Community Youth Services (CYS) (26-444-80-0846-01)

1. - Basic Information (CSFA Data Section)

Items 1(A) - 1(E) are in the CSFA Data Table Below:

Awarding Agency Name (1-A) Illinois Department of Human Services
Agency Division Name Family and Community Services
Agency Contact Brian Johnson, Bureau Chief
DHS.PositiveYouthDevelopment@Illinois.gov
Announcement Type (1-C) Competitive
Initial Announcement 
Funding Opportunity Title (1-B) Community Youth Services (CYS)
Funding Opportunity Number (1-D) 26-444-80-0846-01
Application Posting Date April 2, 2025
Application Closing Date May 7, 2025, 12:00pm (noon) CST
Catalog of State Financial Assistance (CSFA) Number 444-80-0846
Catalog of State Financial Assistance (CSFA) Name Community Youth Services (CYS)
Assistance Listing Number(s) (1-E) N/A
Awarding Source State
Estimated Total Program Funding Amount $7.1 Million
Anticipated Number of Awards 68
Award Range $50,000 - $100,000
Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement? No
Indirect Costs Allowed? Yes
Restrictions on Indirect Costs? Yes (Indirect Costs must be approved) A Federal or State Indirect Cost rate must be approved, or the de minimis may be used up to 15%. If the Organization has an approved indirect cost rate of less than the de minimis the Approved Federal/State rate must be used, or less.
Technical Assistance Session Offered Yes, TA session April 15, 2025, 10:00am - 12:00pm
Technical Assistance Registration

1. - Basic Information Continued - Section F through I

  1. Funding Details
    1. Total Amount of Funding
      1. The Department expects to award approximately $7.1 million.  
      2. The source of funding for this program is State funds.
    2. Number of Grant Awards
      1. The Department anticipates funding approximately 68 grant awards to provide this program
    3. Expected Dollar Amount of Individual Grant Awards
      1. The Department anticipates that the dollar amount of individual awards will be $50,000 per new community and $100,000 per established community. 
    4. Amount of Funding per Grant Award on average in previous years.
      1. Previous funding amounts for this grant award program on average was $50,000 per new community and $80,000 per established community. 
      2. Not applicable
    5. Renewal or Supplementation of Existing Projects Eligibility.
      1. Existing Projects: Applications from existing projects / providers are eligible to compete with applications for new State awards. Note: Existing projects/providers MUST compete to receive funding after 6/30/25.
      2. Renewal: Successful applicants under this NOFO may be eligible to receive 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.)
    6. Sub-Recipient Agreements
      1. Sub-Recipient Agreement(s) and budgets must be pre-approved by the Department and on file with the Department. Sub-Recipients are subject to all provisions of this Agreement. The successful applicant Agency shall retain sole responsibility for the performance and monitoring of the sub-recipient.
    7. Funding restrictions
      1. Pre-Award Costs
        1. Pre-Award costs prior to the start date of the grant agreement are not allowable for this award.
        2. IDHS grants are governed by 2 CFR. Part 200, Subpart E-Cost Principles. Principles and 30 ILCS 708 which include information on allowable costs, audit requirements, and financial records.
      2. Indirect Costs
        1. To charge indirect costs to this grant, the applicant organization must have a Federal or State annually negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA) or must elect to use the De Minimis Rate. Indirect costs charged to the grant may not exceed the approved rate.
      3. Indirect Cost Rate Election:
        1. Federally Negotiated Rate: Organizations that receive direct federal funding may have an indirect cost rate that was negotiated with the Federal Cognizant Agency. Illinois will accept the federally negotiated rate. The organization must provide a copy of the federal NICRA with their application.
        2. State Negotiated Rate: The organization must negotiate an indirect cost rate with the State of Illinois by completing an indirect cost rate proposal in the CARS system if they do not have a Federally Negotiated Rate or elect to use the de minimis Rate.
        3. De Minimis Rate: An organization that has never received a Federal or State Negotiated Rate may elect a de minimis rate of 15% of modified total direct cost (MTCD). Once established, the de minimis rate may be used indefinitely. The State of Illinois must verify the calculation of the MTDC annually in order to accept the de minimis rate. If programs elect to use the de minimis rate, it is critical that program budgets accurately calculate the MTDC base.
          2 CFR 200.86 Modified Total Direct Cost (MTDC):
          MTDC means all direct salaries and wages, applicable fringe benefits, materials and supplies, services, travel, and up to the first $50,000 of each subaward (regardless of the period of performance of the subawards under the award). MTDC excludes equipment, capital expenditures, charges for patient care, rental costs, tuition remission, scholarships and fellowships, participant support costs, and the portion of each subaward in excess of $50,000. Other items may only be excluded when necessary to avoid a serious inequity in the distribution of indirect costs and with the approval of the cognizant agency for indirect costs. 
    8. The release of this NOFO does not obligate the Illinois Department of Human Services to make an award
  2. Key Dates
    1. Application Posting Date:  April 2, 2025
    2. The Department must receive the Preliminary Submission materials (Letter of Intent, etc.): N/A 
    3. The Department must receive the Full Application: Due on May 7, 2025, at 12:00PM CST.
    4. Anticipated Award Date July 1, 2025.  
    5. Anticipated Start Dates and Periods of Performance for new grant awards.
      1. Subject to appropriation, the grant period will begin no sooner than July 1, 2025 and will continue through June 30, 2026.
  3. Executive Summary: 
    Community engagement builds "social capital" - social ties, networks, and support - which is associated with better community health and well-being. Everyone - parents, residents, youth, businesses, educators, healthcare institutions, law enforcement - has a role in creating healthier and safer communities for youth. Increasing the focus on delinquency and violence prevention will help improve a community's health, quality of life and prosperity, and increase the likelihood that youth lead productive lives.
    Community engagement is a thoughtful approach to planning and the design of services. This includes input from interested community stakeholders throughout the process and thoughtful integration of racially and culturally informed tenets at each step of the process. One size does not fit all, so differentiated engagement helps to build trust and leads to success. Participatory decision-making can uncover and mobilize community assets, strengths, and resources that would have been otherwise overlooked. By building the capacity of the community, the vast wisdom of community residents empowers stakeholders to identify and solve their own issues within the community as they have expertise in their own experience, and the most at stake.
    This funding opportunity utilizes community stakeholders and maximizes community resources through development of Area Project Boards and Community Committees. In an effort to strengthen communities and ensure youth reach their greatest potential, a systematic planning approach inclusive of public health principles will provide the framework for preventing violence and delinquency. A public health approach seeks to improve the health and safety of youth by addressing underlying risk factors and conditions that increase the likelihood of youth engagement in unhealthy or risky behaviors, including radicalized factors. Through the provision of primary, population-based and culturally informed prevention activities and strategies, youth can avoid negative consequences (i.e., school dropout, violent crimes, engagement in the juvenile justice system, substance use/addiction, pregnancy) and achieve better long-term outcomes (i.e., high school graduation, attending institutions of higher education/trade schools, employment).
  4.  Agency Contact Information.
    1. If you have questions about this NOFO, please contact Brian Johnson at DHS.PositiveYouthDevelopment@Illinois.gov.
    2. A frequently asked Question and Answer page is posted on the DHS website. Questions submitted up to 7 business days prior to the end of the NOFO posting period, will be posted on the website.
    3. If you have questions relating to this NOFO, please send them via email to: DHS.PositiveYouthDevelopment@Illinois.gov  with "CYS" in the subject line of the email. Beginning April 16, 2025. 4.
    4. Questions with their respective answers will be posted here: CYS Questions & 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.
    5. The final deadline to submit any written questions regarding this Funding Notice will be Wednesday, April 30, 2025. The Final listing of Q&A will be posted by End of Day on Friday May 2, 2025. 

2. - Eligibility

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. The application is proposing to provide services to prevent youth delinquency and violence consistent with the requirements of this NOFO.
  3. Applicants will be asked to verify their eligibility by providing a current Federal Form W9 and a copy of their IRS Determination Letter as Attachment 18.
  4. The applicant must meet the Registration pre-qualification, and any other mandatory Requirements listed in this funding opportunity.
    1. Applicants must provide the following information via the Grantee Portal annually to be registered with the State of Illinois as an awardee:
      1. Organization name and contact information
      2. Federal Employee Identification Number (FEIN)
      3. Unique Identity Number (UEI)
      4. Organization type
    2. Applicants must be prequalified; therefore, applications from entities that have not prequalified prior to and on the due date of this application will NOT be reviewed and will NOT be considered for funding. Items a) through e) below are the prequalification requirements.
      1. Unique Entity Identifiers and SAM Registration: Each applicant (unless the applicant is an individual 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 (UEI) in its application.
        3. Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active award or an application or plan under consideration by the awarding agency.
        4. The State Agency may not make an award until applicant has fully complied to all UEI and SAM requirements.
        5. The State Agency may determine that an applicant is not qualified if they have not complied to requirements and use that determination as a basis to award another applicant or applicants.
      2. Must be in "good standing" with the Illinois Secretary of State if the Illinois Secretary of State requires the entity's organization type to be registered.
      3. Must not be on the Illinois Stop Payment List
      4. Must not be on the Sam.gov Exclusion List
      5. Must not be on the Medicaid Sanctions List (DHFS Provider Sanctions List)
    3. Additional Mandatory Requirements: N/A
  5. Eligibility factors for the principal investigator or project director: N/A
  6. Eligibility factors for the principal investigator or project director: N/A
  7. Successful Applicants will not receive an award if pre-award requirements are not met. Qualified status is re-verified nightly. If the entity's status changes, an email notice is sent to the designated entity representative with a link to the Grantee Portal.
  8. See Section number I(F) for funding restrictions, if applicable. I
  9. Other factors that would disqualify an applicant or application: N/A
  10. Limit on number of applications:
    1. Applicant may apply to serve more than one community; however, only one Community Committee per community will be funded. Please do not submit multiple applications.
  11. Cost Sharing: Providers are not required to participate in cost sharing or provide match.

