FY27 CAR Father Engagement Pilot – Youth Father Support and Engagement

FY27 CAR Father Engagement Pilot – Youth Father Support and Engagement

This grant award will have an initial period of performance starting in FY27 (07/01/2026 (or upon execution of the agreement) through 06/30/2029). A budget should be submitted for FY27 only.
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PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Community-Based Father Support & Engagement Pilot Program (Father Engagement Pilot) has been developed by the Department to increase services to fathers and male caregivers in the community and to fill the gap in community services and address the prevention needs available for fathers. The Department will use this pilot to continue evaluation, implementation and forging of fatherhood initiatives and interventions that improve children’s safety, permanency, and well-being.

The Youth Father Support and Engagement project will respond to the unique needs of young dads in the Community. The overall goal of this pilot project is to effectively support young fathers in their role as a parent, provider, caregiver, and nurturer of their child’s healthy growth and development. This programming provides young fathers with individualized parenting education and support by engaging them through case management, therapeutic counseling, parent groups, and home visiting services to meet their immediate and long-term needs. The Dads Engagement Coordinator (DEC) works alongside young fathers (both in-person and virtually) to assess their needs, connect them to resources, and support them in engaging in services through a customized service plan.

The program aims to increase fathers' active and positive engagement in their children's lives. Fathers have a critical role to play in children’s physical, emotional, and social development; and are essential partners in the prevention of maltreatment and achievement of timely permanence. Higher levels of father involvement are associated with lower levels of child neglect; and children who live in fatherless households often face higher risks of physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect than children who live in households with a father present.

The purpose of the program is to:
1. Strengthen child and family well-being through the development, improvement, and expansion of prevention focused community-based services for fathers and male caregivers.
2. Understand which program components (processes, tools, resources, activities, etc.) are effective in:
• Improving relationships between children and their father/male caregivers.
• Increasing positive parenting practices.
• Decreasing occurrences of child maltreatment.
• Reducing court involvement with families.

Provider will focus on the following engagement strategies:
• Activities to Promote and Sustain Health Marriage and Co-Parent Relationships: Skill-based relationship education; Coaching
• Activities to Improve Parenting Skills and Knowledge: Curriculum-based parenting education; Coaching; Promoting responsible parenting; Education on the importance of responsible child support to children’s well-being
• Activities to Increase Fathers’ Level of Involvement with their Children: Support and advocacy for navigating the legal system; Support groups and assistance; Coaching; Case management
• Activities to Facilitate Personal Transformation: Case management services; Curriculum-based responsible fatherhood education; Coaching; Support groups; Transition from prison; Linkages to existing services
• Activities to Improve Fathers’ Level of Connectedness with their Community: Linkages to existing services; Advocacy; Trainings for community service providers about the needs of fathers

The overall goal of this project is to provide young fathers with individualized parenting education and support by engaging them through case management, therapeutic counseling, parent groups, and home visiting services to meet their immediate and long-term needs. The purpose of this work is to effectively support young fathers in their role as a parent, provider, caregiver, and nurturer of their child’s healthy growth and development.

The Dads Engagement Coordinator (DEC) works alongside young fathers to assess their needs, connect them to resources, and support them in engaging in services. Fathers are engaged concurrently with the mother of their child during the intake process. The Dads Engagement Coordinator serves as a specialized point of entry into individualized assessment, case management, and support services. The Dads Engagement Coordinator works to create a customized service plan that is responsive to the initial and ongoing needs of young fathers. The Dads Engagement Coordinator provides both in-person and virtual support – using a variety of communication strategies to maintain consistent contact with participant fathers (text messaging, phone calls, video calls, social media, in-person contact, etc.). Services range from “light touch” case management to more intensive weekly visits.

The Provider is required to participate in one or more of the following evaluation activities carried out by the Department over the course of the period of performance:
• Client data collection
• Interviews and focus groups with clients/project participants and Provider staff
• Direct program observation
• Client assessments/surveys
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REFERRAL DECISION-MAKING CRITERIA

The Provider must accept all Clients within the target population. Referrals may be accepted from juvenile courts, school social workers, hospital social workers, other agencies in the community, and self-referrals.

Referrals must include the Client’s living situation, phone number, child welfare involvement status, and their willingness to participate. The Program Manager will maintain a process to track referrals.
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TREATMENT GOALS/SERVICE PLANS

Provider will adhere to the evidence based/ evidence informed model/curriculum identified and agreed upon under this Agreement. The Provider will partner with participants by providing father friendly support utilizing a trauma informed, family-centered approach through the implementation of applicable support groups, educational trainings, one on one coaching sessions, case navigation classes, male-only parenting classes, and workshops that promote the protective factors. Progress will be assessed through outcome and evaluation data collected and analyzation tools specific to the curriculum/model.
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STAFFING QUALIFICATIONS

Direct Service -
Dads Engagement Coordinator: Minimum education requirement: bachelor’s degree in social work, Human Services, Early Childhood or a related field from an accredited school, or equivalent work experience. Additionally, experience working with families and children strongly preferred.

