and collaborating partners will be required to be in attendance at site visits. Programs will be required to attend regular meetings and training as provided by the Department or a subcontractor of the Department. Programs should budget accordingly (at least quarterly).
      9. Collaboration with local Family and Community Resource Centers (FCRCs): Providers will maintain a collaborative working relationship with the local IDHS FCRCs. This will include outreach to FCRCs to develop awareness of this program, recruit potential participants, and participating in local FCRCs' service provider meetings as requested.
      10. Program Evaluation Reporting Requirements
          Providers will be required to participate in evaluation efforts as directed by the Department and/or its subrecipient(s) and collect and report data accordingly. Data will be submitted in the format prescribed by the Department. Providers will be required to report quarterly regarding program performance measures and outcomes. Providers will be required to participate in Department directed Performance and Standards Assessment reviews. A year-end program and performance measures and outcomes report will also be required. Additional data and information may be requested throughout the year as determined by the Department.
      11. Site Visits
          The applicant agrees to participate in site visits as requested by the Department or any designated individual/entity acting on behalf of the Department or the OFVP and agrees that program and collaborating partners may attend such site visits.
      12. Presentations
          The applicant will be available as requested by the Department to present information regarding service deliverables, provide data updates, or to answer questions arising from the applicant's work.
      13. Sectarian Issue
          Provider organizations may not expend federal or state funds for sectarian instruction, worship, prayer, or to proselytize. If the Provider organization is a faith-based or a religious organization that offers such activities, these activities shall be voluntary for the individuals receiving services and offered separately from the program.
      14. Background Checks
          Background checks are required for all program staff and volunteers who have the potential for contact with youth under 18. These background checks must be completed in advance of individuals working directly with youth. Such individuals will authorize such checks in writing and submit to fingerprinting when required. The agency shall retain the signed form authorizing the background check. All background check information, including the signed authorizing forms shall be maintained separately in a confidential file, apart from the employee's personnel records. Funded programs will be required to have a written protocol in place detailing the requirement for background checks; evidence of their completion; the protocol for reviewing and making determinations regarding results; etc. In no case shall a Person who has been indicated as the perpetrator of any of the child abuse/neglect allegations identified in 89 Ill. Adm. Code Section 385.50(a) be deemed fit for service that allows access to children.
      15. Child Abuse/Neglect Reporting Mandate
          Per the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act (ANCRA, 325 ILCS 5/4), mandated reporters are professionals who may work with children in the course of their professional duties. Mandated reporters are required to report suspected child maltreatment immediately when they have "reasonable cause to believe that a child known to them in their professional or official capacity may be an abused or neglected child" (ANCRA Sec.4). This is done by calling the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Hotline at 1-800-252-2873 or 1-800-25ABUSE. Programs funded through this grant opportunity must review ANCRA and, where appropriate, have a written protocol for identifying and reporting suspected child maltreatment.
      16. Hiring and Employment Policy
          It is the policy of the Department to encourage cultural diversity in the work environment and to promote employment opportunities through its programs. The Department philosophy is that the program workforce should appropriately reflect the populations to be served, with special attention given to hiring individuals indigenous to those communities. Consistent with Department policy, whenever a position becomes available, funded programs are encouraged to consider TANF clients for employment, contingent upon their qualifications in the areas of education and work experience.
      17. State and Federal Laws and Regulations
          The agency awarded funds through this NOFO must agree to comply with all applicable provisions of state and federal laws and regulations pertaining to nondiscrimination, sexual harassment and equal employment opportunity including, but not limited to: The Illinois Human Rights Act (775 ILCS 5/1-101 et seq.), The Public Works Employment Discrimination Act (775 ILCS 10/1 et seq.), The United States Civil Rights Act of 1964 (as amended) (42 USC 2000a-and 2000H-6), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 USC 794), The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 USC 12101 et seq.), and The Age Discrimination Act (42 USC 6101 et seq.).
      18. Publication of Studies, Reports or other Program Products
          The applicant agrees that products produced for the Department under this award, including, but not limited to research reports, data, analyses, and policy recommendations are the property of the Department and will not be published or distributed except as prescribed by the Department.
          The applicant agrees not to publish, release, or otherwise disseminate data in any form without the prior written permission of the Department. If such permission is granted, the applicant agrees to submit to the Department six copies of all reports and proposed publications resulting from this Agreement a minimum of 30 calendar days prior to public release. Any publications (written, visual or sound), excluding press releases, newsletters and issue analyses, shall contain the following statement: "This project [is being] [was] supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number SLT-3381 awarded to the State of Illinois by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and under grant(s) from the State of Illinois, Department of Human Services. Points of view or opinions in the document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the Illinois Department of Human Services.
      19. Other Eligibility / Application Requirements: Provide a Teen REACH program in accordance with applicable Statutes, Rules, the Teen REACH Program Standards (available as an Appendix) and the DHS uniform grant agreement.
4. Application and Submission Information
   1. Address to Request Application Package
      1. The complete application package (this Notice of Funding Opportunity, including links to required forms) is available through the Illinois Catalog of State Financial Assistance and the DHS Grants website page.
      2. Additional copies may be obtained by contacting the Department at the email address below. 
         Email Address: DHS.YouthServicesInfo@illinois.gov
         Subject Line: Teen REACH 25-444-80-1411 Request
      3. Each applicant must have access to the internet. The Department's web site will contain information regarding the NOFO and materials necessary for submission. Questions and answers will also be posted on the Department's website as described later in this announcement. It is the responsibility of each applicant to monitor that web site and comply with any instructions or requirements relating to the NOFO.
   2. Content and Form of Application Submission
      IMPORTANT: The program (proposal) narrative makes up the bulk of your application. Please provide a complete response to the following sections. If the program narrative is missing from your application packet, your application may receive a score of zero points and your agency will not meet the criteria to receive a grant under this notice of funding opportunity.
      Proposal Narrative Content
      Applicants must submit a plan (proposal narrative) that covers a grant period from 7/1/24 to 6/30/25 (12 months). Grant awards will be issued based on the State Fiscal Year and will be subject to performance, subject to 2 CFR 200 continuation application process, subject to GATA Compliance, and subject to sufficient State/Federal appropriation.
      Applicants must submit a plan that contains the information outlined below. Each section must begin on a new page and have a heading that corresponds to the headings listed below after each section number. The total application may not exceed 20 pages, single-spaced. The Uniform Application for State Grant Assistance, checklist, attachments, and Uniform Budget are not included in the page limitation. If the applicant believes that the subject has been adequately addressed in another part of the application narrative, then provide the cross-reference to the appropriate part of the narrative. If a cross-reference is not included in the section, the reviewer will only consider content contained within that specific section. The narrative portion must follow the page maximums where prescribed and must be organized in the format outlined below.
      If an applicant receives an award through this NOFO, the proposal will become the local program plan and budget unless revisions are required. The application/plan will be the basis for monitoring compliance by the Department.
      Failure to provide an application in the format detailed throughout this section will result in the loss of points.
      Statewide Applicants: Statewide applicants must prepare an application in the same manner and under the same requirements as all other applicants unless specifically stated otherwise. Statewide Applicants will have an additional 5 pages. Statewide applications may not exceed 25 pages. ALL other requirements herein apply. See Section e "Quality and Description of Program Design and Services" below for more information regarding Statewide applicants additional required narrative responses.