3. - Program Description

  1. Required Information
    1. The general purpose of the funding is to develop and implement strategies, activities, and services that are intended to prevent delinquency and violence among Illinois youth who are 11 to 24 years of age, and it is expected to achieve the reduction of youth delinquency and violence in participating communities for the public good.
      1. Strategies 
        The proposed program approach includes strategies that are intended to refer and link youth who are in need of various support services. Moreover, the proposed approach will implement strategies designed to affect environmental and individual changes. These strategies include:
        1. Recruiting and maintaining involvement from indigenous leaders and community stakeholders.
        2. Defining the problem through the systematic collection of data and information about the magnitude, scope, characteristics, and consequences of violence and delinquency.
        3. Identifying the factors that increase or decrease the risk for violence and delinquency, and the factors that could be modified through advocacy and programs. Prevention generally targets specific risk factors but also aims to promote healthy behaviors and foster safe environments.
        4. Implementing effective and promising services and programs targeting multiple domains: individual (youth and peers), family (parents/caregivers), and community (physical environment).
        5. Referring and linking youth to a network of agencies and organizations that can assist youth in addressing an array of health (e.g., behavioral and physical), human (e.g., sexual assault, connecting to benefits such as childcare), and employment issues.
      2. Definitions
        To assist Applicants with understanding the terminology found in this Notice of Funding Opportunity, definitions for commonly used terms are provided below
        • Area Project Board: A diverse group of concerned community stakeholders, traditional and non-traditional, responsible for developing, managing, providing, and coordinating community service programs. This group should be reflective of the community being served.
        • Community Committee: A diverse group of concerned community stakeholders, traditional and non- traditional, responsible for planning and the coordination and/or delivery of community services in the designated service area. This group should be reflective of the community being served.
        • Community Youth Worker: The employee of the funded-agency responsible for planning, coordinating, supporting, and facilitating the delivery of the community service programs.
        • Youth Committee: A diverse group of concerned youth working in partnership with the Community Committee responsible for providing input and feedback regarding the planning, coordination, and delivery of community services in the designated service area. This group should be reflective of the community being served.
        • Established Area Project Board: A developed and active diverse group of concerned community stakeholders, traditional and non-traditional, with an identified chairperson and treasurer, that has planned and coordinated the delivery of community services in a designated service area. The Board is comprised of representation from seven of ten of the required sectors and contains no fewer than nine active Board members. This group should be reflective of the community being served.
        • Established Community Committee: A diverse developed Community Committee comprised of representatives, traditional and non-traditional partners, that contributed to the success of the CYS program and represented the designated service area. The majority of the Community Committee membership are residents and/or parents of the designated service area, and from the required sectors. This group should be reflective of the community being served.
        • Established Youth Committee: A diverse, developed Youth Committee is comprised of members of the target population from the designated service area. The Youth reflect the demographics of the community and included a cross-representation of youth. The Youth Committee supported the Community Committee's goal(s) and objectives and also engaged in activities, such as: (1) community action planning, completion of the assessment, the selection of programs and strategies, (2) identified referral activities to ensure agencies listed in the referral guide are youth friendly, and (3) created a referral guide and implemented a distribution plan for the referral guide. This group should be reflective of the community being served.
        • Single Projects: One Area Project Board responsible for one Community Committee.
        • Multiple Projects: One Area Project Board responsible for Multiple Community Committees (one Community Committee per community). *
        • Combination Projects: Any combination of Single Projects and/or Multiple Projects.
        • Referral Guide: Refers to a list and description of agencies providing services in or near the designated service area. A referral guide familiarizes the funded agency and its youth participants with information regarding referral sources and the referral process. This guide should include agencies that can provide culturally appropriate and responsive services.
        • Delinquency: Refers to young people at-risk for engagement in risky behaviors (i.e., sexual behavior, drug use, fighting) and with the juvenile justice system.
        • Violence: Refers to when young people intentionally use physical force or power to threaten or harm others. Youth violence can take different forms, such as fighting, bullying, threats with weapons, and gang-related violence. It typically involves youth perpetrating violence against other young people.
        • Equity: in the context of socioeconomics, equity would ensure that every community, regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, have meaningful access to stable housing, healthy food options, job opportunities, and other public structures that result in equitable outcomes and help people to live happy and healthy lives.
      3. Activities
        The following activities must be delivered to support the successful implementation of the CYS program:
        1. Develop and/or work with at least one new and/or established Area Project Board and one new and/or established Community Committee.
        2. Develop and/or engage with at least one new and/or established Youth Committee.
        3. The Area Project Board, Community Committee, and Youth Committee must target at least one of the following age groups/grade levels: 11 to 13 years old (6th -8th grade), 14 to 18 years old (9th-12th grade), and/or 19 to 24 years old (young adults).
        4. Engage new Community Committee in a Community Assessment or a Community Assessment update (for established committees) and development of an assessment summary that entails the review of the data collected (data, existing resources, and gaps) and a prioritization of the data based upon the results of the assessment and the assessment update.
        5. Develop, and or update a Community Action Plan. The Action Plan must include an identified need/problem statement, activity goal and expected outcomes, type of service(s) addressing the issues of delinquency, and violence prevention for the designated service area.
        6. Identify youth-serving organizations and providers for the purpose of linkage and referral.
      4. Additional Requirements
        1. Services may complement but not duplicate existing services in the designated service area. Funds may not be used for any treatment services.
        2. The Applicant must indicate how direct services identified in the plan will be funded (i.e., use of volunteers, fundraising, grant funds). If a portion of the grant funds will be used to support the activities and strategies, the amount allocated for this purpose must be indicated in the budget narrative.
        3. Funds must not be allocated for direct services until the Community Action Plan is approved.
        4. For those establishing new communities, the following requirements apply during the planning year (first year):
          1. Quarter 1: Recruitment for the Community Youth Worker, Area Project Board, Community Committee, and Youth Committee should be the focus. Appendix 3 (Area Project Board Information), Appendix 4 (Community Committee Information) and Appendix 5 (Youth Community Committee Information) should be submitted by the end of the quarter.
          2. Quarter 2: Following the establishment of the Area Project Board, Community Committee, and Youth Committee in the previous quarter, Appendix 8 (Community Assessment) should be completed and submitted along with Appendix 9 (Community Action Plan) by the end of the quarter for IDHS approval.
          3. Quarter 3: Meetings for the Area Project Board, Community Committee, and the Youth Committee should commence. Meeting minutes are required to be submitted by the end of the quarter. Development of the Youth Referral Guide, Employment Resources, and activities are the focus of this quarter.
          4. Quarter 4: By the end of the planning year this quarter, all boards are in place, meetings are taking place, youth are in attendance of meetings, and assessments should be updated (if applicable). The Youth Referral Guide and Employment Resources should be available and accessible to all youth.
        5. All required CYS documents and appendices must be maintained on site. 
    2. The State agency's funding priorities or focus areas
      1. 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.
    3. Goals and objectives of the Program
      1. The goals and objectives of the program are to reduce delinquency and violence among youth ages 11 - 24. Applicants are required to address the objectives listed below. Providers will evaluate objectives by using tools provided by IDHS and will be reported by the established deadlines.
        1. Increase in community engagement for developing and supporting delinquency and violence prevention.
        2. Increase in meaningful youth involvement in the development of delinquency and violence prevention.
          1. Improve youth decision-making in the development of the plan - assessment, summarizing and analyzing data, prioritization, and selection of strategies and programs.
          2. Improve youth role in educating peers regarding available community resources.
          3. Ensure services and programs selected are a good fit (age, developmental, and culturally appropriate for the youth population).
        3. Increase youth connection to existing health, employment, and human services.
          1. Increase youth knowledge of available services.
          2. Increase youth knowledge of their rights and fees associated with services.
          3. Ensure services that referral sources are youth-friendly (youth are welcome and served with dignity and respect, hours of operation can accommodate youth, etc.)
          4. Increase youth (16 - 24 years of age) knowledge of available employment opportunities.
          5. Increase youth (16 - 24 years of age) knowledge of youth employment training programs and resources.
          6. Increase youth (16 - 24 years of age) referrals to youth employment programs and training programs.
        4. Increase in family communication and supervision of youth.
          1. Increase in parental monitoring of youth - knowing friends and whereabouts of their children.
          2. Increase parent use of clear consistent rules and implementation of age and developmentally appropriate consequences.
          3. Improve parent/child communication so that youth see their parent as a trusted resource.
          4. Increase parent ability to communicate important behavioral health information regarding issues such as alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use, sexual activity, and abstinence, and aspirations for the future.
          5. Increase parental monitoring of academic performance.
        5. Increase in life skills development that will lead to self-sufficiency and delay and deter engagement in risk behaviors - alcohol, tobacco and other drug use, sexual activity, fighting, gang involvement, etc. Examples:
          1. Increase youth life skills such as problem solving, conflict resolution, decision making, handling peer pressure, relationships, coping and stress management.
          2. Increase youth communication skills - interpersonal, writing, and oral.
          3. Increase youth recognition of feelings and how feelings influence their behaviors and actions.
          4. Increase youth understanding in managing money, budgeting, and managing a checking account.
          5. Increase youth skills in using existing health, employment, and human services.
        6. Increase in preparation to continue onto college and high-demand career fields by youth. Examples:
          1. Increase youth knowledge of career options, salaries, and quality of life issues associated with various professions.
          2. Increase youth awareness of their talents, skills, interest areas, and aspirations and their relationship to choosing a future career.
          3. Increase youth abilities to accurately identify education and training associated with career options identified as an interest.
          4. Increase youth knowledge of opportunities (i.e., internships, obtaining work experience) that can provide valuable insight and exposure to future professions.
          5. Increase youth exposure to adults engaged in careers.
          6. Improve youth career exploration skills.
          7. Improve youth goal setting skills.
          8. Improve youth knowledge of the relationship between school course work and related careers.
          9. Improve youth understanding of the pathways to reaching goals related to career options of interest.
          10. Improve youth understanding of degrees and training programs related to career options.
          11. Increase youth knowledge of financial aid, scholarships, and support available education and training.
        7. Increase in educational aspirations by parents. Examples:
          1. Improve parent expectations for their child's academic attainment.
          2. Improve parent support for their child's future aspirations.
          3. Improve parent communication with key school personnel (teachers, counselors, etc.), ability to advocate for needed services (i.e., tutoring)
        8. Improve the physical environment in local schools within the designated service area through advocacy strategies.
          1. Improve communication and action by community leaders to address the physical conditions (lighting, safe playground and safe equipment, removal of graffiti, cleanliness - removal of trash, broken glass, and abandoned vehicles, beautification - community gardens, maintenance of lots) in public places such as parks, vacant lots, retailers, etc. in the designated service delivery area.
          2. Improve access (i.e., safe passage, days and hours of operation) to existing resources.
          3. Improve school disciplinary policies to include consistent responses to behaviors that adversely impact students of color, students with disabilities, and student who identify as LGBTQ+.
    4. Program Deliverables
      The following information defines the major deliverables and associated performance standards aimed at reaching the goal of decreasing delinquency and violence referenced in this Program Description.
      1. Staffing:
        Retain diverse and highly qualified (experience and education) staff who will dedicate their time and effort to the CYS program.
        1. At least one part-time (0.5 or higher) highly qualified (experience and education) Community Youth Worker was retained for the CYS program.
      2. Area Project Board: Develop and/or work in partnership with at least one Area Project Board committed to developing, managing, providing, and coordinating community service programs.
        1. One Area Project Board must be developed (may already be established) comprised of representatives, traditional and non-traditional partners, who can contribute to the success of the CYS program and represent the designated service area. The Area Project Board must identify a chairperson and treasurer. There is a minimum of ten required sectors to establish an Area Project Board and a member may only represent one sector. Area Project Board members may NOT receive payment for their service to the Board. This group should be reflective of the community being served.
          Please note: The CYS program model reflects a one-to-one ratio of one Area Project Board working with a single Community Committee in a community. One Area Project Board overseeing multiple Community Committees (in multiple communities) may be approved by IDHS; however, clear convincing evidence/justification of this need must be submitted in the program narrative. While applicants may request multiple Community Committees under a single Area Project Board, they will only be funded if the need, benefit, and Area Project Board representation is met with convincing evidence/justification.
        2. The Area Project Board must meet every two months, at a minimum. Area Project Board meetings must be held independent of the Community and Youth Committee meetings. The meetings may be held on the same day but are not to be combined with the Community Committee and Youth Committee meetings.
        3. The sectors below must be represented on the Area Project Board:
          • Business
          • Parents of middle school/junior high students, high school parents, alternative high school students and young adults
          • School representatives (representing middle, high, alternative schools, and institutions of higher education)
          • Healthcare
          • Human/Social Service agencies
          • Faith-based organizations
          • Media
          • Law enforcement
          • Local government
          • Civic/Volunteer
          • Community residents
          • Judicial/Courts
          • Philanthropic
          • Youth (at least one)
        4. At least 10 of the required sectors must participate on the Area Project Board and the required sectors must attend at least 70% or more of the scheduled meetings.
        5. It is the expectation that at least one youth will be present at every Area Project Board meeting.
        6. One chairperson and one treasurer must be identified.
        7. Area Project Board meetings required every two months, at a minimum.
        8. At least one member from each Community Committee must participate on the Area Project Board.
        9. Attendance and meeting minutes documented for all Area Project Board meetings.
      3. Community Committee
        Develop and/or worked with at least one new and/or established Community Committee.
        1. The Community Committee must be developed and comprised of representatives, traditional and non-traditional partners, who can contribute to the success of the CYS program and represent the designated service area. The majority of the Community Committee membership must be residents and/or parents of the designated service area, and the Committee must be comprised of at least ten required sectors (parents and residents are considered two of the required sectors). A member of the Community Committee may represent only one sector, but all members may be counted towards the parent/resident requirement. Community Committee members may NOT receive payment for their services to the Committee. The group should be reflective of the community being served.
        2. The Community Committee must meet on a quarterly basis, at a minimum. Community Committee meetings must be held independent of the Area Project Board and Youth Committee meetings. The meetings may be held on the same day but are not to be combined with the Area Project Board or Youth Committee meetings.
        3. The Community Committee is required to engage with the Youth Committee at meetings and to maintain communication outside of meetings as necessary.
        4. The sectors below must be represented on the Community Committee
          • Business
          • Parents of middle school/junior high students, high school students, and young adults
          • School representatives (representing middle, high, and alternative schools, and institutions of higher learning)
          • Healthcare
          • Human/Social Service agencies
          • Faith-based organizations
          • Media
          • Law enforcement
          • Local government
          • Civic/Volunteer
          • Community residents
          • Judicial/Courts
          • Philanthropic
          • At least two members from each Youth Committee
        5. A minimum of ten of the required sectors must participate on the Community Committee and the required sectors must attend at least 70% or more of the scheduled meetings.
        6. It is the expectation that at least two youths will be present at every Community Committee meeting.
        7. More than 51% of the members were residents and/or parents
        8. How many Community Committee meetings were held
        9. Attendance and meetings minutes documents for all Community Committee meetings
      4. Community Assessment
        The Community Youth Worker in partnership with the Community Committee must conduct a Community Assessment and/or a Community Assessment update for each awarded community comprised of the following components:
            • Review objective data (self-report and social/archival data sources)
            • Conduct key informant interviews with community stakeholders
            • Conduct a resource assessment (creating an inventory of existing youth services and identification of the gaps)
            • Conduct an environmental scan of the designated service area (i.e., if there is a park: the condition of the park described in writing or through a photo)
        • Youth must be engaged in the assessment of at least two of the assessment activities (e.g., youth are engaged in the environmental scan and take photographs of the conditions of the neighborhood, public parks, empty fields, forest preserves) and the assessment. Community Assessments must be re-evaluated and/or updated every three months. Evidence of updates should be recorded in applicable meetings.
        1. At least four assessment methods (objective data, key informants, resource assessment, and environmental scan) were used to assess needs in the designated service area.
        2. Each Community Committee was developed and submitted one assessment summary (per community) inclusive of the identification of existing services, service gaps, and needs for the designated service area.
        3. Community Assessment is updated and/or re-evaluated once every three months during the fiscal year. Evidence of updates should be recorded in applicable meeting minutes.
        4. Youth are engaged in at least two assessment methods
      5. Community Action Plan
        The Community Committee must use the data from the Community Assessment to develop a Community Action Plan (one per community) that outlines the problem, goals, objectives, service components, and the strategies and services that will be delivered to address delinquency and violence among youth in the designated service area.
        Additionally, the Community Action Plan will:
        • Identify gaps and a plan for addressing service gaps found in the designated service area.
        • Promote and refer youth and families to culturally appropriate/responsive existing services to ensure youth and families are aware and use the existing resources in the designated service area.
        • Identify services that complement, but do not duplicate existing services in the designated service area.
        • Indicate how direct services identified in the plan will be funded.
        1. Each Community Committee developed and submitted on Community Action plan per community.
        2. Evidence of the development and updates of the Community Action Plan recorded in applicable meeting minutes
      6. Youth Committee
        At least one Youth Committee will be developed that includes members of the target population from the designated service area. The Youth Committee must meet on a quarterly basis at minimum. Youth Committee meetings must be held independent of the Area Project Board and community Committee meetings. They may be held on the same day but are not to be combined with the Area Project Board or Community Committee meetings.

