Funding Opportunities

Program Description:

Firearm violence has deeply harmed neighborhoods, communities, and the entire State of Illinois, both through the immediate loss of life and the long-term, harmful effects of trauma experienced by victims, witnesses, and others. To reduce firearm violence, the Illinois General Assembly passed the Reimagine Public Safety Act (RPSA) (430 ILCS 69). The RPSA calls for a comprehensive approach to reducing firearm violence through targeted, integrated behavioral health services and economic opportunities. It also created the Office of Firearm Violence Prevention (OFVP) in the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS or the Department), which has authority over this effort. As per RPSA, for Illinois municipalities with less than 1,000,000 residents, in December 2021 the OFVP’s Firearm Violence Research Group identified 15 municipalities or continuous geographic areas with the greatest concentration of firearm violence victims. These locations were identified by the volume and per capita rate of fatal/non-fatal firearm-shot victims in each municipality, excluding self-inflicted incidents, from 2016 through 2020. An additional community was selected in March 2022 as the 16th in rank order of concentrated firearm violence.

In accordance with the RPSA, the following municipalities with less than 1,000,000 residents are considered “eligible greater Illinois municipalities” and qualify for grants under the Act:

Approximately $20M will be made available for a 19-month project period (December 1, 2022 to June 30, 2024). Average award amount: $475,000 for 19-month project period (December 1, 2022 to June 30, 2024).

Submit questions to:  DHS.ViolencePreventionServices@illinois.gov

Due date for submitting questions:
10/7/2022

FAQs will be updated frequently, and a final, complete list will be posted to the IDHS website on 10/11/2022.

Applications for this opportunity are due by Noon on October 14, 2022.

For more information: https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=146059

For updates and additional information on the Office of Firearm Violence Prevention, visit the IDHS website at Office of Firearm Violence Prevention.

Program Description:

The IDHS Office of Firearm Violence Prevention (OFVP) is investing in the highest-risk Chicago communities  to provide comprehensive violence prevention services intended to mitigate, reduce, and prevent violent behavior, particularly firearm violence. The OFVP is seeking applications from eligible non-profit community organizations with the ability to connect with those individuals at the highest risk of harming someone or being harmed by firearm violence. Funded organizations will offer a variety of Youth Development & Intervention Services that utilize evidence-informed programming and services which will improve youth outcomes and decrease risk factors associated with firearm violence. These services include mentoring, caregiver engagement; life skills development; employment readiness, skills development and support; as well as other activities that promote positive youth outcomes. 

These communities include:

1. 1. Ashburn
   2. Auburn Gresham
   3. Austin
   4. Burnside
   5. Chatham
   6. Chicago Lawn
   7. East Garfield Park
   8. Englewood
   9. Fuller Park
   10. Greater Grand Crossing
   11. Humboldt Park
   12. New City
   13. North Lawndale
   14. Northside Cluster: (Belmont Cragin, Hermosa, Logan Square, Avondale, Irving Park, Albany Park)
   15. Riverdale
   16. Roseland
   17. South Chicago
   18. South Deering
   19. South Lawndale
   20. South Shore
   21. Southwest Side Cluster: (Lower West Side, Brighton Park, Gage Park, McKinley Park
   22. Washington Park
   23. West Englewood
   24. West Garfield Park
   25. West Pullman
   26. Woodlawn

The Reimagine Youth Development and Intervention Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) 444-80-3007 is open and can be found on the IDHS Grant Information page: IDHS: Reimagine Youth Development & Intervention Services (RYDIS) 23-444-80-3007 (state.il.us) 

Applications for this opportunity are due by Noon on October 19, 2022.

Information regarding prequalification requirements for the Reimåagine Public Safety Act Violence Prevention Services (RVPS) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) (2774) can be accessed here:  IDHS: Grant Application Information and Instructions (state.il.us)

If you have questions about this NOFO and/or would like to attend a Technical Assistance Session (Bidders’ Conference), please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions (or FAQ) webpage that can be accessed here:  IDHS: Reimagine Youth Development & Intervention Services Technical Assistance Session/Questions & Answers/Appendices (state.il.us)

For updates and additional information on the Office of Firearm Violence Prevention, visit the IDHS website at Office of Firearm Violence Prevention.

