FY24 Continuation Application CFSA 444-80-0705
Due Date: May 10, 2023 @ Noon
Program Description: Earnfare is an employment and training program offered by DHS under the federal SNAP Employment and Training program, which offers eligible participants an opportunity to participate in Work-Based Learning, gain work experience and earn a stipend for a portion of their participation hours each month. Participation is limited to adults who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits or who are court ordered to participate. Earnfare is also a useful program in supporting ABAWDs in meeting their federal work participation requirements where obtaining employment is a challenge.
Participants work off the value of their SNAP benefits, dividing a participant's SNAP allocation by state minimum wage to determine the number of hours for the monthly work off. After working off their SNAP allotment for the month, participants can earn a stipend paid at state minimum wage up to a maximum of 35 hours per month. The Department may contract with not-for-profit organizations, community-based organizations and governmental agencies to administer the Earnfare program. Participants may be placed with for-profit businesses or private employers as work sites for the Earnfare program.
Providers recruit, orient and assess individuals, recruit employer partners, and refer individuals to appropriate employer work sites. The State may also refer individuals to Provider to participate in Earnfare.
Program tracking and documentation is done electronically in the Illinois SNAP Employment and Training System hereafter referred to as ISETS. Using this system to document participant progress in the program is mandatory.
Eligibility is limited to Bureau of Employment & Training grantees currently funding under CFSA 23-444-80-0705.
To be eligible to apply, all current grantees must be registered in the Illinois GATA Grantee Portal, meet the Pre-Qualification Process, and complete the FY24 Internal Control Questionnaire (in the GATA Grantee Portal). See Grant Application Information and Instructions webpage for more detail.
At the time of application, all Bureau grantees must submit for each grant program the following documents:
The completed documents are to be emailed by May 10, 2023, 12:00 pm (noon) to the Bureau email address Kathy.L..Jackson@illinois.gov with the subject line stating:
- Last 4 digits of CSFA #0705
- Provider Organization Name
For Example: 0705 ABC Agency
The Bureau of Employment and Training reserves the right to request additional information from the applicant to assist in FY24 funding and programmatic decisions.