      1. Executive Summary (5 points)
         The Teen REACH Executive Summary (available as an Appendix) will serve multiple purposes. First, as a scored portion of this application and secondly, for successful applicants it will serve as a stand-alone document that may be shared with various state-level stakeholders and others requesting a brief overview of each funded project. Therefore, applicants should be concise and direct in their description.
         Applicants must complete the Executive Summary and include it at the beginning of your program narrative. Each of the following items must be answered/responded to on the Executive Summary Form:
         1. List the name, address, FEIN, county, and website (if any) of applicant entity.
         2. List name, phone number, and email address for the organization's authorized representative and for the contact person for this application.
         3. Indicate funding amount requested under this proposal.
         4. Indicate if this is a Community Site application or a Statewide application.
         5. Provide the number service delivery sites.
         6. Provide a description of the target population, including projected total enrollment, projected average daily attendance, race/ethnicity breakdown, and the percentage/number of youths anticipated in each age category and risk factors targeted.
         7. Provide anticipated days and hours of operation.
         8. Provide anticipated Youth Attendance Hours.
         9. Provide a brief overview of core services.
         10. Briefly describe the anticipated program outcomes.
      2. Capacity-Agency Qualifications/Organizational Capacity (30 points)
         The purpose of this section is for the applicant to present an accurate picture of their ability to implement this program as outlined in this NOFO. The applicant must demonstrate evidence of linguistic and cultural competence throughout. Information in this section should include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following:
         1. Overview: Give a brief overview of the applicant agency, outlining its primary programs and services offered. Describe how the applicant's mission statement and goals align with the purpose of this funding opportunity.
         2. Experience:
            1. Describe the applicant agency's experience providing services consistent to this NOFO to communities at risk and specifically the eligible community that the organization proposes to serve. List the number of years of providing services, types of activities undertaken, successes and challenges, etc.
            2. Describe the applicant's experience managing state and/or federal grants.
         3. Fiscal Capacity: This section will be scored based on the thoroughness of the responses and on the level of capacity. The purpose of this section is intended to gauge the level of financial technical assistance that may needed to support the applicant.
            1. Organization:
               1. Describe your agency accounting policies and systems/software used. Can your system track expenses by program area?
               2. Describe your agency's experience creating budgets, applying cost allocation principles, etc.
               3. What is the amount of your organization's overall budget? Overall budget includes all programs, administration, etc; include this grant request/amount.
            2. Program specific:
               1. What is your budget for this program? If you anticipate additional sources of funding for this program besides this grant request/amount, please provide the sources/amounts.
               2. Identify staff who will be responsible for completing and submitting financial reports to IDHS. Describe staff member's experience and/or credentials, if applicable. If your organization is contracting with an entity to manage fiscal responsibilities for this grant, provide name of the entity. Please explain your internal controls to ensure separation of duties related to approving invoices, accounting entries and payment authorizations for expenditures.
               3. If the program intends to offer subsidized employment opportunities, provide information regarding your agency's capacity and experience in managing a participant payroll system - particularly for youth employment programs. Explain how your organization will track time and effort and the program and supervisory approvals.
            3. Reminder to submit the fiscal Internal Controls Questionnaire (ICQ). The Department may NOT issue a Notice of Award or a Grant Agreement to any applicant that does not have a submitted and approved FY 25 ICQ. The ICQ can be accessed through the Illinois GATA Grantee Portal. The completed ICQ will not impact your application score.
         4. Agency Readiness: Provide a description of the applicant agency's readiness for service provision commencing within 8 weeks of the contract start date, taking particular note of the following:
            1. Staffing: Describe the applicant agency's plan for staffing to carry out and execute this program.
               1. Complete the Program Contact Information Form (available as an Appendix) and include it as Attachment A2.
               2. Include an organizational chart of the applicant organization, showing where the program and its staff will be placed. If subcontractors will be used, include the relationship with those organizations in the chart. Please include this as Attachment A3-Organizational Chart.
               3. Identify key staff positions that will be responsible for the program. At a minimum, a .5 FTE Teen REACH coordinator must be committed to the program. Include evidence that this individual is qualified based on education and experience to direct the program.
                  1. Present his/her resume or if that individual has not yet been hired, present the Teen REACH Coordinator's job description as Attachment A4- Job Description(s)/ Resume(s).
                  2. Include resumes and/or job descriptions of all additional employee positions responsible for implementing this program as Attachment A4: Job Description(s)/Resume(s). Programs must recruit and hire staff who are qualified for their positions through education, experience and/or training. Job descriptions must also be included for volunteer staff.
            2. Physical Space:
               1. Describe the applicant agency's established physical presence in the community for which they are proposing to provide services; include the address(es) of physical locations; indicate how long the applicant has been in each location; indicate if each location is for administration or direct services or both.
               2. Discuss the applicant agency's readiness in terms of the physical space where program activities will be carried out. If applicable, describe whether this is space the applicant agency currently occupies (and/or pays for), whether it is under construction, if arrangements to rent/lease/buy or build a physical facility are or are not yet final. Include in Attachment P5- Programming Space - Linkage Agreements/Documents of your application copies of any linkage agreements or other documents (lease, rental agreement, etc.) to illustrate your situation with regard to physical space.
               3. Include as Attachment P6- Site Information Form(s)(available as an Appendix) of this NOFO. If your agency has more than one program site, a separate Site Information Form must be completed for each site.
            3. Training:
               1. Describe the training program staff have had and will receive to ensure their ongoing ability to successfully perform the duties of their position.
               2. If additional training is needed, describe what those training needs are, as well as the agency's willingness to ensure that all staff in need of training receives it prior to commencement of service delivery.
               3. For purposes of the Application, assume that if your agency requires training on eCornerstone, the Department will provide that training to appropriate staff within your agency prior to commencement of services.
         5. Collaboration:
            1. Describe your agency's history working with the targeted schools. Describe established relationships and collaborative efforts in the past - if any.
            2. Provide a description of existing linkages your agency has to other community resources and services essential to the positive development of youth, as detailed in Section A.4.p "Collaboration," of this NOFO. Include copies of existing linkage agreements in Attachment P4- Signed School Linkage Agreements of your application. At a minimum, your Attachment P4 of your Application must include linkage agreements with every school where Teen REACH participants attend, indicating their willingness to provide copies of student grade reports and attendance and suspension records. If significant linkages do not currently exist, explain why and include a plan to establish those linkages.
            3. A description of the Community Advisory Council (CAC) or board that will be involved in conducting Teen REACH activities. Include a description of how you have ensured a diversity of perspectives, including those of parents, youth (minimum 2), community members, business leaders and others. Please include as Attachment P3- Community Advisory Council Members a list of CAC members and indicate which sector of the community they represent. The member list must also indicate which of the current/projected members have participated in one or more meetings to provide input into this application.
         6. Quality Afterschool Programming: Describe the steps your organization has put in place generally to ensure quality staff are delivering quality, age-appropriate services to youth.
            1. Applicants must agree to, over the course of this grant, with support from DHS, to demonstrate an ongoing commitment to quality improvement by participating in the Illinois Quality Program Self-Assessment process. If your organization has participated in this process, describe your current and planned quality improvement activities designed to implement and address identified areas of the Illinois Quality Program Self-Assessment. If not, please provide an affirmative statement of your intentions to participate annually over the course of this grant.
            2. Currently funded TR provider agencies that have not actively participated in the IL-QPSA process as required by their grant, as of the release of this funding notice, will have their overall application score reduced.