Program Description:

Firearm violence has deeply harmed neighborhoods, communities, and the entire State of Illinois, both through the immediate loss of life and the long-term, harmful effects of trauma experienced by victims, witnesses, and others. To reduce firearm violence, the Illinois General Assembly passed the Reimagine Public Safety Act (RPSA) (430 ILCS 69). The RPSA calls for a comprehensive approach to reducing firearm violence through targeted, integrated behavioral health services and economic opportunities. It also created the Office of Firearm Violence Prevention (OFVP) in the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS or the Department), which has authority over this effort. As per RPSA, the OFVP’s Firearm Violence Research Group identified 22 Chicago community areas as locations with the most concentrated firearm violence, as defined by the number of and per capita of fatal/non-fatal firearm-shot victims, excluding self-inflicted incidents, from 2016 through 2020. Four (4) additional Chicago community areas were selected by the OFVP, using further data-driven analysis.

In accordance with the RPSA, these community areas are considered “eligible neighborhoods” and qualify for grants under the Act:

On February 2, 2022 a first round NOFO for RPSA Violence Prevention Services (22-444-80-2774-01) was released with a closing date of March 9, 2022. Since the close of this first round NOFO, IDHS has identified several important changes that have been incorporated into the release of this second NOFO, those changes are itemized below. While the rest of the application remains substantially similar, please review the entire funding notice in detail, to ensure that your application meets all requirements.

he DHS Office of Firearm Violence Prevention (OFVP) is investing in the highest-risk Chicago communities to provide a trio of violence prevention services intended to mitigate, reduce, and prevent violent behavior, in particular firearm violence. The OFVP is seeking applications from organizations and partnerships of organizations with the ability to connect with those individuals at highest risk of harming someone or being harmed by firearm violence. Funded organizations will provide a trio of programs that include street outreach, case management, and victim services. 

Total grant funding and award period: $25 Million for projects through June 30, 2024. A maximum of 6 awards will be funded in each eligible service area. Average award amount:  $300,000 per 12-month period

Eligibility

This open funding opportunity is limited to applicants that meet the following requirements and are subject to limitations described below:

1. Eligible applicants (and sub-recipients) 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)) that are located in the city of Chicago. Eligible applicants (and sub-recipients) include units of local government inclusive of public schools, districts, etc.
2. The applicant organization is an experienced violence prevention organization with trained violence prevention staff.
3. The applicant organization is proposing to provide firearm violence prevention services, as required in this NOFO, in one or more eligible Chicago community areas. A current listing of eligible service areas can be found here, Eligible Service Areas.
4. The applicant organization will be allowed to include sub-grantees to ensure delivery of all required program components provided that the applicant organization is providing at least one of the three primary components of the program.
5. The applicant organization (and sub-recipients) has met the eligibility, prequalification and mandatory requirements listed in Section C.1., C.2 and C.3.
6. Applicants eligible based on Section C.1., C.2. and C.3. may have limited eligibility based on the following:
   1. No applicant organization may receive RVPS funding to provide services in more than three eligible community areas.
   2. RVP-TTAS grantees will not be eligible to receive funding under this NOFO (23-444-80-2774).
7. If an applicant is proposing to provide services in more than one eligible Chicago community area, the applicant must submit a separate application for each community area.
8. Applicants are required to submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) to Apply to DHS.ViolencePreventionServices@illinois.gov The Letter of Intent (LOI) must indicate the eligible service area for which the applicant is intending to apply. Refer to Section D.1 below for more information and required contents for the LOI.

Applications for this opportunity are continuous.

Information regarding prequalification requirements can be accessed here: https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=144077 

For updates and additional information on the Office of Firearm Violence Prevention, visit the IDHS website at Office of Firearm Violence Prevention.