        If one or more age groups are targeted to participate on the committee, the youth must be close in age (no more than four years difference). For example, a 13-year-old and a 24-year-old could not participate on the Committee; however, a 13-year-old and 17-year-old could serve on the same committee. Youth must reflect the demographics in the community and include a cross-representation of youth (school and/or community involvement - high, low, or no involvement; academics - good to bad grades, areas of interest; school attendance - high, low, or no attendance; various values, beliefs and perspectives, etc.).
        There must be at least one Youth Committee per awarded community. The Youth Committee must support the Community Committee's goals and objectives and be engaged in the following activities, at a minimum, to ensure all services and activities are relevant for the target population.
        • Participate in community action planning including the Community Assessment, selection of programs and strategies and the other activities noted in Section 3, Program Description; A1, Strategies; and A3, Activities.
        • Referral activities to ensure agencies listed in the referral guide are youth friendly
        • Development of a referral guide and implementation of a plan for the distribution of the referral guide
        1. At least one Youth Committee was established inclusive of members from the target population of the designated service area
        2. Evidence (i.e., meeting minutes) that the Youth Committee was engaged in community action planning and referral activates
        3. One Youth Referral Guide and distribution plan for the guide was developed
        4. Attendance and meeting minutes documents for all Youth Committee meetings
      7. Youth Referral Guide
        In partnership with the Youth Committee, a plan for the development or update and distribution of one Youth Referral Guide. The guide must provide information regarding organizations in or near the designated service area. Linkages or Memorandums (MOUs) must be identified and established for future referral making with IDHS-funded providers, youth-serving organizations, and human and healthcare organizations that can provide high quality services for youth. The format and type of guide is to be determined in partnership with the Youth Committee.
        1. An annual Youth Referral Guide targeting youth was developed, distributed, and updated quarterly in partnership with the Youth Committee.
        2. The Youth Referral Guide contains at least four types of service.
        3. Evidence of Youth Referral Guide updates recorded in applicable meeting minutes.
        4. The format for the Youth Referral Guide was developed in partnership with the Youth Committee.
        5. 80% of the linkages were established for future referral making to the network of organizations including providers such as Comprehensive Community-based Youth Services and other IDHS-funded services (see list below), as well as other social, human, and healthcare organizations that can provide high quality services for youth and their families.
          • Comprehensive Community-based Services (CCBYS)
          • Redeploy
          • Juvenile Justice Councils
          • County probation departments
          • Teen REACH
          • Illinois Youth Investment Program (IYIP)
          • Homeless Youth
          • Substance Abuse Prevention Program
          • Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program
          • Reimagine Public Safety programs including violence prevention and youth development grants
      8. Job Resources
        Identify, develop, and update on a quarterly basis a resource to promote job training and youth employment opportunities with those who are 16 to 24 years old nearby or in the designated service area.
        1. One resource for the promotion of job training and youth employment opportunities, nearby or in the designated service area was developed and shared with those who are 16 to 24 years old.
        2. The resource was updated quarterly during the fiscal year.
        3. Evidence of Job Resources updates documented in applicable meeting minutes.
      9. Service Components
        The three service components (organizing, advocacy, and direct service) must be delivered in each non-planning year. This information must be planned for in the Community Action Plan. Established communities will have a Community Action Plan that shows application of the three service components.
        1. Three components were provided for established communities, or for new communities, planned for in the Community Action Plan
      10. Reporting
        1. The provider will submit monthly expenditure reports in the format prescribed by IDHS. The monthly Periodic Financial Report must be submitted by email no later than the 15th of the month for the preceding month. 100% of the required documentation must be submitted by established deadlines.
        2. The provider will submit quarterly expenditure reports in the format prescribed by IDHS. The quarterly Periodic Financial Report must be submitted by email no later than the 30th of the month immediately following the quarter for the preceding quarter. 100% of the documentation must be submitted by established deadlines.
        3. Periodic Performance Reports will be submitted by email in a format prescribed by IDHS no later than the 30th of the month immediately following the quarter for the preceding quarter. 100% of the required documentation must be submitted by established deadlines.
        4. Program deliverables such as meeting agendas, meeting minutes, rosters for the Area Project Board, Community Committee, and Youth Committee must be submitted by the established deadlines.
        5. Submit other required documents (Youth Referral Guide and distribution plan, etc.) by the established deadlines.
      11. Evaluation
        Providers must participate in the evaluation of implemented program activities including:
        1. Administer evaluation tools to 90% of program participants
        2. Submit an annual written summary of evaluation outcomes.
      12. Required Meetings
        The Community Youth Worker or other designated provider representative must attend and participate in required CYS meetings.
        1. Community Youth Worker or other designated provider representative attended 90% of the required meetings.
      13. Trauma-Informed Training
        Providers are required to participate in the annual CBAT-O process and to complete all required IDHS approved trauma-informed trainings.
        1. Provider participated in the annual CBAT-O process.
        2. 100% of required IDHS approved trauma-informed trainings were completed.
    5. Performance Measures and Standards
      1. Performance Measures
        This section provides a consolidated listing of the performance measures described above in more context.
        1. Staffing
          1. Retain diverse and highly qualified (experience and education) staff who will dedicate at least 0.5 of their time and effort to the CYS program.
        2. Area Project Board
          1. Number of required sectors participating on the Area Project Board
          2. Number of youths who are represented on the Area Project Board (minimum of one youth)
          3. Number of required sectors in attendance
          4. One chairperson and one treasurer identified
          5. Percentage of required Area Project Board meetings held
          6. Number of Community Committee members who are represented on the Area Project Board
        3. Community Committee
          1. Number of required sectors participating on the Community Committee
          2. Number of youths who are represented on the Community Committee (minimum of two youths)
          3. Percentage of Community Committee members who are residents and/or parents
          4. Percentage of required Community Committee meetings held
        4. Community Assessment
          1. Number of assessment methods (objective data, key informants, resource assessment, and environmental scan) used to assess needs in the designated service area
          2. Number of assessment methods used to engage youth
          3. Number of Community Assessments inclusive of existing services, service gaps, and needs for the designated service area submitted
          4. Number of Community Assessment updates
          5. Evidence of Community Assessment development and updates recorded in meeting minutes
        5. Community Action Plan
          1. Number of Community Action Plans inclusive of goals, objectives, strategies, and activities submitted for the designated service area
          2. Evidence of Community Action Plan development and updates recorded in applicable meeting minutes
        6. Youth Committee
          1. Number of Youth Committees that were established inclusive of members from the target population of the designated service area
          2. Evidence that the Youth Committee was engaged in Area Project Board and Community Committee meetings, community action planning, and referral activities recorded in applicable meeting minutes
          3. Percentage of Youth Committee meetings held
        7. Youth Referral Guide
          1. Number of Youth Referral Guides and distribution plans for the Youth Referral Guide that were developed.
          2. Number of types of services the Youth Referral Guide was comprised of.
          3. Evidence that the format for the Youth Referral Guide was determined in partnership with the Youth Committee and updated quarterly during the fiscal year.
          4. Number of linkages that were established for future referral making to the network of organizations including providers such as Comprehensive Community-Based Youth Services and other IDHS-funded services (see the list below) as well as other social, human, and healthcare organizations that can provide high quality services for youth and their families:
            • Comprehensive Community-Based Services (CCBYS), Redeploy, Juvenile Justice Councils, County Probation Departments, Teen REACH, Illinois Youth Investment Program (IYIP), Reimagine Public Safety programs including Violence Prevention and Youth Development programs
        8. Job Resources
          1. Number of resources for the promotion of job training and youth employment opportunities, nearby or in the designated service area, that were developed and shared with those who are 16 to 24 years old
          2. Evidence that the resource was updated every two months during the fiscal year
        9. Service Components
          1. Number of the required components (organizing, advocacy, and direct service) that were provided for established communities, or for new communities planned in the Community Action Plan
        10. Reporting
          1. Percentage of required reporting that was submitted accurately and on time
        11. Evaluation
          1. Percentage of program participants to whom providers administered evaluation tools
          2. Submit annual written summary of evaluation outcomes
        12. Required Meetings
          1. Percentage of required meetings that the Community Youth Worker or other designated provider representative attended
        13. Trauma-Informed Training
          1. Provider participated in the annual CBAT-O process.
          2. Percentage of required IDHS approved trauma-informed trainings were completed.
      2. Performance Standards
        This section provides a consolidated listing of the performance standards described above in more context.
        1. Staffing
          1. Retain highly qualified (experience and education) staff who will dedicate their time and effort to the CYS program. Acceptable performance: At least one part-time (0.5 or higher) highly qualified Community Youth Worker was retained for the CYS program
        2. Area Project Board
          1. Number of required sectors participating on the Area Project Board. Acceptable performance: 10 required sectors.
          2. Number of youths who are represented on the Area Project Board. Acceptable performance: At least one youth from each Youth Committee must participate on the Area Project Board.
          3. Percentage of scheduled meetings required sectors attended. Acceptable performance: 70%
          4. One chairperson and one treasurer must be identified. Acceptable performance: One chairperson and one treasurer.
          5. Area Project Board meetings held. Acceptable performance: 100%. Attendance and meeting minutes submitted with the quarterly performance report.
          6. Number of Community Committee members who are represented on the Area Project Board. Acceptable performance: At least one member from each Community Committee.
        3. Community Committee
          1. Number of required sectors participating on the Community Committee. Acceptable performance: 10 required sectors.
          2. Number of youths who are represented on the Community Committee. Acceptable performance: At least two youths from each Youth Committee.
          3. Percentage of scheduled meetings required sectors attended. Acceptable performance: 70%
          4. Percentage of Community Committee members who are residents and/or parents. Acceptable performance: 51%.
          5. Percentage of required Community Committee meetings held. Acceptable performance: 100%. Attendance and meeting minutes submitted with the quarterly performance report.
        4. Community Assessment
          1. Number of assessment methods (objective data, key informants, resource assessment, and environmental scan) used to assess needs in the designated service area. Acceptable performance: A minimum of four assessment methods.
          2. Number of assessment methods used to engage youth. Acceptable performance: A minimum of two assessment methods.
          3. Number of Community Assessments inclusive of existing services, service gaps, and needs for the designated service area submitted. Acceptable performance: One per community.
          4. Evidence that the assessment was evaluated and/or updated every two months during the fiscal year. Acceptable performance: Evidence of Community Assessment development and updates recorded in applicable meeting minutes.
        5. Community Action Plan
          1. Number of Community Action Plans inclusive of goals, objectives, strategies, and activities submitted for the designated service area. Acceptable performance: One per community
          2. Evidence of Community Action Plan development and updates. Acceptable performance: Evidence of Community Action Plan development and updates recorded in applicable meeting minutes
        6. Youth Committee
          1. Number of Youth Committees that were established inclusive of members from the target population of the designated service area. Acceptable performance: At least one Youth Committee per community. Attendance and meeting minutes submitted with the quarterly report.
          2. Evidence (i.e., meeting minutes) that the Youth Committee was engaged in community action planning and referral activities. Acceptable performance: Evidence of at least two activities is presented with or detailed in the narrative of the quarterly performance report.
          3. Percentage of Youth Committee meetings held. Acceptable performance: 100%. Attendance and meeting minutes submitted with the quarterly performance report.
        7. Youth Referral Guide
          1. Number of Youth Referral Guides and distribution plans for the Youth Referral Guide that were developed. Acceptable performance: One Youth Referral Guide and distribution plan was developed.
          2. Number of types of services that the Youth Referral Guide was comprised of. Acceptable performance: A minimum of four types of services.
          3. Evidence that the format for the Youth Referral Guide was developed in partnership with the Youth Committee. Acceptable performance: Narrative evidence of partnership is presented with the quarterly performance report.
          4. Number of linkages that were established for future referral making to the network of organizations including providers such as Comprehensive Community-Based Services and other IDHS funded services (see the list below) as well as other social, human, and healthcare organizations that can provide high quality services for youth and their families. Acceptable performance: 80%
            • * Comprehensive Community-Based Services, Redeploy, Juvenile Justice Councils, County Probation Departments, Substance Abuse Prevention Program, Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program, Reimagine Public Safety programs including Violence Prevention and Youth Development programs
        8. Job Resources
          1. Number of resources for the promotion of job training and youth employment opportunities, nearby or in the designated service area, that were developed and shared with those who are 16 to 24 years old. Acceptable performance: One job resource guide
          2. Evidence that the resource was updated every two months during the fiscal year. Acceptable performance: Narrative evidence of Job Resources update presented with the quarterly performance report
        9. Service Components
          1. Number of the required components (organizing, advocacy, and direct service) that were provided for established communities, or for new communities planned in the Community Action Plan. Acceptable performance: Three required components.
        10. Reporting
          1. Percentage of required reporting that was submitted accurately and on time. Acceptable performance: 100%
        11. Evaluation
          1. Percentage of program participants to whom providers administered evaluation tools. Acceptable performance: 90%
          2. Submit an annual written summary of evaluation outcomes Acceptable performance: Written summary submitted with the final performance report of the year
        12. Required meetings
          1. Percentage of required meetings that the Community Youth Worker or other designated provider representative attended. Acceptable performance: 90%
        13. Trauma-Informed Training
          1. Provider participated in the annual CBAT-O assessment. Acceptable performance: Provider participated in annual CBAT-O assessment and received final agency score.
          2. Percentage of required IDHS approved trauma-informed trainings were completed. Acceptable performance: 100%
    6. For cooperative agreements, the "substantial involvement" that the State agency expects to have is N/A.
    7. Specific unallowable costs for this program include the following:
      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 DHS:
      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
      6. Out of-State travel and airline travel funded by the grant will not be allowed.
    8. Program beneficiaries or program participants must meet the following requirements:
      1. Youth aged 11 - 24
      2. Youth whose safety is compromised and
      3. Youth is at risk for negative consequences in the community (i.e., school dropout, violent crimes, engagement in the juvenile justice system)
    9. Authorizing statutes and regulations for the funding opportunity include the following: Section 80-30 of the Department of Human Services Act [20 ILCS 1305/80-30].