         7. Trauma-Informed Status: Applicants must agree to, over the course of this grant, to demonstrate an ongoing commitment to develop trauma informed capacity. Please describe current and planned capacity building activities designed to obtain or maintain Trauma Informed status.
         8. Background Checks: Describe your policy & procedure for conducting background checks.
         9. Subrecipients: If the applicant plans to use a Subrecipient to deliver services related to this program, describe how the applicant agency will monitor the Subrecipient. 
            Include the following for each subrecipient:
            • Attachment S1  Program Contact Information Form (available as an Appendix)
            • Attachment S2 Subrecipient Agreement (The Subrecipient Agreement is generated by the applicant agency outlining the scope of
              work/deliverables the subrecipient will be completing for this program.)
            • Attachment S3 Subrecipient Budget (Use the IDHS: Uniform Grant Budget Template (state.il.us)
            • Attachment S4 Subrecipient Agency Federal Form W-9 (Rev. October 2018) (irs.gov)
            • Attachment S5 Subrecipient Agency approved NICRA if indirect costs are included and Subrecipient Agency has a current approved Federal or State NICRA
            • Attachment S6 Subrecipient signed Grantee Conflict of Interest Disclosure
      3. Need-Description of Need (10 points)
         The purpose of this section is to provide a clear and accurate picture of the need for proposed services within the targeted community and how the applicant will address these needs. It is necessary for the applicant to demonstrate that it has a thorough knowledge and understanding of the needs of their targeted community and the youth they are proposing to serve by this application.
         Given the limited resources of the State, the Department intends to fund applications that target services to at-risk youth residing in high-need communities. Therefore, applications that make a compelling case that is evidenced by recent results of community needs assessments as described in Section A.4.e "Assessment of Community Need," will receive a higher score in this section of their application. The Department believes that relevant surveys and focus groups targeting the various sectors of the community, parents, youth and schools, coupled with an analysis of the most current data and community assessments available describing the youth, families and community needs and risk factors will form the basis for determining a community's general need for youth-oriented social services.
         1. Provide a detailed description of the geographic boundaries of the targeted community(ies). Please also identify for each, which County and if the community targeted is in Chicago, please indicate which Chicago Community Area it is located.
         2. Describe the plan, scope and strategy implemented to conduct / update relevant community needs assessments as described in Section A.4.e "Assessment of Community Need." Indicate the persons that were involved in conducting/updating the assessments. Indicate the number of surveys, interviews, focus groups, etc. conducted/updated and how many individuals and/or community sectors participated. Describe any other relevant, previously completed assessments that were reviewed and analyzed as part of the assessment. Include copies of sample survey tools utilized, interview and focus group questions and copies of previously completed assessments analyzed as Attachment P7- Assessments/Survey Tools etc.
         3. Describe the target community's current resources, strengths and needs for serving the identified target population.
         4. Provide a demographic overview of the area to be served, as well as the youth that will be targeted for services. Indicate the number of youth between the ages of 6 and 17; include their gender, race/ethnicity.
         5. Describe in detail the results of the community needs assessments utilized to plan your project. Include as Attachment P8-Assessment Results/Analysis copies of assessment results and analysis.
         6. Include a statement of the need for these services in your community.
         7. Indicate the desired change or impact your program will have on the youth, families and community served. This change should be measurable.
         8. Identify existing community-based resources serving at-risk youth in your community and describe how the proposed program will enhance or complement these existing resources.
      4. Equity and Racial Justice (10 points)
         The purpose of this section is for the applicant to demonstrate understanding of the history and impact of racism and inequity on communities most impacted by firearm violence and to describe the organization's response to address racial inequity. The applicant should provide a clear picture of its work to counteract systemic racism and inequity and to prioritize and maximize diversity and equity throughout its service provision process.
         1. Describe the applicant's commitment and actions to address equity and racial justice. Examples of commitment and activities may include but are not limited to, having leadership (board and/or executive staff) that is reflective of the community/population being served; having (or an intention to have) a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)/equity and racial justice plan that outlines how the organization ensures equity in access to its supports/services as well as equity in outcomes; having a plan to identify and address implicit bias in all areas of the organization, including programming; having (or an intention to have) an equity and racial justice training plan.
         2. If no equity and racial justice efforts are currently being practiced, describe the applicant's plan to implement those efforts, including a timeline of activities.
         3. Identify and describe some of the potential root causes of firearm violence within the targeted communities; address and/or include how historical factors have contributed to the conditions of the communities as appropriate. Include recommendations on how to address firearm violence and make the local community safer.
         4. Describe how the applicant will use an equity lens when creating and implementing programming. An equity lens is a process that analyzes the impact of policies and practices on marginalized communities to inform and ensure equitable outcomes. Include applicant organization's written commitment to advancing equity and racial justice. If one is not yet written, please detail when and how such a statement will be institutionalized.
         5. Describe how the applicant will intentionally and deliberately analyze the delivery and/or impact of the program on underserved and marginalized groups (including communities of color, people with disabilities, gender nonconforming people, etc.)
         6. Describe how the applicant will provide trauma informed behavioral health services to address the disparate impact of firearm violence on communities of color.
         7. Include demographic information of program staff and agency leadership (board and/or executive staff) and discuss if these demographics match the designated community(ies).
         8. Based on racial demographic data, provide the number of policies, practices and procedures that have been implemented, revised, or repealed to reduce racial disparities at your agency.
      5. Quality-Description of Program Design and Services (35 points)
         The purpose of this section(s) is for the applicant to provide a comprehensive, clear, and accurate picture of its intended program design. The applicant must demonstrate evidence of linguistic and cultural competence throughout.
         1. Describe the age group(s) for whom services will be provided. The Department intends to fund applications that target services to youth ages 11 to 17. Therefore, applications must demonstrate the desire and ability to serve youth in this age range. Agencies serving both younger and older age groups must provide no more than 30% of their services to children ages 6 to 10 (i.e., at least 70% of their services to youth ages 11 to 17). For agencies operating the program at multiple sites, these percentages apply to the total population served by the agency, across all sites, not the number at any individual program site. This information will also be captured on the Site Information Form(s) and included with your application as Attachment P6-Site Information Form(s) (available as an Appendix).
         2. Describe how your program will ensure that with the targeted individual and family risk factors will be served in your program. Describe how the need(s) identified through the community assessment are consistent with your targeted population.
         3. Describe your program design for an integrated, comprehensive out-of-school-time program. Indicate whether you are adopting an established best or promising practice models (specifically name any such model), designing your own models or a combination thereof. Describe the basis/justification for your intended programming. If something other than a best or promising practice is proposed, provide the basis for the decision and programming.
         4. Include a description of the specific activities that will be carried out to meet each of the core service areas, as detailed in Section A.4.a "Core Services." Discuss the ways in which those activities were selected and describe how they will address the outcomes and developmental assets for each core service area. Submit a completed Sample Activity Calendar as Attachment P1 to demonstrate that planned program activities will address all seven core services and will be carried out on a regular basis. An Activity Calendar must be completed for each program site. Please note that if a site is planned to have a varied scheduled, please complete additional activity calendars to demonstrate that planned variance. Example: School-Year schedule vs. a summer schedule.
         5. Describe how the program design and the activities selected to address each core service area are appropriate and have a direct correlation to the needs identified in the previous section.
         6. Demonstrate the agency's experience in implementing the type of programming proposed and discuss the capacity to provide the identified services.
