ADS

The Adoption Listing Service (ALS) works to match registered children with the identified permanency goal of 24 (Substitute Care Pending the Termination of Parental Rights) and permanency goal of 25 (Adoption) with an adoptive family. ALS maintains and manages a photo listing of children on the national website AdoptUSKids as well as the Heart Gallery of Illinois. The national listing service increases opportunities for matching and it supports States, Territories and Tribes in their efforts to find families for children in foster care, particularly the most challenging to place. A trained team of Child Centered Recruitment Specialists assists IDCFS and Child Welfare Contributing Agencies (CWCA) with the development of a recruitment plan tailored to a child’s strengths and needs to assist in finding an adoptive family. The Heart Gallery of Illinois is an online photographic exhibit created to find adoptive family for children in foster care. As part of the fast-paced social media landscape, this website provides resources so that families can meet children waiting to be adopted. The ALS team also manages the statewide toll-free number that assist potential foster parents on the licensing process and inquiries of youth on the Heart Gallery of Illinois.

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The overall goals of this program are to improve permanency outcomes for Illinois’ waiting children, facilitate active concurrent planning activities through diligent recruitment efforts, and to involve all members of the Child and Family Team in the permanency planning process. Provider will accomplish these goals by (1) by implementing a child-focused recruitment model; (2) by reviewing the case record file to find significant positive people from the child’s past; (3) by performing diligent search activities with the approval of the assigned child welfare specialist; and (4) by designing a comprehensive recruitment plan which includes matching, photo listing, media listings and the Heart Gallery of Illinois.

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Review Grant Agreement for Terms and Conditions.

Government Organizations; Education Organizations; Nonprofit Organizations; Small Businesses;

All applicants that meet the eligibility requirements as described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) will be considered.

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Project Grants

Human Services

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No prior coordination or approval is required with governmental or non-governmental units prior to the submission of a formal application to DCFS.

Refer to Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

Proposals are selected based on the criteria listed in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

All applications must be submitted by the posted deadline. IDCFS staff conducts an initial review of all applications received for eligibility and GATA compliance. Reviewers may consist of DCFS GATA staff, division leadership, and other internal DCFS staff. Each proposal will be reviewed by a minimum of three reviewers. Proposals will be approved based on funding available. While recommendations from the review team will be a key factor in funding decisions, the Department maintains final authority over funding decisions and considers the scores of the review team to be non-binding recommendations. The Department reserves the right to evaluate applications in the larger context of the overall portfolio by considering geographic distribution of awards (e.g., ensuring coverage of certain counties or service areas), client needs, and overall programmatic/ financial risk assessments in its pre-award decisions. Any internal documentation used in scoring or awarding of grants shall not be considered public information. Final award decisions will be made by the Director (or their designee). The Department reserves the right to negotiate with successful applicants to adjust award amounts, locations, etc. Funds are disbursed based on the schedule agreed upon and included within the Uniform Grant Agreement.

Refer to Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

General expectation of the length of time between the application deadline and when an award is made is 30 calendar days.

Competitive grant (and in some cases non-competitive) appeals are limited to an appeal related to the evaluation process. Evaluation scores may not be protested. Submission of Appeal An appeal must be submitted in writing in accordance with the grant application document. An appeal must be received within 14 calendar days of Award denial. The written appeal shall include at a minimum the following: i. the name and address of the appealing party ii. identification of the grant for which you are appealing the evaluation/review process iii. a statement of reasons for the appeal Response to Appeal a. DCFS will acknowledge receipt of an appeal within fourteen (14) calendar days from the date the appeal was received. b. DCFS will respond to the appeal within 60 days or supply a written explanation to the appealing party as to why additional time is required. c. The appealing party must supply any additional information requested by DCFS within the time period set in the request.

Two one-fiscal year renewals of initial grant award agreements are allowable (i.e., a grant award agreement length of three-fiscal years maximum). A new Uniform Grant Application (either through the initial NOFO application or multi-year renewal) is required each year.

Match: Matching funds are not required for this grant program. Refer to Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for further information.

Administrative Costs: Reimbursement of administrative costs may not exceed 20% of the costs of other services (20 ILCS 505/5a). Funding allocated under this grant is intended to provide direct services to clients. It is expected that administrative costs, both direct and indirect, will represent a small portion of the overall program budget and should NOT exceed 20%. Administrative means those activities performed by staff and costs which are supportive of and required for project implementation for which there is no direct client contact such as fiscal staff; audit; clerical support; office rent, utilities, insurance; general office equipment etc. Program budgets and narratives will detail how all proposed expenditures are directly necessary for program implementation and will distinguish between Indirect/Direct Administrative and Direct Program expenses. Any budget deemed to include inappropriate or excessive administrative costs will not be approved.

Reports: The Provider will submit expenditure documentation forms in the format prescribed in the Program Plan. Performance Data: The Provider may be required to submit performance data as prescribed in the Program Plan or as directed by the Department. Audits: The Provider will be subjected to the audit requirements contained in the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996 (31 USC 7501-7507) and subject F of 2 CFR Part 200, and the audit rules set forth by the Governor's Office of Management and Budget (30 ILCS 708/65).

All grantees must follow Title 44 Illinois Administrative Code 7000.90 (Auditing Standards).

The Provider must follow record retention requirements found in CFR 200.333 and record retention rules as prescribed by the Department.

TBD

CY - $753,816, BY - $753,816

TBD

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406 East Monroe St., Springfield, IL 62701

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FY 2026 : $753,816