FY26 New Americans Initiative Program Narrative

1. Grantee Name Indicate the agency's name.
2. Grantee Address Indicate the address where the agency's administrative offices are located (include phone number and website)
3. Service Location(s) If the program location is different from the administrative office address indicated in Number 2, indicate the address where program services are delivered, including phone number and website.
4. Grantee FEIN Provide the agency's FEIN
5. Agency Head, Title, Telephone, Email Address Provide information specific to the individual whom the agency designates as the Agency Head.
6. Program Contact Person, Title, Telephone, Email Address Provide information specific to the individual the agency designates as the Program Contact. This person must be familiar with the program services provided.
7. Fiscal Contact Person, Title, Telephone, Email Address Provide information specific to the individual whom the agency designates as the Fiscal Contact. This person must be familiar with the agency's fiscal policies and expenditures allocated to the program.
8. Contract Contact Person, Title, Telephone, Email Address Provide information specific to the individual whom the agency designates as the Contract Contact.
9. Funding Request Indicate the total dollar amount of funding being requested.
10. Application Type Immigration Integration/New Americans Initiative (NAI)
  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (5 pts)
    • The Executive Summary will serve as a stand-alone document that may be shared with various state-level stakeholders and others requesting a brief overview of each funded project. It will also be scored for completion. Therefore, applicants should be concise and direct in their description.
    • Provide a one-page summary of the proposal, including the completion of the information below.
      1. Total number of agencies included in the grant application
      2. Geographic coverage of the entire application (e.g. statewide, County, zip code, specific communities):
      3. Target population served:
      4. Language capacity in-house (languages covered at the agency, must identify bilingual/bicultural staff and languages spoken):
      5. Specific deliverables for the grant period:
        • Provide total number of unduplicated individuals that will be reached in the below indicated deliverables:
          1. Application Assistance and Legal guidance 
            1. U.S. Citizenship (Naturalization Process N-400)
            2. Application for certificate of Citizenship (N-600)
            3. DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals)
          2. Citizenship and Civic Education 
            1. Citizenship training
            2. ESL
            3. Civic responsibilities and constitutional rights
          3. Outreach
            1. Community Outreach
            2. Community Media engagement
  2. COMMUNITY IDENTIFICATION AND DESCRIPTION OF NEED (15 pts)
    • Provide an in-depth analysis of the target communities, including:
      1. Geographic Coverage & Demographic Profile: Describe the geographic coverage proposed in this application. Include information on immigrant/refugee communities in which the agency currently works by country of origin, language(s) served, estimated size, age groups, and economic statuses.
      2. Service Needs & Barriers: Describe the priority populations that are the most in need of services. What are their greatest service needs while accessing public benefits and safety net programs? What are the common barriers they face while trying to access public benefits?
      3. Demand for Services: Describe the services the agency anticipates will be in high demand, or require high-level of attention, in the community to be provided through this program.
      4. Recruitment & Outreach Strategy: If you are a new agency proposing service under this initiative, how do you propose to recruit/identify clients? What agency or agencies are currently serving the populations for whom you are proposing service?
        • Summary Table (To be completed by Prime Grantee only)
        • Geographic area:
        • Name of agency recommended to provide services
        • Immigrant/refugee groups targeted
        • Number of immigrants/refugee/asylum seekers/ humanitarian parolees to be served
          • Application Assistance and Legal Guidance
          • Citizenship and Civic Education
          • Outreach
        • Note: Agencies with funding for citizenship assistance provided by the USCIS must document how the services funded by IDHS are not duplicative.
  3. AGENCY QUALIFICATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY (25 pts)
    • The purpose of this section is for the applicant to present an accurate picture of their ability to implement the NEW AMERICANS INITIATIVE as outlined in this NOFO. The applicant must demonstrate evidence of linguistic and cultural competence throughout. Information in this section should include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following:
      1. Overview of the Agency: Give a brief overview of the agency, outlining its primary programs and services offered. Describe how the applicant's mission statement and goals align with the purpose of this funding opportunity.
      2. Agency Qualifications and Track Record: Describe your agency's qualifications and track records in the following areas: human services, managing grants with sub-grantees, system planning and program operation, collection of service data and production of reports using the data provided by the service providers, program monitoring and evaluation, and capacity to review and prepare financial reports required. Describe management's process for insuring agency compliance with service outcomes, interagency policy agreements, and timely submission of both fiscal and programmatic reports.
      3. Subcontractors and Consortium Management: Provide information about all proposed sub-contractors and describe how the consortium will operate and be managed.
      4. Subrecipients selection Process: Describe the process and criteria used to select sub-recipients and explain how the applicant is able to ensure a fair and objective selection process. Each sub-recipient must complete an agency profile and (see Appendix A) and budget form.
      5. Data Collection and Use for Evaluation: Describe how the agency collects and maintains data, measures activities versus outcomes, and how data is used for program planning, evaluation, and improvement.
      6. Admirative and Fiscal Capacity: Describe the applicant's administrative and fiscal capacity and experience managing state and/or federal grants.
      7. Implementation Plan and Timeline: Provide an implementation plan and timeline as Appendix 3 for service provision commencing on the contract start date (July 1, 2025). The implementation plan must include the following:
        1. Describe the applicant agency's plan for staffing to carry out and execute this program. Provide a description of qualifications of key staff who will be responsible for the delivery of the services including their educational background, years of experience, language capacity and other relevant information. Include New Americans Initiative organization chart and staffing plan as Appendix 4. Include resumes and/or job descriptions of the staff responsible for implementing this program as Appendix 5.