4. - Application Contents and Format.

  1. Content and Form Requirements
    1. Content and Format of Application Submission
      1. Pre-applications, letters of intent, or white papers are not required (or encouraged).
      2. Eligible Application Types
        1. The CYS program model reflects a one-to-one ratio of one Area Project Board working with a single Community Committee; however, applicants may apply to serve more than one community. Applications will be accepted as follows:
          1. Single Community Committee Projects: One Area Project Board responsible for a single Community Committee
          2. Multiple Community Committee Projects: One Area Project Board responsible for multiple Community Committees in multiple communities.
          3. Combination Projects: Any combination of single projects and/or multiple projects.
        2. Applications will be accepted for new projects, established projects, and combinations of new and established projects.
          1. Regardless of project type only one application should be submitted. Please do not submit multiple applications.
          2. If multiple projects or combination projects are requested, one combined budget must be submitted into the CSA system.
          3. Maximum award amounts are determined on the following:
            1. Number of new Community Committees awarded
            2. Number of established Community Committees awarded
          4. The CYS program model reflects a one-to-one ratio of one Area Project Bord working with a single Community Committee. If multiple Community Committees are requested to be supported by a single Area Project Board, it will be necessary for the applicant to provide clear and convincing evidence/justification in the program narrative describing the need to combine Community Committees under a single Area Project Board.
            Awarded applicants must obtain written approval the first year of the grant cycle from IDHS for one Area Project Board to oversee multiple Community Committees in multiple communities. While applicants may request multiple Community Committees under a single Area Project Board, they will only be funded if the need, benefit, and Area Project Board representation is met and supported with convincing evidence/justification. Applicants will be asked to:
            1. Make the case as to why the proposed Community Committees should be combined under a single Area Project Board by discussing the communities' commonalities and the circumstances that uniquely tie them together. Applicants should demonstrate/justify why it is more beneficial for a single Area Project Board to oversee the proposed number of Community Committees rather than develop one Area Project Board per community.
            2. Demonstrate how each member of the Area Project Board will contribute to the success of each Community Committee and represent each of the designated service areas proposed (awarded communities) proposed. The grant requires that Area Project Board members must:
              1. Contribute to the success of the program
              2. Represent the designated service area (awarded community)
              3. An example scenario in which multiple, distinctly separate communities have been consolidated into one school district. In this scenario, you can easily make the case that the separate communities are distinct yet are uniquely tied together as all the youth in these communities attend the same schools. Note: This example is NOT intended to demonstrate an adequate level of justification, it is intended to provide an example of a scenario that could potentially be justified.
          5. Following the application review, IDHS reserves the right to approve or deny any portion of an application. If any combination of multiple communities or boards are requested, it is possible that IDHS will recommend funding all proposed communities or fewer communities than proposed.
      3. Required Content of Application
        Applicants must submit an application that consists of the following four parts. Applicants that do not include all the following documents will be considered substantially incomplete and will not be considered for funding.
        1. The Uniform Application for State Grant Assistance (available as an Appendix)
        2. A Proposal Narrative (Described below in this section) consisting of the following sub-parts:
          1. Executive Summary
          2. Capacity - Agency Qualifications/Organizational Capacity
          3. Equity and Racial Justice
          4. Need
          5. Quality - Description of Program Design and Services
          6. Evaluation
          7. Budget Narrative
          8. Attachments to Your Application
        3. Uniform Grant Budget (Entered in the CSA system - described below.)
        4. Grantee Conflict of Interest Disclosure.pdf
      4. Proposal Narrative Content and Attachments
        Applicants must submit an application that covers the 12-month project period from 7/1/25 to 6/30/26. 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 DHS.
        Proposal Narrative Content and Attachments: 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.
        IMPORTANT: The proposal narrative below makes up the bulk of your application. Please provide a complete response to each of the sub-sections. If the proposal narrative is missing from your application packet or is incomplete, your application will receive a significantly reduced score, and the applicant organization will not meet the criteria to receive a grant under this notice of funding opportunity.
        1. Executive Summary (5 points)
          The Executive Summary will serve to demonstrate the organization's eligibility and compliance with mandatory requirements and to determine if the organization will meet the intent of this funding opportunity. The Executive Summary will also 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 Appendix 14: Executive Summary and include it at the beginning of the program narrative. This Executive Summary will NOT count towards the required page limitations.
          Each of the following items is included on Appendix 14 and must be answered/responded to on the form:
          1. List the name, address, FEIN, website (if any), phone number, and email addresses for the organization, authorized representative(s), and contact person(s).
          2. Indicate the total amount of funds requested through this grant.
          3. Indicate if the FY26 budget is entered into CSA and submitted for program review.
          4. Indicate the total number of Area Project Boards requested.
          5. Indicate the total number of Community Committees requested.
          6. Indicate the projected number of youths to be served by quarter and in total.
          7. On the table provided, identify each Area Project Board and Community Committee applied for. There should be a separate row completed for each separate Community Committee.
            1. Identify each Area Project Board name and indicate if it is New or Established.
            2. Identify each Community Committee name and indicate if it is New or Established.
            3. Identify the service area for each Community Committee, the proposed number of youths to be served by that Community Committee, and the amount of funding requested for each
            4. Note: The total funds requested will not exceed the combined total for each Community Committee.
          8. Provide a brief overview of the application. Please be concise and direct in your description and summarize the services proposed with these funds. Identify the outcomes that will be achieved for each Community Committee proposed. This description should provide a clear understanding of how these services will be delivered, the process, and how services will be individualized to each Community and Youth Committee.
        2. Capacity: Agency Qualifications/Organizational Capacity (25 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. Give a brief overview of the applicant organization, 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. Provide convincing evidence that the applicant agency can carry out the proposed program, i.e., to ensure implementing and expanding strategies, activities, and services that are intended to prevent delinquency and violence among Illinois youth who are at risk.
          3. Describe the experience that your agency has in conducting delinquency and violence prevention services for youth (11 to 24 years of age) whose safety is compromised and are at risk for negative consequences in the community, i.e., high school dropout, violent crimes, engagement in the juvenile justice system, substance use/addiction and pregnancy.
          4. Describe relevant major accomplishments of your organization providing services to the aforementioned population and how those accomplishments related to better long-term outcomes, i.e., high school graduation, attending institutions of higher education or trade schools, employment, etc.
          5. Provide a description of your agency's current programs and activities relevant to the services described in this NOFO. Please describe how these programs currently impact the targeted population. Please include as Attachment 1 an organizational chart of the applicant organization, showing where the program and its staff will be placed. If sub-recipients will be used, include those organizations in the chart.
          6. Identify key staff positions that will be responsible for the program and include evidence that your agency maintains adequate staff coverage. Include the resumes of the Community Youth Worker, Agency Director, and Fiscal Manager as Attachment 2 of your application. (See Appendix 2: CYS Program Staffing).
          7. Include job descriptions for all employee positions that will be funded in whole or in part with this grant, and an indication of the percentage of time those employees will spend in this program. Programs must recruit and hire staff that are qualified for the positions through education, experience, and/or training. Include the job descriptions as Attachment 3.
          8. Include as Attachment 4 the Program Contact Information forms for the applying organization. (See Appendix 1: Program Contact Information).
          9. A description of your agency's readiness commencing July 1, 2025, taking particular note of the following:
            1. Describe the agency's willingness to ensure that all staff will participate in training sessions devoted to the basic concepts of Community Youth Services, i.e., community engagement, recruiting committees prior to the commencement of service delivery. For purposes of the proposal, assume that if your agency requires training on quarterly reporting, monthly fiscal reporting, or data collection, IDHS will provide that training to appropriate staff within your agency prior to commencement of services.
            2. Discuss your readiness in terms of physical space where the Community Youth Services program activities will be carried out. Describe whether this space is currently occupied and/or paid for by your agency, whether it is under construction, or if arrangements to rent/lease/buy or build a physical facility are not yet final. Include in Attachment 5 of your application copies of any agreements or other documents (lease, rental agreement, evidence of ownership, etc.) to illustrate the situation regarding physical space.
            3. Discuss your readiness to recruit sector members to establish the foundation of the Area Project Board, Community Committee, and Youth Committee.
            4. A description of existing linkages, Memorandum of Understanding and/or referral procedures your agency has with other community resources and services essential to the positive development of youth, including physical and mental health, probation, truancy, and education services. Include copies of signed linkage agreements and/or memorandum of understanding, if any, in Attachment 6 of your application.
            5. A description of any certification or accreditations (e.g., CARF, JCAHO, COA, etc.,) your agency may have and how they improve your ability to deliver the Community Youth Services program. Include any copies of these certifications in Attachment 7 of your application. Additionally, include a description of your agency's quality assurance process, if any.
            6. Describe your experience with capacity to conduct process and outcome evaluation activities. Explain the ways your agency organizes and maintains data (i.e., rosters, satisfaction surveys, content logs., etc.). Describe your data collection activities related to reporting outcomes and your capacity to summarize, report, and use data for program planning, improvement, revision, or elimination. Discuss how you have shared information (measures and results) with community stakeholders, institutions, and community representatives for planning and evaluation purposes.
          10. Applicants must provide documentation to support if their organization is trauma-informed through the CBAT-O or other assessment tool in Attachment 8 and provide a statement of ongoing commitment to develop and maintain trauma-informed capacity within the applicant organization. Assessment, training, and technical assistance will be made available to successful applicants to achieve/maintain this status.
          11. Describe the applicant's organization's experience managing state and/or federal grants.
          12. If the applicant plans to use a Subrecipient to deliver services related to this program, describe how the applying agency will monitor the Subrecipient. Subrecipient attachments will be required as described under the Budget Narrative section.
        3. 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 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 organization's experience ensuring that its work is driven by an equity lens.
            1. Describe the applicant organization's experience in training and capacity building around equity and racial justice.
            2. Include the 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.
          2. Describe the applicant organization'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 identity 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. If no equity and racial justice efforts are currently being practiced, describe the applicant organization's plan to implement those efforts, including a timeline of activities.
          3. Describe how the applicant organization has or will use an equity lens when developing the Area Project Board, Community Committee, and Youth Committee, and when developing and implementing programming related to this grant. An equity lens is a process that analyzes the impact of policies and practices on marginalized communities to inform and ensure equitable outcomes.
          4. Describe how the applicant will intentionally and deliberately analyze the delivery and/or impact of this program on underserved and marginalized groups, including communities of color, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ youth, gender nonconforming people, etc.
          5. Include information about program staff and agency leadership (board and/or executive staff) and discuss how they reflect the community or communities being served.
          6. Indicate the number of policies, practices, and procedures that your organization has implemented, revised, or repealed to reduce racial disparities at your agency.
        4. Need - Description of Need (15 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.
          Refer to 4. Application Contents and Format, A2 under Eligible Application Types to complete this section.
          If a Single Community Committee Project is requested, include all information requested in i., ii., and iv. below.
          If more than one Single Community Committee Project is requested, each Community Committee must begin on a new page and include all information requested in i., ii., iii., and iv. below.
          If Multiple Community Committee Projects or Combination Projects are requested, each Community Committee must begin on a new page and include all information requested in i., ii., iii., and iv. below.
          1. Identify the Area Project Board and the Community Committee for which it supports. If the Area Project Board is established, complete Appendix 3: CYS Area Project Board and include as Attachment 9.
          2. IDHS is interested in gathering information about the designated service area for which the Community Committee is representative. Because of the importance of this information, your proposed service area will be reviewed in the context of your application and the State's need for services in that area. Provide a description of the geographic area you intend to serve with the funds awarded through this grant opportunity. Provide the following information for age groups/grade levels: 11-13 years old (6th - 8th grade), 14 - 18 years old (9th - 12th grade) 19 - 24 years old (young adults) within the proposed designated service area. For each indicator, provide the data source, the year of the data, and age groups/grade levels. Use the most recent data available and data that best represents the designated service area. Identify the designated service area your agency plans to target for services and include the following information:
            1. Designated service area (Saline County, Downers Grove Township, Austin, etc.): The designated service area may be comprised of multiple counties, townships, municipalities, and Chicago Community Areas. The designated service area may also be a specific municipality in a county, such as Decatur in Macon County, a municipality in a township (i.e., Tinley Park in Bremen Township) or a portion of a municipality (i.e., southeast portion of Peoria) or a neighborhood in a Chicago Community Area (Roscoe Village and Lanthrop Homes Housing Development in Lake View). If your agency is proposing to serve a smaller geographic area, when possible, provide specifics regarding this smaller area. Provide zip codes and boundaries to further describe the geographic area to be served.
              Note: If your agency is proposing to work with one or more counties, townships, municipalities, or Chicago Community Areas, and requesting one Area Project Board to oversee the communities, they must share at least one geographic border.
            2. Type: Indicate if the service area is a municipality, Chicago Community Area, township, or county. If your agency is proposing to serve a township or county, indicate the number of towns and municipalities in the township and/or county, list all the towns and municipalities, and indicate if all or specific towns or municipalities are targeted for services.
            3. Setting: Indicate if the designated service area is urban, suburban, rural, or other urban.
            4. Description of the designated service area: Indicate the main source of industry/business, housing (i.e., housing developments, farms) libraries, park district programs, and institutions of higher education.
            5. School information: Indicate the total number of schools serving 6-12th grade students and young adults in the designated service area. Also, include the type of schools serving the targeted age groups for this grant program (i.e., elementary, middle, junior high, high, alternative, charter, and private/parochial schools) by community. 

              Note: If your agency proposes to work with multiple communities (i.e., two  counties, two municipalities, etc.), provide information for points a.- e.  (Designated Service Area, Type of Service Area, Setting, Description of  Service Area, and School information) by community.