         7. Describe the agency's plan for providing snacks and meals as described in Section A.4.n "Snacks and Meals".
         8. Provide a description of established or proposed linkages with other youth-serving resources within your community, and how your program will collaborate with those entities to provide services to youth.
         9. Identify other out-of-school time programs in the community and how your proposed program will provide services not otherwise met and reach youth not otherwise served.
         10. Discuss your plans for including volunteers in your program, and the role(s) they will play.
         11. Describe outreach strategies that will be used to recruit program participants. Include a discussion of how your agency will work with schools, faith-based and other programs to reach youth who are at risk, as indicated by the risk factors listed in Section A.4.e "Assessment of Community Need", above.
         12. Describe whether transportation will be provided to participating youth and families with program funds.
         13. Provide the projected total number of youths that will be enrolled in the program as well as the projected Average Daily Attendance (ADA). Include a discussion of how you intend to maintain attendance at the level for which you are requesting funding, and the activities planned to enhance enrollment retention. Additionally, the total enrollment and ADA projections by site will be included on the Site Information Form (available as an Appendix) of your application.
         14. Complete the Annual Youth Attendance Plan (YAP) (available as an Appendix). A YAP must be completed for each site. Complete a YAP Cover Page and a YAP Narrative (also available as an Appendix) These items will be included as Attachment P2-Youth Attendance Plan of your Application. Instruction is provided in the Appendix regarding how to complete the YAP, Days Open etc. for the award period.
         15. Provide a description of the STEM curriculum your program will be running. Include the STEM staff position, number of days per week, hours per week and number of youths to be in the program. See the Choosing STEM Activities Appendix.
         16. Statewide Applicants must also :
             1. Describe its existing infrastructure/network of affiliates located throughout the state.
             2. Describe its plan to operate a minimum of 45 to 65 separate programming sites throughout the state.
             3. Describe how it will ensure each affiliate site will provide programming as described throughout the NOFO.
             4. Describe how it will ensure Applicant and/or each affiliate site will utilize the eCornerstone system for data collection and reporting.
                Reminder: It is expected that the rate per Youth Attendance Hour (YAH) will not exceed $3.34 for a Statewide provider due to implementing through an established network. All remaining performance measures/standards will be the same as the non-statewide provider sites.
      6. Budget and Budget Narrative (10 points)
         1. Applicant Budgets
            Applicants should provide a budget narrative and a budget for the grant period (July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025). The budget and budget narrative must tie fiscal activity to program objectives and deliverables and demonstrates that all proposed costs are:
            • Reasonable and necessary
            • Allocable, and
            • Allowable as defined by program regulatory requirements and the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200), as applicable.
            1. Budget Narrative:
               In this section of the program (proposal) narrative, provide a detailed Budget Narrative of the items allocated within your proposed budget. Identify the source of those funds and detail how the specified resources and personnel are being allocated to ensure the tasks, activities, goals, and objectives described in your proposal will be implemented. If you plan to use additional state or federal funds, or other funds to support the program, please also describe how these additional funds will be utilized to implement the program.
            2. Budget: Applicants must enter their budget into CSA.
               1. Refer to Section B "Awarding and Funding Information" Item #13 "Funding Formula" for information on determining maximum budget amount.
               2. The FY25 budget for must be submitted electronically in the CSA system (Refer toIDHS: CSA Tracking System (state.il.us). The Budget entered into the CSA system will include a narrative or detailed description/justification for each line in the budget and will describe why each expenditure is necessary for program implementation and how you arrived at the particular amount. Please include cost allocations as necessary. This narrative must also clearly identify indirect costs, direct program costs, direct administrative costs, and match within each line item as appropriate. The FY25 Budget (including MTDC base exclusions as appropriate) should clearly describe how the specified resources and personnel have been allocated for the tasks and activities described in your plan.
               3. The Budget must be electronically signed and submitted in the CSA system. The Budget must be signed by the Provider's Chief Executive Officer and/or Chief Financial Officer. Refer to IDHS: Process for Adding GATA Budget Signoff Authority (state.il.us). Please be sure the budget status in CSA says "GATA Budget signed and submitted to program review." This status will appear after the budget is electronically signed by the agency CEO or CFO and submitted to IDHS. If the Uniform Grant Budget is not entered, signed, and submitted in the CSA system by the application due date and time, points will be deducted from the Budget Narrative section of the application.
               4. A PDF copy of the budget should be included in the application as Attachment A6: Applicant Uniform Grant Budget. This should be printed from the CSA system.
            3. Successful applicants will NOT receive a grant agreement until after their budget has been submitted and approved through the CSA system.
            4. If applicant is choosing an Advance Payment Method or Working Capital Advance Method include the IDHS Advance Payment Request Cash Budget Form IL444-4985.pdf (state.il.us). Refer to Section F "Award Administration Information," Item 4 "Payment Terms."
            5. If indirect costs are included in the budget, the applicant must submit a copy of their organization's approved NICRA as Attachment A8: Applicant NICRA
            6. The applicant must submit Federal Form W-9 (Rev. October 2018) (irs.gov) as Attachment A9: Applicant W-9
         2. Subrecipients
            If you plan to use subrecipients, indicate amount of funds to be provided to the subrecipients; include a budget narrative describing how subrecipient will use funds.
            Subrecipient budgets must be pre-approved, and therefore must be submitted with this application. Subrecipient budgets should NOT be submitted in the CSA system. Instead, Subrecipient budgets should be completed using a PDF form of the IDHS: Uniform Grant Budget Template (state.il.us). This PDF template should only be used for Subrecipient budgets.
      7. Other Mandatory Forms
         1. Uniform Application for State Grant Assistance
            The Uniform Application for State Grant Assistance is a three-page document used to formalize organization's request to apply for funding. The document requires the signature and email address of the organization's authorized representative. This email address will be used for official communication between the Department and the applicant organization for matters regarding this application. The Uniform Application for State Grant Assistance is available as an Appendix and must be included at the beginning of this application.
         2. Grantee Conflict of Interest Disclosure
            The Grantee Conflict of Interest Disclosure form must be completed, signed, and submitted with your grant application materials as Attachment A10. If no actual or potential conflicts exist, the applicant should indicate "no conflicts." For conflicts that arise after application submission, submit this form to your designated grant program point of contact within 7 calendar days after the conflict has been identified. Refer to the Disclosure form for examples of potential conflicts.
            Grantee must ensure that all subrecipients also complete and sign the Grantee Conflict of Interest Disclosure. Include the Subrecipient's Grantee Conflict of Disclosure as Attachment S6.
      8. Attachments to Your Application Narrative (Not included in page limits)
         Although this section is not scored individually, points will be deducted in the above sections if these items are not included as directed. The Attachments should be labeled accordingly. If any attachments are not applicable, a page labeled with the attachment number should be submitted and should include a statement explaining why the attachment was not applicable.
         ALL Applications MUST include the following mandatory forms/attachments in the order identified below.