    • Describe the training program staff have had and will receive to ensure their ongoing ability to successfully perform the duties of their position.
  4. PROGRAM QUALITY, DESIGN, AND IMPLEMENTATION (30 pts)
    • 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. At minimum, the proposal must describe how the organization will provide the proposed services and activities consistent with the Immigrant Integration Program.
      1. Application Assistance and Legal Guidance
        1. Describe what strategies will be utilized to ensure that the maximum eligible immigrants will be provided with assistance to prepare their naturalization, DACA and Certificate of Citizenship applications.
        2. Describe how eligible individuals will be identified, prioritized, and provided with the application preparation, submission and follow-up services to ensure that the applications are processed timely.
        3. List USCIS forms and projected number of individuals who will be provided with the assistance to prepare and submit each of those forms.
      2. Citizenship civic education and English classes
        1. Describe Educational services that will be provided for the civic education program, including instructions in U.S. history, government, and the naturalization process. How many modules will be conducted within one year. Attach curricula.
        2. List the times and locations where instruction will occur. Describe type, size, duration, and intensity of training modules proposed (i.e. number of clients per module, number of weeks, and number of hours per week).
        3. Describe how students will be recruited, screened, and enrolled.
        4. Describe learning assessment process to determine progress and success in helping students acquire the knowledge needed for citizenship tests.
        5. Provide projected number of individuals who will benefit from the civic education training program.
      3. Community Education and Outreach
        1. Describe strategies used to raise awareness on the benefits of naturalization and the assistance available to help eligible immigrants.
        2. Provide information on the effectiveness of the strategies proposed to reach the maximum number of individuals eligible for naturalization.
        3. Provide projected number of individuals who will benefit from the community education and outreach services.
  5. EQUITY AND RACIAL JUSTICE COMITTMENT (10 pts)
    • The purpose of this section is for the applicant to demonstrate understanding of the history and impact of racism and inequity on Immigrant, refugee, asylee and LEP 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. Leadership & Representation: Describe the applicant's commitment and actions to address equity and racial justice. Examples of commitment and activities may include but are not limited to, having leadership (board and/or executive staff) that is reflective of the community/population being served; having (or an intention to have) a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)/equity and racial justice plan that outlines how the organization ensures equity in access to its supports/services as well as equity in outcomes; having a plan to identify and address implicit bias in all areas of the organization, including programming; having (or an intention to have) an equity and racial justice training plan.
      2. Equity Implementation Plan & Timeline: If no equity and racial justice efforts are currently being practiced, describe the applicant's plan to implement those efforts, including a timeline of activities.
      3. Root Causes of Racial Inequity & Historical Context: Identify and describe some of the potential root causes of racial inequity within the targeted communities; address and/or include how historical factors have contributed to the conditions of the communities as appropriate. Include recommendations on how to address inequities.
      4. Applying an Equity Lens in Program Design: Describe how the applicant will use an equity lens when creating and implementing programming. An equity lens is a process that analyzes the impact of policies and practices on marginalized communities to inform and ensure equitable outcomes. Include applicant organization's written commitment to advancing equity and racial justice. If one is not yet written, please detail when and how such a statement will be institutionalized.
      5. Impact Analysis & Reducing Barriers for Marginalized Groups: Describe how the applicant will intentionally and deliberately analyze the delivery and/or impact of the program on underserved and marginalized groups (including communities of color, people with disabilities, gender nonconforming people, etc.), and how barriers to program participation will be addressed.
      6. Trauma-Informed Behavioral Health Services: Describe how the applicant will provide trauma informed behavioral health services to address the disparate impact of immigration, discrimination, and racial profiling on communities of color.
      7. Diversity & Representation in Agency Leadership: Include demographic information of program staff and agency leadership (board and/or executive staff) and discuss if these demographics match the designated community(ies). Describe plans to continue to increase diversity and representation within the agency.
      8. Policy & Practice Reforms to Reduce Racial Disparities: Based on racial demographic data, provide the number and briefly describe policies, practices and procedures that have been implemented, revised, or repealed to reduce racial disparities at your agency.
  6. BUDGET AND COST JUSTIFICATION (15 pts)
    • Applicant needs to submit a budget for the period for which the services are anticipated to be delivered, within the State Fiscal Year 2026.
      1. Justification for Line-Item Expenditures: Thorough and clear justification for all proposed line-item expenditures.
      2. Reasonable and Allowable Costs: All expenditures and program costs are reasonable and allowable.
      3. Sufficient Staffing: Proposed staffing is sufficient to address client projections and client language needs.
      4. Identification of Supplemental Funding: Where available, supplemental or companion funding is clearly identified.
      5. Budget Narrative: Budget Narrative is clear and provides context. In this section provide a detailed Budget Narrative of the items allocated within your proposed budget. Identify the source of those funds and detail how the specified resources and personnel are being allocated to ensure the tasks, activities, goals, and objectives described in your proposal will be implemented. If you plan to use additional state or federal funds, or other funds to support the program, please also describe how these additional funds will be utilized to implement the program.
    • Note: Applicants MUST enter their budget into CSA and attach a PDF IDHS: Uniform Grant Budget Template (state.il.us) form to application.