            6. Identify any unique characteristics of the designated service area proposed to serve if applicable (i.e., diversity such as culture, religion, sexual orientation).
            7. Describe demographic information: socio-economic, population (total number of residents, age groups, race, ethnicity), family structure, and youth employment.
            8. Describe consequence data for the youth population (i.e., school drop-out, expulsions, substance use, teen pregnancy, violence, status offenses).
            9. Area Project Board: This grant requires that Area Project Board members 1) contribute to the success of the program and 2) represent the designated service area and thereby the associated Community Committee. Describe how each specific member of the Area Project Board will contribute to the success of the program and represent the designated service area described above.
          3. Required ONLY for applicants seeking funding for Multiple Community Committee Projects or Combination Projects that are requesting at least one Area Project Board to support multiple Community Committees. If your application includes one or more Area Project Boards responsible for more than one Community Committee, please include Appendix 15: Request for One Area Project Board to Multiple Community Committees as Attachment 24 and complete this section.
            The CYS program model reflects a one-to-one ratio of one Area Project Board working with a single Community Committee in a community. If multiple Community Committees are requested to be supported by a single Area Project Board, it will be necessary for the applicant to provide clear and convincing evidence/justification in the program narrative describing the need to combine Community Committees under a single Area Project Board. The proposed communities will only be funded if the need, benefit, and Area Project Board representation is met and supported with convincing evidence/justification. Beginning on a separate page, the applicants must:
            1. Make the case as to why the proposed Community Committees should be combined under a single Area Project Board. Discuss the communities' commonalities and the circumstances that uniquely tie them together; demonstrate/justify why it is more beneficial for a single Area Project Board to oversee the proposed number of Community Committees rather than develop a local Area Project board for each community.
            2. Describe how each specific member of the Area Project Board will contribute to the success of each Community Committee and represent each of the designated service areas proposed. The grant requires that Area Project Board members must 1) contribute to the success of the program and 2) represent the designated service area.
          4. If multiple Community Committees are requested, please complete Appendix 4: CYS Community Committee for each Community Committee and include it/them as Attachment 10.
        5. Quality - Description of Program Design (35 points)
          The purpose of this section 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.
          If multiple Community Committees are requested, each Community Committee must begin on a new page and include all information requested below.
          Provide the following information regarding the proposed services that will be delivered in the designated service area. These services must be delivered in the designated service area.
          1. Describe the types of assessment and assessment update methods that will be used to either develop or enhance services in the designated area. Describe the types of objective data that will be collected, summarized, and presented to the Community Committee. Include the data sources that will be used to collect the data.
          2. Describe the key informants (i.e., school personnel, law enforcement) that will be interviewed and the types of information that will be collected. Provide examples of the types of content covered during a key informant interview.
          3. Representatives from the following grant programs must be interviewed as part of the key informant interviews, if available in or near your agency's designated service area: 1) Comprehensive Community-based Services (CCBYS), 2) Redeploy, 3) Juvenile Justice Councils, 4) County Probation Departments, 5) Teen REACH, 6) Community Youth Employment Program, 7) Homeless Youth, and 8) other youth-serving organizations.
          4. Describe the resource assessment that will be conducted. Indicate the type of resources that will be identified and the process for gathering this information.
          5. Describe the environmental scan that will be conducted. Indicate the type of resources that will be identified and the process for gathering this information.
          6. For Established Committees, include assessment information as Attachment 11 (see Appendix 8: Community Assessment).
          7. Provide a timeline and activities associated with the completion of each type of assessment and development of a Community Action Plan. For established Community Committees complete Appendix 9: Grant Objectives and Community Action Plan and attach as Attachment 12.
          8. Describe the types of activities and methods that will be used to develop or enhance the Area Project Board.
            1. Indicate if the Area Project Board is new or established.
            2. If established, include the name of the Area Project Board and the year it was established. Indicate the total number of members service on the Area Project Board. If new, indicate the number of members to be recruited.
            3. Will your agency use its Board of Directors as the Area Project Board? If so, explain how other sectors, including youth, will be integrated into the Board and how your agency will incorporate the development and coordination of community service programs into the Area Project Board meetings.
            4. Include the sector representation on the Area Project Board. If new, identify the proposed sectors to be recruited and a timeline and activities associated with recruitment.
            5. If it is an established Area Project Board, indicate any missing sectors, if applicable, and describe how your agency will recruit individuals to represent those missing sectors.
            6. If established, describe successes included the data collected demonstrating the accomplishments of the Area Project Board.
            7. Describe the types of support the Area Project Board will provide to each Community Committee proposed.
            8. Describe how the Area Project Board plans to include/accommodate youth at all meetings.
          9. Description of the Community Committee
            1. Indicate if the Community Committee is new or established.
            2. If established, include the name of the Community Committee and the year it was established.
            3. Indicate the community served by the Community Committee.
            4. If it is an established Community Committee, include the total number of members and the sectors represented. As mentioned above, include the Community Committee Information Forms as Attachment 10 (see Appendix 4: CYS Community Committee). If new, include the proposed number of members and sectors to be recruited.
            5. If it is an established Community Committee, indicate any missing sectors, if applicable, and describe how your agency will recruit individuals to represent these missing sectors.
            6. Provide a timeline and activities for recruiting sectors, if new, and/or missing sectors if established.
            7. Describe how your agency will engage and communicate with the Youth Committee and ensure youth attendance at the Community Committee meetings.
            8. Describe how your agency's Community Youth Worker will lead the Community Committee in the development of a Community Action Plan. Indicate the processes used for engaging the Community Committee and the anticipated timeline for a completion of the plan.
          10. Description of the Youth Committee
            1. Indicate if it is new or an established Youth Committee.
            2. If established, include the name of the Youth Committee and the year it was established.
            3. Identify the community served by the Youth Committee.
            4. If it is an established Youth Committee, provide the total number of members. Include Youth Committee information forms as Attachment 13 (see Appendix 5: CYS Youth Community Committee).
            5. If it is an established Youth Committee, describe how your agency recruited youth to participate on the committee.
            6. If new, identify the number of Youth Committees that will be established.
            7. Identify the number and age of the youth that will be recruited to serve on the Youth Committee. If there is more than one Youth Committee, identify the youth for each committee.
            8. Describe the characteristics of the youth (i.e., age group) your agency is seeking to engage.
            9. Describe how your agency will identify youth to represent the Youth Committee at Area Project Board and Community Committee meetings and how you will ensure youth are in attendance of meetings.
            10. Describe the strategies that will be used to recruit youth.
            11. Describe the logistics associated with the Youth Committee (i.e., how often it will meet, length of meetings).
            12. Describe the training that will be provided to the youth serving on the committee.
            13. Describe the strategies that will be used to retain youth participation.
            14. Describe the types of activities the youth will be engaged in developing and planning.
          11. Description of the Youth Referral Guide
            1. If new, indicate how your agency will guide youth in the development of the youth referral guide (i.e., types of services to be included, format).
            2. Describe how and how often the guide will be updated.
            3. Describe accessibility that youth will have to this (i.e., electronic, hardcopy, etc.).
            4. If established, describe how your agency guided youth in developing the youth referral guide (i.e., types of services included, format, etc.) Include the Youth Referral Guide form as Attachment 14 (see Appendix 6: Referral Guide/Youth Committee).
          12. Description of the referral and linkage system
            1. If new, describe how your agency will establish and use a system to provide referrals and linkages for participants to human, employment, and health services.
            2. Describe the development or established protocols and procedures for how referrals to employment, human, and health services will be made.
          13. Description of the promotion of job training and youth employment opportunities (Complete Appendix 7: Youth Employment Resources and attach as Attachment 15).
            1. If new, describe how your agency will identify, regularly maintain, and determine the best resource for the promotion of job training and youth employment opportunities.
            2. If established, describe how your agency identified, regularly maintained, and determined the best resources used to promote job training and youth employment.
            3. If new, describe the development of protocols and procedures for referrals to job training and youth employment opportunities.
          14. Description of strategies and activities
            1. If new, describe how the agency will guide the Community Committee in the selection of strategies and activities.
            2. If new, describe your agency's experience in delivering strategies and activities related to the objects found in 3. Program Description, 3.a-f.
            3. If established, describe how your agency avoided duplicating, promoted and complemented existing services in your service location.
        6. Evaluation (5 points)
          To ensure accountability at all levels of service provision, IDHS implemented the practice of performance-based contracting with its grantee agencies. The articulation and achievement of measurable outcomes help to ensure that we are carrying out the most effective programming possible. Data collected related to performance and outcome attainment may be considered when determining eligibility for years two and three continuation funding and may be considered when determining funding allocation in continuation years. Your agency performance and outcome data will be considered when making future funding decisions. At minimum, all applicants will be expected to collect and report data indicators and performance measures.