         1. FY24 Uniform Application for State Grant Assistance
         2. Program Narrative
            • Teen REACH Executive Summary (available as an appendix)
            • Capacity - Agency Qualifications/Organizational Capacity
            • Need - Description of Need
            • Equity and Racial Justice
            • Quality - Description of Program Design and Services
            • Budget Narrative
         3. Attachments to Your Application
            • Attachment A1 NOFO Checklist (available as an appendix)
            • Attachment A2 Program Contact Information (available as an appendix)
            • Attachment A3 Organizational Chart
            • Attachment A4 Job Description(s)/Resume(s)
            • Attachment A5 Implementation Timeline
            • Attachment A6 Applicant FY25 Uniform Grant Budget (printed from CSA)
            • Attachment A7 Advance Payment Request Cash Budget Form IL444-4985.pdf (state.il.us)
            • Attachment A8 Applicant NICRA (if applicable)
            • Attachment A9 Applicant Federal Form W-9 (Rev. October 2018) (irs.gov)
            • Attachment A10 Grantee Conflict of Interest Disclosure
              Additional Program Attachments
            • Attachment P1 Sample Activity Calendar
            • Attachment P2 Youth Attendance Plan/YAP Cover Page and Narrative
            • Attachment P3 Community Advisory Council Membership List
            • Attachment P4 Signed School Linkage Agreements
            • Attachment P5 Programming Space Linkage Agreements/Documents
            • Attachment P6 Site Information Form(s)
            • Attachment P7 Assessments/Survey Tools
            • Attachment P8 Assessment Results/Analysis
              If subrecipients will be used, include the following Attachments for each subrecipient)
            • Attachment S1 Program Contact Information (available as an appendix)
            • Attachment S2 Subrecipient Budget (Use the IDHS: Uniform Grant Budget Template)
            • Attachment S3 Subrecipient Agreement (This is an applicant-generated form)
            • Attachment S4 Subrecipient Organization Federal Form W-9
            • Attachment S5 Subrecipient Organization approved NICRA (if applicable)
            • Attachment S6 Subrecipient Grantee Conflict of Interest Disclosure
   3. Application Submission Dates and Times
      1. Applications must be sent electronically to DHS.YouthServicesInfo@Illinois.gov and received no later than 12:00 p.m. (noon) on Wednesday, May 1, 2024.
         
         The application container will be electronically time-stamped upon receipt. The Department will ONLY accept applications submitted by electronic mail sent to DHS.YouthServicesInfo@Illinois.gov. Include Subject Line "Teen REACH 25-444-80-1411 Applicant agency acronym"
         Application submissions or delivery to any other email address or contact, including other IDHS offices or employees, will not be considered for review or funding. Applications will NOT be accepted if received by fax machine, hard copy, disk or thumb drive. THE ELECTRONIC COPY MUST BE A COMPLETE SINGLE PDF FILE.
      2. Applicants will receive a receipt confirmation email of receipt notifying them that their application was received and the date and time it was received within 48 hours of the application due date and time.. This email will be sent to the email addresses provided in the application. This receipt confirmation email is solely confirmation that the application has been received by the Department; it is not a confirmation of applicant's eligibility; pre-qualifications, timeliness of submission, etc. Refer to Section C. "Eligibility Information and Grant Funding Requirements," for more information on applicant's eligibility.
         Applicants are required to notify the Department within 96 hours of the deadline, if they did NOT receive an email notifying them that their application was received. If the applicant does not receive an email and/or does not notify the Department within 96 hours, their application will be considered a late submission and will NOT be reviewed or scored. The applicant will NOT have the right to protest the submission/receipt of their application to the Department after the 48 hours. In the event of a dispute, the applicant bears the burden of proof that the application was received on time at the email location listed above.
      3. Applications received after the due date and time will not be considered for review or funding. All applicants/applications determined to be non-compliant or otherwise determined to be disqualified from consideration will be separately notified in writing, by email, upon determination. This email will be sent to the email addresses provided in the application and will identify the reason for disqualification.
      4. For your records, please keep a copy of your submission with the date and time the application was submitted along with the email address to which it was sent. The deadline will be strictly enforced.
      5. It is strongly recommended that the applicant not wait until the last minute to submit an application in case they experience technical difficulties with the submission process. Applicants should keep copies of all documentation that that may prove their application was submitted to the correct location and that it was received by DHS on or before the deadline. Applicants should also maintain all electronic documentation, including screen shots, email correspondence; help desk ticket numbers etc. that would document any unforeseen difficulties the applicant may have encountered regarding the timely submission of the application.
   4. Other Submission Requirements
      Applicants must electronically submit the complete application including all required narratives and attachments in the prescribed order and in a single PDF file to DHS.YouthServicesInfo@Illinois.gov. Include Subject Line "Teen REACH 25-444-80-1411 Applicant agency acronym"
      All applications must be typed on 8 1/2 x 11-inch paper using 12-point type and at 100% magnification. With the exception of letterhead and stationery for letter(s) of support (not required), the entire proposal should be typed in black ink on white paper. The program narrative must be typed single-spaced, on one side of the page, with 1-inch margins on all sides. The program narrative must not exceed the page totals specified in the Section D.2 "Content and Form of Application Submission." Items included as Attachments are NOT included in the page limitations.
      Applications will ONLY be accepted as described herein. Faxed copies, hard copies, etc. will not be accepted. The Department is under no obligation to review applications that do not comply with the above requirements.
   5. System for Award Management (SAM) and Unique Entity Identifier
      Refer to Section C: "Eligibility Information and Grant Funding Requirements" for information on required registration in SAM.gov.
   6. Intergovernmental Review
      This funding opportunity is NOT subject to Executive Order 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs."
   7. Funding Restrictions
      The applicant must develop a budget consistent with program requirements as described in Section A "Program Description" and in accordance with Section C.8 "Grant Funds Use Requirements."
5. Application Review Information
   1. Eligibility Review
      1. Program Staff will conduct an initial eligibility review to determine if an application meets the eligibility requirements published in this Notice and will advance to the next stage of the review process.
         An application is compliant if the applicant:
         1. is an eligible organization as defined in Section C "Eligibility Information and Grant Funding Requirements,"
         2. is GATA prequalified,
         3. submitted an application by the submission deadline,
            Reviewing for eligibility is intended to ensure that only those applications that are eligible for award are further reviewed. However, determinations of eligibility can take place at any point during the application review and selection process. Applicants that are determined to be ineligible will not receive an award.
            All applicants / applications determined to be non-compliant or otherwise determined to be disqualified from consideration will be notified in writing, by email, upon determination. This email will be sent to the email addresses provided in the application and will identify the reason for disqualification.
   2. Review and Selection Process
      1. Merit-Based Review
         1. The Merit Based Review will be conducted by a review team comprised of three or more internal and/or external reviewers. Internal reviewers are individuals employed by the Department, contractual staff or individuals working as interns from an Illinois academic institution. External reviewers are those individuals not employed by the Department who have volunteered to review applications, have subject matter expertise and/or grant reviewing experience and have been screened for any potential conflict of interest with their assigned applications.
         2. The review teams will be provided with a Merit Based Review Committee Member Orientation Session.
         3. After the orientation session, applications will be reviewed and scored individually. The Review Team scores will be compiled and averaged on a Merit Based Review Summary Score Sheet.
         4. The Bureau Chief or designee will conduct a quality assurance review which must include the following:
            1. Initial review of the summary score sheet to identify scoring discrepancies,
            2. Determine whether reviewers properly applied Merit Based Review steps as instructed,
            3. Identify any obvious infractions of committee members' independence in the review process.
            4. Assess whether reviewers properly completed all section of the MBR Scoring Sheet. Reviewer score sheets may be returned to the reviewer to improve legibility and completeness of comments,
            5. Determine whether all facets of the review and scoring process were adhered to and consistently applied by reviewers.
         5. After individual scores have been completed, a post-merit-based review committee meeting will be held. The review committee meeting is required for all competitive merit-based reviews and will be facilitated by the Bureau Chief or designee. The following apply:
            1. Each review team assigned application will be discussed by team members, including application highlights, concerns, application mandates / requirements etc.