          Describe how your agency will track, collect, process, and evaluate outcome data relevant to the Community Youth Services program performance measures. If multiple Community Committees are applied for, indicate if the description applies to all. If not, provide detail of the differences. 
      5. Budget and Budget Narrative (5 points) Important: Please read carefully.
        1. Applicant Budgets
          • Applicants will be submitting one 12-month budget and a budget narrative for this application:
            • The budget will be for the period, July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. This budget must be entered into CSA. Refer to bullet point (b) Budget below for more details.
          • 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.
        2. Budget Narrative 
          In this section of the program narrative, provide a detailed Budget Narrative of the items allocated within your proposed budget. This will include all funds budgeted for the program over this 12-month period (7/1/2025 - 6/30/2026). 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.
          For applications proposing more than one Community Committee; in addition to the above requested information, the applicant must also describe and detail expenditures separately by Community Committee. Begin a new page for each Community Committee. Additionally, a separate budget summary sheet (Appendix 13: Community Committee Budget Summary) detailing proposed expenditures for each separate Community Committee must be completed and included with the application as Attachment 16.
          IMPORTANT: Maximum award amounts are determined based on the following:
          • New Community Committees - Up to $50000 each.
          • Established Community Committees - Up to $100,000 each.
            NOTE: Any grant application submitted that exceeds these maximums will receive a reduced score in this Budget Narrative section of the application during the merit-based-review. Further, any application selected for funding that requests an amount in excess of these limits will be reduced to comply with the maximums.
        3. Budget
          Applicants must enter and submit one 12-month budget into CSA. The 12-month annual project period is July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.
          1. In addition to the Budget Narrative that is part of the application narrative, the FY26 12-month budget must also be submitted electronically in the CSA system (Refer to IDHS: CSA Tracking System (state.il.us). The Budget entered into the CSA system will also 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 FY26 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.
          2. The budget and narrative must tie fiscal activity to program objectives and deliverables and demonstrate that all proposed costs are:
            1. Reasonable and necessary
            2. Allocable, and
            3. Allowable as defined herein and by program regulatory requirements and the Uniform Guidance (2CFR 200), as applicable.
          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 narrative.
          4. A PDF copy of the budget must be included in the application. The FY26 12-month budget should be included as Attachment 17: Applicant FY26 12-Month CSA Budget. This budget should be printed from the CSA system.
          5. If more than one Area Project Board and/or more than one Community Committee is requested; one combined budget must be submitted into the CSA system. Maximum award amounts are determined based on the following:
            1. New Community Committees - Up to $50000 each.
            2. Established Community Committees - Up to $100,000 each.
        4. Successful applicants will NOT receive a grant agreement until after their budget has been submitted and approved through the CSA system.
        5. If indirect costs are included in the budget, the applicant must submit a copy of their organization's approved NICRA as Attachment 19: Applicant NICRA.
        6. The applicant must submit Federal Form W-9 (Rev. March 2024) (irs.gov).pdf and a copy of the organization's IRS Determination Letter as Attachment 18: Applicant Federal Form W-9/ IRS Determination Letter
          1. 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. (See below for additional instructions regarding subrecipient budgets.)
            1. 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 (illinois.gov)
            2. If Subrecipients will be used, include the following for each subrecipient:
              1. Attachment S1-Subrecipient Contact Information and Additional Subrecipient Information Forms (available as an appendices)
              2. Attachment S2-Subrecipient Budget (Use the IDHS: Uniform Grant Budget Template (illinois.gov)
              3. Attachment S3-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.)
              4. Attachment S4-Subrecipient Agency Federal Form W-9 (Rev. March 2024) (irs.gov) and copy of IRS Determination Letter
              5. Attachment S5-Subrecipient Agency approved NICRA if indirect costs are included and Subrecipient Agency has a current approved Federal or State NICRA
          2. Please restate and provide a response to each of the following questions as part of your FY26 budget narrative.
            1. Does your agency maintain written procedures that minimize the time elapsing between the receipt and disbursement of grant funds?
            2. Does your agency comply with/meet the financial management standards of 2 CFR 200.302?
            3. Does your agency anticipate any immediate cash needs to implement this grant?
            4. Does your agency have sufficient working capital to fully operate the grant program for 2 months beginning July 1, without advance payment, including initial startup costs and normal monthly grant expenses?
      6. Attachments to Your Application Narrative (Not included in page limitations)
        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 and placed in the order listed under 8. Required Format, below. 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.
      7. Required Forms
        1. The Uniform Application for State Grant Assistance.pdf 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.
        2. The Grantee Conflict of Interest Disclosure.pdf is a required document for all grant award programs. The document requires agencies to identify actual or potential conflicts of interest. The form must be signed by a representative of the organization.
          1. Compliance Requirement: IDHS Grantees must immediately disclose in writing to the Program Administrator any actual or potential conflict of interest as soon as it becomes known, in accordance with 30 ILCS 708/35, 30 ILCS 708/60(a)(5), 44 Ill. Admin. Code 7000.330(f) and the grant agreement. This disclosure must be submitted for the Grantee and all sub-recipients or pass-through entities, whenever an actual or potential conflict may exist.
          2. Continuing Obligation: IDHS Grantee has a continuing obligation to disclose IDHS financial or other interests (public, private, direct or indirect) that may be a potential conflict of interest, or which could prohibit Grantee from entering or continuing the programs for which the grant is intended.
          3. Grantee Form Submission: This form must be completed, signed, and returned for any State or federal grant funds awarded to the Grantee by IDHS. For conflicts that exist at the time of grant application submission, submit this form with your grant application materials. If no actual or potential conflicts exists, the grantee 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.
      8. Required Format
        1. The narrative portion must follow the page maximums where prescribed and must be organized in the format outlined or points may be deducted.
        2. The department may determine that an applicant is not qualified if they have not complied with requirements and use that determination as a basis to award to another applicant.
        3. The program narrative for Single Projects should not exceed 20 pages. Multiple and Combination Projects will require additional information and do not have a limit on program narratives. The Uniform Application for State Grant Assistance, Executive Summary, NOFO checklist, attachments, and Uniform Budget are not included in the page limitation.
        4. 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 letters 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.
        5. The complete application must be compiled in a single PDF document and electronically submitted to DHS.PositiveYouthDevelopment@Illinois.gov by the deadline.
        6. Applications must be submitted electronically. Paper submissions are not allowed.
        7. The entire application, including attachments, must be sequentially page numbered and compiled in the order specified below.
          1. The Uniform Application for State Grant Assistance must include the signature and email address of the organization's authorized representative, and the proposed budget must be signed and submitted to Program Review in CSA.
          2. Program Narrative and Attachments:
            1. Executive Summary - Appendix 14
            2. Capacity - Agency Qualifications/Organizational Capacity
            3. Equity and Racial Justice
            4. Need - Description of Need
            5. Quality - Description of Program Design and Services
            6. Evaluation
            7. Budget Narrative and Budget Narrative
            8. Attachments to your application:
              1. Attachment 1 - Organizational Chart
              2. Attachment 2 - Resumes for Key Staff
              3. Attachment 3 - Job Descriptions
              4. Attachment 4 - Program Contact Information Forms (Appendix 1)
              5. Attachment 5 - Program Readiness
              6. Attachment 6 - Linkage Agreements, MOUs
              7. Attachment 7 - Certification or Accreditations (if applicable)
              8. Attachment 8 - CBAT-O and Statement of Commitment to Trauma-informed Capacity
              9. Attachment 9 - Area Project Board (Appendix 3: complete one form for each Board)
              10. Attachment 10 - CYS Community Committees (Appendix 4: complete one form for each Committee)
              11. Attachment 11 Community Assessment (Appendix 8: must be completed for each Established Committee)
              12. Attachment 12 - Grant Objectives/Community Action Plan (Appendix 9)
              13. Attachment 13 - Youth Committee Information Forms (Appendix 5)
              14. Attachment 14 - Youth Referral Guide (Appendix 6)
              15. Attachment 15 - Youth Employment Resources (Appendix 7)
              16. Attachment 16 - Community Committee Budget Summary (Appendix 13: complete one form for each Committee)
              17. Attachment 17 - PDF copy of Applicant's FY26 12-Month CSA Budget and Budget Narrative
              18. Attachment 18 - Copy of Agency's current Federal Form W9 and IRS determination letter
              19. Attachment 19 - Copy of currently approved NICRA if indirect costs are included in the budget
              20. Attachment S1 - Subrecipient Contact Information Form (Appendix 10) and Additional Subrecipient Information Form (Appendix 11)
              21. Attachment S2 - Subrecipient Budget
              22. Attachment S3 - Subrecipient Agreement
              23. Attachment S4 - Sub-Recipient Federal Form W9 (Rev. March 2024) and copy of the IRS determination letter
              24. Attachment S5 - Subrecipient Agency approved NICRA if indirect costs are included in the budget and Subrecipient Agency has a current approved Federal or State NICRA.
              25. Attachment 23 - CYS NOFO checklist (recommended)
              26. Attachment 24 - Request for One Area Project Board to Multiple Community Committees (Appendix 15)
          3. The Uniform Grant Budget must be signed and submitted to Program Review in CSA.
          4. Grantee Conflict of Interest Disclosure.pdf

5. -  Submission Requirements and Deadlines.

Address to Request Application Package 

  1. Address to Request Application Package
    1. Actions Needed Prior to Applying:
      1. The complete application package (this Notice of Funding Opportunity, including links to required forms) is available through the Illinois Catalog of Financial Assistance and the IDHS Grants Website Page located: IDHS: Grant Funded Programs
      2. Each Applicant must have access to the internet. The Department's website 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 in this announcement (Section 1. Basic Information; I.2.) It is the responsibility of each applicant to monitor the website and comply with any instructions or requirements related to the NOFO.
    2. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov).
      1. Each applicant must:
        1. Be registered in SAM.gov before submitting its application;
        2. Provide a valid unique entity identifier in its application; and
        3. Continue to maintain an active registration in SAM.gov with current information at all times during which it has an active award or an application or plan under consideration.
        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. Submission Instructions:
      1. Applicants must be registered with the State of Illinois and Pre-qualified in the GATA portal prior to applying for Illinois awards. Instructions for creating an account and registering are located at the following link: Illinois GATA Grantee Portal. Additionally, detailed instructions for registration and prequalification requirements, including the expected amount of time for completion are located here: Grant Applicant Pre-Qualification and Pre-Award Requirements
    4. The methods for submitting the application:
      1. Applicants must electronically submit the complete application including all required narratives and attachments in the prescribed order:
        1. Uniform Application for State Grant Assistance.pdf
        2. Program Narrative & Attachments
        3. Budget (entered into the CSA system as described in Section 5.a)
        4. Grantee Conflict of Interest Disclosure.pdf
      2. Applications must be sent electronically to
        DHS.PositiveYouthDevelopment@Illinois.gov and received no later than 12:00 p.m. (noon) on Wednesday, May 7, 2025
        The application will be electronically time-stamped upon receipt. The Department will ONLY accept applications submitted by electronic mail sent to DHS.PositiveYouthDevelopment@illinois.gov. Include the following in the subject line: [Applicant Organization Name] CYS 444-80-0846. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE CORRECT EMAIL ADDRESS when sending your application.
        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, link to an external location where the document is located, or thumb drive. Where possible the electronic copy must be a complete single PDF file. If a single PDF is not possible, a ZIP file must be used instead. DHS will not be responsible for piecing together your application materials and ensuring the documents are in the correct order.
      3. Documents must include the following password: N/A. Applications that are password protected will NOT be accepted.
      4. Software or electronic capabilities required are as follows:
        1. Internet Access, preferably high-speed
        2. Email capacity
        3. Microsoft Excel
        4. Microsoft Word
        5. Adobe Reader
      5. Applicants will receive a receipt confirmation email within 48 hours of receipt notifying them that their application was received and the date and time it was received. 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 IDHS; it is not a confirmation of the applicant's eligibility; prequalification, etc. for more information on the applicant's eligibility.
        Applicants are required to notify IDHS by 12:00 PM on May 12, 2025, 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 IDHS by May 12, 2025, at 12:00 PM, 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 IDHS after May 12, 2025, at 12:00 PM. 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.
        Applications received after the established 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.
    5. Pre-application materials must be submitted as follows: N/A
    6. If you are experiencing system problems or technical difficulties submitting your application, and you would like assistance from IDHS, please contact:
      1. Name: Brian Johnson
      2. Email: DHS.PositiveYouthDevelopment@Illinois.gov
        You must contact IDHS prior to the deadline if you are experiencing system problems or technical difficulties submitting your application. Contacting IDHS prior to the deadline about issues will NOT extend the deadline for submission unless there is an IDHS system issue that is no fault of the applicant. If you contact IDHS after the deadline, your application is already late and IDHS will be unable to assist.
  2. Submission Dates and Times
    1. Full applications are due on the following date May 7, 2025, at the following time 12:00 pm (CST).
    2. Any preliminary submissions, such as letters of intent, white papers, or pre- applications are due on the following date: N/A
    3. Other submissions required before the award (separate from the full application) include N/A
    4. Missed Deadlines:
      1. 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.
      2. 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.
      3. IMPORTANT: 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 IDHS 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. Intergovernmental Review:
        This funding opportunity is NOT subject to Executive Order 12372,  " Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs"

6. - Application Review Information.