            2. Scoring disparities will be identified, addressed and resolved. For each application, if a significant disparity exists between reviewer scores (based on a set formula), review team members will collectively examine the application and discuss comments to ensure team members have not missed items within the application that other team members may have identified including application mandates / requirements etc. Application highlights and concerns will also be discussed.
            3. Individual scores must be revised if a reviewer determines that they have missed information in the application.
            4. Scoring revisions resulting from discussions must be documented on the respective scoring sheet with written commentary to support the revision.
         6. Once the post merit-based review meeting has been held and individual scores have been revised and resubmitted (as necessary), the Review Team member scores will be updated, compiled and averaged on the Merit Based Review Summary Score Sheet.
         7. At any time during the merit-based review or post-review process:
            1. If it is determined that there was the possibility of impropriety on the part of any reviewer, upon written request and with the approval of the Associate Director, the Department reserves the right to remove from consideration the reviewer scores and comments from consideration. This action must be documented in writing and must include the reason for removal,
            2. If the removal of a reviewer scores and comments results in fewer than 3 reviewers scoring the application, the Department will assign an alternate reviewer to the application. This reviewer will be afforded all the same guidance, instruction and time to complete the review task. Once completed, the process will resume as required.
         8. After the updated Review Scores have been compiled and averaged, the Bureau Chief will then prepare preliminary funding recommendations for the Associate Director. These recommendations may include a final eligibility review of recommended applications to confirm applicant meets eligibility and mandated requirements. Funding recommendations may also include consideration of other factors such as geographical distribution, demonstrated need, demonstrated community presence, agency past performance as a state grantee etc., and other items identified under Section A.2. "Intent of the Notice of Funding Opportunity."
         9. Based on the preliminary recommendations and other considerations listed above, the Associate Director will prepare funding recommendations for the Director.
         10. The Director may include consideration of other factors such as geographical distribution, demonstrated need, demonstrated community presence, agency past performance as a state grantee etc., and other items identified under Section A. 2. "Intent of the Notice of Funding Opportunity."
      2. Criteria and Weighting of Each Criteria
         1. Scoring will be on a 100-point scale. Application Narratives will be evaluated on the following criteria:
            

            SECTION	POINTS
            Executive Summary	5 Points
            Capacity - Agency Qualifications/Organizational Capacity	30 Points
            Need - Description of Need	10 Points
            Equity and Racial Justice	10 Points
            Quality - Description of Program Design and Services	35 Points
            Budget Narrative*	10 Points
            TOTAL	100 Points

         2. Cost Sharing:
            Cost Sharing will NOT be considered in the evaluation of this application.
      3. Selection Process
         As described in the Criteria section above, scoring will be done by committee on a 100-point scale. The numerical score may not be the sole award criterion. The Department reserves the right to consider other factors such as: geographical distribution, demonstrated need, demonstrated community presence, and agency past performance as a state grantee, etc. and other factors identified under Section A.2 "Intent of the Notice of Funding Opportunity."
         While the score/recommendation of the review panel will be a key factor in the funding decision, the Department maintains final authority over funding decisions and considers the findings of the review panel to be non-binding recommendations. Any internal documentation used in scoring or awarding of grants shall not be considered public information.
         In the event of a tie with insufficient funding for all tied applications, the Department may choose to elect one of the following options:
         • Apply one or more of the additional factors for consideration described above to prioritize the applications; or
         • Partially fund each of the tied applications
         • Not fund any of the tied applications or
         • Assign a new 3-person review team to review and score both applications to break the tie.
           The Department reserves the right to negotiate with successful applicants to adjust award amounts, targets, deliverables, etc.
   3. Merit-Based Review Appeal Process
      1. Competitive grant appeals are limited to the evaluation process. Evaluation scores may not be protested. Only the evaluation process is subject to appeal and shall be reviewed by IDHS' Appeal Review Officer (ARO).
      2. Appeals submission IDHS contact information:
         Name of Agency contact for appeals: Karrie Rueter
         Email of Agency contact for appeals: DHS.YouthServicesInfo@illinois.gov
         Email Subject Line: "agency name TR 444-80-1411 Appeal Karrie"
      3. Submission of Appeal.
         1. An appeal must be submitted in writing to appeals submission IDHS contact listed above, who will send to the IDHS Appeal Review Officer (ARO) for consideration.
         2. An appeal must be received within 14 calendar days after the date that the grant award notice has been published.
         3. The written appeal shall include at a minimum the following:
            1. Name and address of the appealing party;
            2. Identification of the grant; and
            3. Statement of reasons for the appeal.
            4. Supporting documentation, if applicable
      4. Response to Appeal.
         1. IDHS will acknowledge receipt of an appeal within fourteen (14) calendar days from the date the appeal was received.
         2. IDHS will respond to the appeal within 60 days or supply a written explanation to the appealing party as to why additional time is required.
         3. The appealing party must supply any additional information requested by IDHS within the time period set in the request.
      5. Resolution
         1. The ARO shall make a recommendation to the Agency Head or designee as expeditiously as possible after receiving all relevant, requested information.
         2. In determining the appropriate recommendation, the ARO shall consider the integrity of the competitive grant process and the impact of the recommendation on the State Agency.
         3. The Agency will resolve the appeal by means of written determination.
         4. The determination shall include, but not be limited to:
            1. Review of the appeal;
            2. Appeal determination; and
            3. Rationale for the determination.
   4. Simplified Acquisition Threshold
      Potential grantees under this funding announcement may receive an award in excess of the Simplified Acquisition Threshold, currently $250,000 (Refer to 2 CFR 200 Section 200.1). Therefore, the grantee is subject to Simplified Acquisition Threshold. Refer to Section C.6 "Grant Funds Use Requirements" for more information.
6. Award Administration Information
   1. State Award Notices
      Applicants recommended for funding under this NOFO following the above review and selection process will receive a Notice of State Award (NOSA). The NOSA shall include:
      1. Grant Award Amount
      2. The Terms and conditions of the award
      3. Specific conditions, if any, assigned to the applicant based on the fiscal and administrative internal controls questionnaire (ICQ) and merit-based review.
         The applicant shall receive the NOSA through the Grantee Portal. The NOSA must be signed by the grants officer (or equivalent). This signature effectively accepts the state award amount and all conditions set forth within the notice. This signed NOSA is the document authorizing the Department to proceed with issuing an agreement. The Agency signed NOSA must be remitted to the Department as instructed in the notice.
         The notice is not an authorization to begin performance to the extent that it allows charging to State awards of pre-award costs at the non- State entity's own risk.
         Upon acceptance of the grant award, announcement of the grant award shall be published by the awarding agency to Grants.Illinois.gov. A written Notice of Denial shall be sent to the applicants not receiving the award.
   2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
      The agency awarded funds shall provide services as set forth in the IDHS grant agreement and shall act in accordance with all state and federal statutes and administrative rules applicable to the provision of the services.
      To review a sample of the current IDHS Uniform Grant Agreement, refer to IDHS Uniform Grant Agreement.
      The agency awarded funds through this Funding Notice must further agree to comply with all applicable provisions of state and federal laws and regulations pertaining to nondiscrimination, sexual harassment and equal employment opportunity including, but not limited to: The Illinois Human Rights Act (775 ILCS 5/1-101 et seq.), The Public Works Employment Discrimination Act (775 ILCS 10/1 et seq.), The United States Civil Rights Act of 1964 (as amended) (42 USC 2000a-and 2000H-6), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 USC 794), The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 USC 12101 et seq.), and The Age Discrimination Act (42 USC 6101 et seq.). Additional terms and conditions may apply.
   3. Reporting
      Upon execution of the grant agreement, reporting shall be in accordance with the requirements set forth in the Uniform Grant Agreement and related Exhibits which includes, but is not limited to the following:
      1. Reports
         1. Periodic Financial Report (PFR)
            1. The Provider will submit monthly expenditure documentation and certification forms (EDCFs), quarterly and final Periodic Financial Reports (PFRs) in the format prescribed by the Department.
            2. These monthly reports must be submitted no later than the 15th of each month for the preceding month by email.
            3. The quarterly reports must be submitted no later than the 15th of the month following the end of the quarter; Quarter 1 (July 1 - September 30) is due October 15th; Quarter 2 (October 1-December 31st) is due - January 15th, Quarter 3 (January 1- March 31st) is due - April 15th, and Quarter 4 (April 1st -June 30th) is due - July 15th).
            4. The final (cumulative fiscal year) Periodic Financial report is due July 15th of the next fiscal year.
         2. Periodic Performance Report (PPR)
            1. The provider will provide monthly status reports to the OFVP in the format prescribed by the Department.
            2. The Provider will submit quarterly and final Periodic Performance Reports (PPRs) in the format prescribed by the Department.
            3. The quarterly reports must be submitted no later than the 15th of the month following the end of the quarter; Quarter 1 (July 1 - September 30) is due October 15th; Quarter 2 (October 1-December 31st) is due - January 15th, Quarter 3 (January 1- March 31st) is due - April 15th, and Quarter 4 (April 1st -June 30th) is due - July 15th).
            4. The final (cumulative fiscal year) Periodic Financial report is due July 15th of the next fiscal year.
         3. Other Unique Programmatic Reporting Requirements: Additional annual performance data may be collected as directed by the Department and in a format prescribed by the Department.
         4. If the State share of any State award may include more than $500,000 over the period of performance, applicants are also subject to the reporting requirements reflected in appendix XII to 2CFR200.
         5. Non-compliance with any of the identified reports may lead to being placed on the Illinois Stop Payment List (SSPL).
      2. Annual Audit in conformance with Audit Requirements set forth in the grant agreement.
      3. Recordkeeping Requirements
         The Provider is required to maintain until June 30, 2032, adequate books, all financial records and supporting documents, statistical records, and all other records pertinent to this Award. If any litigation, claim, or audit is started before the expiration of the retention period, the records must be retained until all litigation, claims or audit exceptions involving the records have been resolved and final action taken. The Provider agrees to provide or make available all records related to this grant upon request.
   4. Payment Terms
      The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) payment policy complies with 2 CFR 200.302, 2 CFR 200.305, 31 CFR 205 (procedures implementing Cash Management Improvement Act and Treasury-State Agreement (TSA)), and 44 Ill. Admin. Code 7000.120 (GOMB Adoption of Supplemental Rules for Grant Payment Methods).
      Grantees will receive payment by one of the three payment methodologies (Advance Payment, Reimbursement or Working Capital Advance).
      Grantees will automatically be paid via Reimbursement Method unless a request for Advance Payment Method or Working Capital Advance Method is made using the IDHS Advance Payment Request Cash Budget Form IL444-4985.pdf (state.il.us) Template.
      The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) payment policy complies with 2 CFR 200.302, 2 CFR 200.305, 31 CFR 205 (procedures implementing Cash Management Improvement Act and Treasury-State Agreement (TSA)), and 44 Ill. Admin. Code 7000.120 (GOMB Adoption of Supplemental Rules for Grant Payment Methods).
      1. Advance Payment Method (Advance and Reconcile)
         1. Because IDHS is subject to the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act, IDHS is required by 44 Ill. Admin. Code 7000.120 to remit Award payments via advance payment when Awardees meet the requirements set forth in 2 CFR 200.302 (Financial Management), 44 Ill. Admin. Code 7000.120(b)(i)(A)(i and ii) (Advance Payments), and other requirements as described in this Directive.
         2. Awardees may request advance payment for each Award issued by IDHS. Requests must be submitted to the respective Award Program Manager by the method prescribed in the Grant program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) or the Catalog of State Financial Assistance (CSFA) - Program Listing. A separate request must be submitted for each IDHS Grant program application.
         3. Requests for advance payment must be accompanied by an IDHS Advance Payment Request Cash Budget Form IL444-4985.pdf (state.il.us) for each Award. Cash Budgets must be signed by either the Chief Executive Officer (or equivalent) or Chief Financial Officer (or equivalent) for the entity. The executive's signature certifies that their entity complies with the requirements set forth in 2 CFR 200.302 (Financial Management) and 44 Ill. Admin. Code 7000.120(b)(i)(A) (Advance Payments). The Cash Budget must demonstrate the estimated monthly cash requirements for each month of program Award operation. Advance payments must be limited to the minimum amounts needed and be timed to be in accordance with the actual, immediate cash requirements of the Awardee in carrying out the purpose of the approved program or project. The timing and amount of advance payments must be as close as is administratively feasible to the actual disbursements by the Awardee for direct program or project costs and the proportionate share of any allowable indirect costs. Additionally, the Awardee entity must make timely payments to sub-recipients and contractors.
         4. Upon program approval for advance payment, an initial payment will be processed in an amount equal to the first two months' cash requirements as reflected in the submitted Advance Payment Requirements Forecast (Cash Budget) Form.
         5. Awardees must submit monthly invoices on the Monthly Grant Invoice form (IL444-5257) in the method prescribed in the Awardee's executed Uniform Grant Agreement Exhibits. The first invoice is due after the first month of Award operations. Invoices must include only allowable incurred costs that have been paid by the Awardee. For Awards that have Awardee matching requirements, allowable costs are only reimbursable when matching costs have also been incurred.
         6. Subsequent monthly payments will be based on each monthly invoice submitted to the Award program and will be adjusted up or down, based on a comparison of actual cumulative expenditures to cumulative advance payments, to date.
         7. Awardees that do not expend all advance payment amounts by the end of the Award term or that are unable to demonstrate that all incurred costs were necessary, reasonable, allowable, or allocable as approved in their respective Award budget, must return the funds or be subject to Grant funds recovery.
         8. Grantees may be required to submit supporting documentation for their requests at the request of and in a manner prescribed by the Grantor.
         9. Failure to abide by advance payment governance requirements may result in grantee losing their right to advance payments.
      2. Reimbursement Method
         1. Awardees will be paid via the reimbursement method when they do not meet the requirements of 44 Ill. Admin. Code 7000.120(b)(2), or upon a Awardee's request to use the reimbursement method of payment, or as stipulated in a specific condition. Awardees that have specific conditions noted in their Uniform Grant Agreement Exhibit language for any of the following items must be paid using the reimbursement method:
            1. Fiscal and administrative high risk (weak internal controls).
            2. Have a history of failure to comply with general or specific terms and conditions of Awards.
            3. Fail to meet expected performance goals as described in 2 CFR 200.211 or their program deliverables as stated in their applicable Uniform Grant Agreement.
            4. Or otherwise not responsible.
         2. IDHS will disburse payments to the Awardee based on actual allowable costs incurred as reported in the monthly financial invoice submitted for the respective month, as described below.