  1. Eligibility Review 
    1. Applications that are received will be reviewed between May 7, 2025, and June 30, 2025, to ensure they meet the criteria for consideration. Applications that do not meet the criteria in paragraph B below will be rejected and will not enter the Merit Review process.
    2. The following are the criteria that must be met for eligibility:
      1. Applicant has a current registration with the State of Illinois in the Grantee Portal.
      2. Applicant has an active Sam.gov public account.
      3. Applicant has an active Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) with Sam.gov
      4. Applicant is in "good standing" with the Secretary of State.
      5. Applicant is not on the DHS Stop Payment List Service or the Illinois Stop Payment List.
      6. Applicant is not on the Sam.gov Exclusion List.
      7. Applicant is not on the Illinois Medicaid Sanctions (DHFS Provider Sanctions) List.
      8. Program specific eligibility restrictions include:
        1. Eligible applicants are limited to public or private not-for-profit community-based organizations.
    3. Restrictions on eligibility for State awards are referenced in 44 Ill Admin Code 7000.70. Program specific eligibility restrictions are referenced in this Notice of Funding Opportunity.
    4. All applicants/applications determined to be non-compliant or otherwise determined to be disqualified from consideration will be notified. This email will be sent to the email addresses provided in the application and will identify the reason for disqualification.
  2. Selection Criteria
    1. Review Criteria
      1. Evaluation criteria is based upon requirements set forth in 44 Ill Admin Code 7000.350 Merit Review of Applications and the IDHS Merit Review Manual. The review criteria and sub-criteria include the following:
        1. Executive Summary
        2. Capacity
        3. Equity and Racial Justice
        4. Need
        5. Quality
        6. Evaluation
        7. Budget and Budget Narrative
      2. Criteria and Weighting of each criterion
        1. Scoring for applications are based on a 100-point scale. The Application and Narrative will be evaluated on the following criteria:
          1. Executive Summary: 5 points
          2. Capacity - Agency Qualifications/Organizational Capacity: 25 points
          3. Equity and Racial Justice: 10 points
          4. Need - Description of Need: 15 points
          5. Quality - Description of Program Design and Services: 35 points
          6. Evaluation: 5 points
          7. *Budget and Budget Narrative: 5 Points
            * IMPORTANT: 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 in this status by the  application due date and time, points will be deducted for the Budget Narrative section of the application.
      3. Statutory, regulatory, or other preferences: N/A
      4. Cost Sharing will not be considered in the review process.
      5. Information regarding Applicant-nominated reviewers: N/A
    2. Additional Information
      1. The numerical score may not be the sole award criterion. The Department reserves the right to other factors such as geographical distribution, demonstrated need, service capacity, cost effectiveness, demonstrated local community presence, agency past performance as a state grantee etc., and other items identified in Funding Priorities in Section 3: Program Description; 4.B.1.
      2. While the 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 reviewers to be non-binding recommendations. Any internal documentation used in scoring or awarding of grants shall not be considered public information.
      3. The Department reserves the right to negotiate with successful applicants to adjust award amounts, targets, deliverables, etc.
  3. Review and Selection Process.
    1. The process for evaluation of the application is as follows
      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. Assess 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 sections of the Merit Based Review 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 and discussed. For each application, if a significant disparity exists between reviewer scores (based on a set amount/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 or made errors in scoring 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 finalized 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 present the scores, summary comments and reviewer recommendations to the Associate Director for the Office of Community & Positive Youth Development (OCPYD). The Bureau Chief will work with the Associate Director (OCPYD) to prepare funding recommendations for the Director of the Division of Family and Community Services. These recommendations may include consideration of other factors such as geographical distribution, demonstrated need, service capacity, cost effectiveness, demonstrated local community presence, agency past performance as a state grantee etc., and other items identified under other items identified in Funding Priorities in Section 3: Program Description; 4.B.1.
      9. In the event of a tie with insufficient funding for all tied applications, the Department may choose to elect one or more of the following options:
        1. Apply one or more of the additional factors for consideration described above to prioritize the applications; or
        2. Partially fund each of the tied applications; or
        3. Not fund any of the tied applications. The Department reserves the right to negotiate with successful applicants to adjust award amounts, targets, deliverables, etc.
      10. The recommendations will be presented by the OCPYD Associate Director to the Director of the Division of Family and Community Services, or designee for consideration and final award approval.
    2. Anticipated Announcement and State Award Dates (Enter review dates or "TBD")
    3. Merit Based Review Appeal Process
      1. Competitive grant appeals are limited to the evaluation process. Evaluation scores may not be protested. Only be evaluation process is subject to appeal and shall be reviewed by IDHS' Appeal Review Officer (ARO).
        1. Submission of Appeal
          1. Appeals submission IDHS contact information:
            1. Contact Name: Karrie Rueter
            2. Email address: DHS.PositiveYouthDevelopment@Illinois.gov
            3.  Email Subject Line: Agency Name, CYS 444-80-0846, Appeal Karrie
          2. 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.
          3. An appeal must be received within 14 calendar days after the date that the grant award notice has been published.
          4. 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 the reasons for the appeal
            4. Supporting documentation, if applicable
        2. Response to appeal
          1. IDHS will acknowledge receipt of an appeal within 14 calendar days from the date the appeal was received.
            1. 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.
            2. The appealing party must supply any additional information requested by IDHS within the time period set in the request
        3. Resolution
          1. The ARO will 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. Risk Review
    1. Requirements:
      1. IDHS conducts risk assessments for all awardees, prior to the award being issued.
        1. An agency wide Internal Control Questionnaire (ICQ) to be completed by the awardee within the Grantee Portal. The ICQ evaluates fiscal, administrative, and programmatic risk in the following categories:
          1. Quality of Management Systems
          2. Financial and Programmatic Reporting
          3. Ability to Effectively Implement Award Requirements
          4. Awardee Audits
        2. A program specific Programmatic Risk Assessment conducted by the awarding agency to evaluate the following categories:
          1. Programmatic financial stability
          2. Management systems and standards that would affect the program.
          3. Programmatic audit and monitoring findings
          4. Ability to effectively implement program requirements.
          5. External partnerships
          6. Programmatic reporting
        3. Risk assessments are conducted to determine the risk posed by the applicant. Results will be used to evaluate the support, technical assistance, and training that may be needed for the awardee and the level of monitoring that is needed for the award.
        4. Risk assessments may result in Specific Conditions being placed on the award to include more frequent monitoring or the implementation of a corrective action plan.
      2. Simplified Acquisition Threshold - Federal and State awards
        1. This award is not anticipated to exceed the Simplified Acquisition Threshold defined in 48 CFR part 2, subpart 2.1 (OR)
        2. It is anticipated that grants under this award may receive award over the Simplified Acquisition Threshold define in 48 CFR part2, subpart 2.1. Potential grantees under this funding announcement may receive an award in excess of the simplified acquisition threshold. Therefore, the grantee is subject to the simplified acquisition threshold and related requirements.
          1. Prior to making an award with a total amount greater than the simplified acquisition threshold, IDHS 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 a State or Federal awarding agency previously entered and is currently in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through Sam.
          3. IDHS 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 applicants' integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under State and Federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in 2 CFR 200.206

7. - Award Notices.

  1. This section addresses what a successful applicant can expect to receive following selection.
    1. State Award Notices
      1. Applicants recommended for funding under this NOFO following the 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 risk assessment (ICQ), programmatic risk assessments (PRA), and the Merit Review.
      2. 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. The 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.
      3. The notice is not an authorization to begin performance (to the extent that it allows charging to State awards of pre-award costs; pre-award costs are incurred at the non-State entities own risk unless they have received written prior approval to begin performance).
      4. The authorizing document to begin performance is the fully executed Uniform Grant Agreement (UGA) signed by the grants officer, or equivalent. This is the official document that obligates funds. The UGA is sent to the non-State entity via the CSA system. The non-State entity will print and sign the signature page of the UGA and return signature page to DHS.OCA.SignaturePages@illinois.gov. A final signed copy of the UGA will be provided to the non-State entity via an upload into the CSA Tracking system.
        Note: The Department cannot issue an Agreement until the successful applicant has an approved budget entered into the CSA system.
      5. Applicants who are not eligible due to registration or pre-qualification issues, or late applications will receive a Notice of Ineligibility.
      6. Applicants who are not selected to receive an award following the Merit Review process will receive a Notice of Denial/Non-Selection.

8. - Post-Award Requirements and Administration.

  1. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
    1. 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.
    2. Sample of the current IDHS Uniform Grant Agreement
    3. Payment Terms: 
      It is the policy of the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) that this policy complies with 2 CFR 200.302, 2 CFR 200.305, 31 CFR 205 (Procedures implementing the 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. Three different award payment methods exist, namely Advance Payment, Reimbursement, and Working Capital Advance.
  2. Reporting
    1. Reporting upon execution of the grant agreement shall be in accordance with the requirements set forth in the UGA and related exhibits which include but is not limited to the following:
      1. Periodic Financial Reports
        1. The monthly expenditure reports must be submitted by email no later than the 15th of each month for the preceding month.
        2. The quarterly Periodic Financial Report must be submitted no later than the 30th of the month following the end of the quarter: Quarter 1 (July 1 - September 30) is due October 30th; Quarter 2 (October 1 - December 31) is due January 30th; Quarter 3 (January 1 - March 31) is due April 30th and Quarter 4 (April 1 - June 30) is due July 30th.
      2. Periodic Programmatic Reports submitted electronically in accordance with instructions in the UGA and related exhibits which include but is not limited to the following:
        1. One quarterly Periodic Performance Report must be submitted for each community services are provided in.
        2. The Quarterly Periodic Performance Reports must be submitted no later than the 30th of the month following the end of the quarter; Quarter 1 (July 1 - September 30) is due October 30th; Quarter 2 (October 1 - December 31) is due January 30th; Quarter 3 (January 1 - March 31) is due April 30th; and Quarter 4 (April 1 - June 30) is due July 30th.
      3. Close-out Performance Reports and Financial Reports as instructed in the UGA.
      4. Other Unique Programmatic Reporting Requirements:
        Additional annual performance data may be collected as directed by the Department and in the format prescribed by the Department
        1. Periodic Performance Reports for NEW and ESTABLISHED communities will include the following information:
          1. Unduplicated number and demographics (age, gender, race, and ethnicity) of participants
          2. Number of program activities by service component
          3. Number of Area Project Boards, Area Project Board members, chairpersons, and treasurers
          4. Number of Community Committee members on the Area Project Board
          5. Number of Community Committees and Community Committee members
          6. Number of Youth Committees and Youth Committee members
          7. Number of linkages and/or Memorandum of Understanding (Direct Service & Advocacy)
          8. Number of referrals made
          9. Data related to the Area Project Board, Community Committee, and Youth Committee meetings
          10. Data related to the Community Assessment, Community Action Plan, Youth Referral Guide, and Job Resources Guide
          11. Provider agency administrative information: staffing, sites, subgrants, and other program information as required
        2. Additional reporting for NEW communities includes the following:
          1. The provider will submit one Youth Referral Guide and a distribution plan by the end of the fiscal year.
          2. The provider will give a status update regarding the distribution plan no later than the no later than the 30th of the month immediately following the quarter for the preceding quarter.
          3. The provider will submit one Assessment Summary for each Community Committee by the end of the fiscal year.
          4. The provider will submit one Community Action Plan for each Community Committee by the end of the fiscal year.
          5. The provider will submit resources (and a plan to update every two months) for promoting job training and youth employment opportunities with 16-24-year-old youth by the end of the fiscal year.
          6. The Provider will email the Area Project, Community Committee, and Youth Committee meeting agendas and meeting minutes including any handouts or presentations and rosters along with the Quarterly Periodic Performance Reports no later than the 30th of the month immediately following the quarter for the preceding quarter.
        3. Additional requirements for NEW communities:
          1. The Provider will maintain on site the FY26 Youth Referral Guide and distribution plan.
          2. The Provider will maintain on site the FY26 distribution plan status update.
          3. The Provider will maintain on site the FY26 Community Assessment summary for each Community Committee, along with any information on updates of the Assessment.
          4. The Provider will maintain on site the FY26 CYS Community Action Plan for each Community Committee.
          5. The Provider will maintain on site the FY26 resources and resource updates for promoting job training and youth employment opportunities with 16-24-year-old youth.
          6. The Provider will maintain on site the FY26 Area Project, Community Committee, and Youth Committee meeting attendance, agendas, and minutes including any handouts or presentations for each group.
          7. The Provider will submit with the final Periodic Performance Report narrative that describes implementation of the services and activities, results (data) regarding successes related to the goals and objectives as indicated in the Community Action Plan, as well as successes, challenges and plans to overcome challenges.
      5. 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 2 CFR 200. Noncompliance with any of the identified reports may lead to being placed on the Illinois Stop-Payment List.

9. - Other Information - Optional.

  1. Appendices
    1. Appendix 1 - Program Contact Information
    2. Appendix 2 - CYS Program Staffing
    3. Appendix 3 - CYS Area Project Board
    4. Appendix 4 - CYS Community Committee
    5. Appendix 5 - CYS Youth Committee
    6. Appendix 6 - Youth Referral Guide
    7. Appendix 7 - Youth Employment Resources
    8. Appendix 8 - Community Assessment
    9. Appendix 9 - Grant Objectives and Community Action Plan
    10. Appendix 10 - Program Contact Information - Sub-Recipient
    11. Appendix 11 - Additional Sub-Recipient Information
    12. Appendix 13 - Community Committee Budget Summary
    13. Appendix 14 - Executive Summary
    14. Appendix 15 - Request for One Area Project Board to Multiple Community Committees
    15. Appendix 16 - CYS NOFO Checklist

10. Mandatory Forms

  1. Mandatory Forms
    1. Uniform Application for State Grant Assistance (pdf)
    2. Proposal Narrative and Attachments
    3. Uniform Grant Budget in CSA
    4. Grantee Conflict of Interest Disclosure.pdf