         3. Awardees must submit monthly invoices on the Monthly Grant Invoice form (IL444-5257) in the method prescribed in the Awardee's executed Uniform Grant Agreement. Invoices must include all allowable incurred costs for the first and each subsequent month of operations until the end of the Award term.
         4. Invoices will be submitted to the respective Award program points of contact on or before the 15th day following the end of any respective monthly invoice period. (Award Program Managers may amend the due date from the 15th day of the month to facilitate program and Awardee requirements.)
         5. Awardees may be required to submit supporting documentation for their requests at the request of and in a manner prescribed by the Grantor.
      3. Working Capital Advance Method
         1. For Awardees that cannot meet the requirements set forth in 2 CFR 200.302 (Financial Management), 44 Ill. Admin. Code 7000.120(b)(1)(A)(i and ii) (Advance Payments), and other requirements as described in this Directive, if the Award Program Manager determines that reimbursement is not feasible because the Awardee lacks sufficient working capital, the Award program may, in its sole discretion, provide a working capital advance to the Awardee.
         2. Awardees may request separate working capital advance payments for each Award issued by IDHS at any point in the current grant term.
         3. Requests must be submitted on the IDHS Advance Payment Request Cash Budget Template (Cash Budget) to the respective Award Program Manager in the method prescribed in the Award program NOFO or the CSFA - Program Listing. The Cash Budget must include monthly cash requirements for an amount not to exceed two months of forecasted cash needs. A separate request must be submitted for each IDHS Award program application. Requests must be signed by either the Chief Executive Officer (or equivalent) or the Chief Financial Officer (or equivalent) for the entity. The executive's signature certifies the cash requirements are actual expected costs.
         4. IDHS Award Program Managers will advance working capital payments to the Awardee to cover their estimated disbursement needs for an initial period not to exceed two months of Award expenses. Startup costs may be approved if determined by IDHS Award Program Managers to be allowable.
         5. Awardees must submit monthly invoices for each of the one or two months covered by the Working Capital Advance on the Monthly Grant Invoice form (IL444-5257) in the format and method prescribed in the Awardee's executed Uniform Grant Agreement Exhibits. The first invoice is due after the first month of Award operations. Invoices must include only allowable incurred costs that have been paid by the Awardee. For Award programs that have Awardee matching requirements, allowable costs are only reimbursable when matching costs have also been incurred. Grantees may be required to submit supporting documentation for their requests at the request of and in a manner prescribed by the Grantor.
         6. Awardees shall be required to submit supporting documentation for their requests at the request of and in a manner prescribed by the respective Award Program Manager.
         7. Working Capital Advance Payments are limited to a single occurrence per grant term.
         8. Following the initial period, the Award Program Managers must reimburse the Awardee for its actual cash disbursements as described in section II of this Administrative Directive , or via advance payment methodology if requirements stated in Section I Advance Payment Method (Advance and Reconcile) are met.
      4. Final Payment
         The final payment from the Department under this Agreement shall be made upon the Department's determination that all requirements under this Agreement have been completed, which determination shall not be unreasonably withheld. Such final payment will be subject to adjustment after the completion of a review of the Applicant's records as provided in the Agreement.
      5. Stop Payment
         The Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) protects the quality of grant programs by limiting fraud, waste and abuse. GATA specifically requires the Governor's Office of Management and Budget (GOMB) to maintain a "list of individuals and entities that are ineligible, either temporarily or permanently, to receive an award of grant funds from the State." 30 ILCS 708/60(a)(8). In response to this requirement, the State of Illinois has set policy known as the Grantee Compliance Enforcement System (GCES) based on established federal law and supporting guidance. The system, Stop Pay List Tracking System (SPLTS), will only be used to track non-compliance of grantees. Non-compliance issues are classified as follows:
         1. Temporary Stop Payment Status:
            1. Late performance or expense reporting
            2. Failure to clear fiscal/administrative monitoring issue(s)
            3. Failure to submit a timely audit report
            4. Failure to respond to audit report or monitoring review corrective action for deficiencies and material weaknesses
            5. Failure to submit a required refund payment or a payment missing from the payment plan; or
            6. Factually based discretionary issue documented by the leadership within the awarding agency.
         2. Permanent Stop Payment Status
            1. Facts documented by the applicable state agency including but not limited to:
               1. Conviction of or civil judgment for commission of fraud or a criminal offense, violation of federal or state antitrust statutes, commission of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, tax evasion, or commission of any other offense indicating a lack of business integrity or business honesty that seriously and directly affects present responsibility.
               2. Violation of grant terms or a transaction so serious as to affect the integrity of the program such as a willful failure to perform in accordance with grant terms, a history of failure to perform or of unsatisfactory performance, or a willful violation of statutory or regulatory provisions or requirements application to a grant.
               3. Any other cause so serious or compelling in nature that it affects present responsibilities.
            2. Fraud documented by the Office of the Executive Inspector General and/or other Governmental entity's investigation.
      6. Repayment
         In the event payments made by the Department to the Applicant exceed the total amount of Applicant reported and Department authorized expenditures, the Applicant will be required to issue a repayment to the Department in an amount equal to the overpayment.
      7. Pre-Award Costs
         Pre-Award costs prior to the execution of the agreement will be allowed under the following conditions:
         1. The Provider must have received and accepted the Notice of State Award (NOSA) AND,
         2. Submitted any and all requested program plan and budget revisions per the NOSA; AND
         3. May NOT incur pre-award costs prior to the contract start date.
      8. Payment Forms
         1. Expenditure Documentation & Certification Form (will be provided to you by program manager.)
         2. Advance Payment Request Cash Budget Form IL444-4985.pdf (state.il.us)
7. State Awarding Agency Contacts
   1. Point of Contact
      Name: Mike Sandidge
      Email Address: DHS.YouthServicesInfo@illinois.gov
   2. Questions and Answers
      If you have questions relating to this NOFO, please send them via email to: DHS.YouthServicesInfo@illinois.gov with "TR-NOFO" in the subject line of the email. Beginning March 22, 2024, questions with their respective answers will be posted on the IDHS website at Teen REACH Questions and Answers.  Questions and answers will be updated frequently as new questions are received. Applicants are responsible for checking frequently as the responses provided may have an impact on their ability to submit a responsive application. Only written answers posted on the website will be considered valid and official.
      The final deadline to submit any written questions regarding this Funding Notice will be April 26, 2024. The Final listing of Q&A will be posted by End of Day on April 29, 2024.
8. Other information, if applicable
   Technical Assistance Conference Information.
   One Web-based Technical Assistance (TA) Conference will be provided for potential applicants on April 3, 2024. Attendance is NOT a requirement of the application although it is strongly encouraged. During this session, DHS staff will provide an overview of the Teen REACH program and expectations of the grant. DHS staff will devote a significant amount of time responding to questions from potential applicants. Potential applicants are asked to review the Funding notice and associated Appendices in detail in advance of the TA Conference. Questions should be prepared and submitted in ADVANCE of the scheduled TA session. Although we will still take questions during the TA session, to ensure your question is addressed, please submit your questions as directed below no later than Close of Business March 29, 2024.
   TA Conference Date: 04/03/2024
   When available, registration details will be found at: Teen REACH Technical Assistance Registration
   Technical Assistance Conference Questions should be submitted to:
    Email: DHS.YouthServicesInfo@Illinois.gov
    Subject:  Teen REACH TA Questions
    Deadline: 04/26/2024 

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