Prevention Program Manager: Minimum education requirement: bachelor’s degree in public health, Social Work, Human Services or a related field from an accredited school, or equivalent work experience. Additionally, at least 2 years of professional experience in the field of Public Health, Social Work, Human Services, or a related field. Previous management/supervisory experience preferred.

Health Educator: Minimum education requirement: bachelor’s degree in public health, Social Work, Human Services or a related field from an accredited school, or equivalent work experience. Additionally, experience working in health promotion, health education or a related field preferred.

Supervisory –
Father Engagement Program Manager: Minimum education requirement: bachelor’s degree in social work, Human Services, Early Childhood or a related field from an accredited school, or equivalent work experience. Additionally, at least 2 years of professional experience in the field of Social Work, Human Services, Early Childhood, or a related field. Previous management/supervisory experience preferred.

Director of Program Operations: Minimum education requirement: bachelor’s degree required in Social Work, Human Services, Early Childhood, or a related field from an accredited school. Master’s degree strongly preferred. Additionally, at least 5 years of professional experience in the field of Social Work, Human Services, Early Childhood, or a related field AND at least 3 years of previous management/supervisory experience required.
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MINIMUM STAFFING EXPECTATIONS

Case Management ratio must not exceed 1 staff to 25 clients
Group Sessions ratio must not exceed 2 staff to 15 clients
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TARGET POPULATION

Client: Biological fathers 12 – 25 years old.

Inclusions:
Biological fathers (12 – 25 years of age) who reside in the geographic area served.

Exclusions:
Participants who have open intact/permanency cases or investigations of abuse/neglect with the Department. Individuals may be excluded if they are not able to function safely due to mental illness, alcohol, drug abuse/impairment, or past demonstration of verbal or physical threats of aggression towards staff. Exclusions are determined on a session-by-session basis. Individuals who have been identified in an indicated case of child sexual abuse or are registered sex offenders, or individuals who have been convicted of a violent crime.

Client Capacity Under DCFS Agreement: N/A
Capacity at Any Given Time: N/A

Client Capacity Under Program: 10
Capacity at Any Given Time: 3

Average Length of Services: 6 months

The provider must obtain prior authorization from DCFS to serve clients outside of the program plan parameters.
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PROGRAM OUTCOMES AND METRICS

• 70% of fathers will report improvements in co-parenting skills as measured by the Co-Parenting Assessment and Parent Knowledge & Education Survey.
• 75% of fathers will report improvement in knowledge and skills related to child development and developmental milestones.
• 70% of fathers will show improvement on at least one subscale of the Adult-Adolescent Parenting Inventory (AAPI-2) measuring “Lack of Empathic Awareness of Child Needs" and "Strong Belief in the Use and Value of Corporeal Punishment.”
• 70% of fathers will report improvement in knowledge and skills related to using healthy coping strategies in stressful parenting situations.
• 70% of fathers will report improvement in knowledge of, and attitudes toward, their fatherhood role/responsibilities (i.e., financial, emotional, nurturing, active participation).
• 70% of fathers will demonstrate improvement in the quality and frequency of parent/child interaction.

Details

• Awarding Agency: Department Of Children And Family Services
• CSFA Number: 418-00-3368
• CSFA Popular Name: Father Engagement Pilot
• Funding Opportunity Number: 418 - Father Engagement Pilot – Youth Father Support and Engagement
• Assistance Listings Number: 93.669
• Announcement Type: Initial Announcement
• Award Type: Competitive
• Total Funding Available: $115,476.00
• Expected Number of Awards: 1
• Funding Sources: Federal Or Federal Pass Through, State
• Indirect Costs Allowed: Yes
• Posted Date: 2026-04-27
• Award Period: 2026-07-01 – 2027-06-30

Funding Restrictions

Grant awards will be subject to state statutory requirements that limit the administrative costs to 20%. Fringe benefits cannot exceed 25% of total salaries.

Indirect Cost Description

Indirect Costs are allowed. To charge indirect costs to a grant, the applicant organization must have an annually negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA).

There are three types of NICRAs:

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.

2. State Negotiated Rate. The organization may negotiate an indirect cost rate with the State of Illinois if they do not have a Federally Negotiated Rate. If an organization has not previously established an indirect cost rate, an indirect cost rate proposal may be submitted to the State of Illinois through the indirect cost rate system no later than three months after the effective date of the award. If an organization previously established an indirect cost rate, the organization must continue to use that rate until its expiration. Upon expiration, the organization may re-submit a new indirect cost proposal through the system annually, within six months after the close of the grantee’s fiscal year, OR an organization may elect to use the de minimis rate instead of their State Negotiated Rate.

3. De Minimis Rate. An organization may elect a de minimis rate of 15% of modified total direct cost (MTDC). 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.
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NOTE
• All grantees must complete an indirect cost rate negotiation or elect the De Minimis Rate in the indirect cost rate system to claim indirect costs. Indirect costs claimed without an established negotiated rate or a De Minimis Rate election in the system may be subject to disallowance.
• Grantees have discretion not to claim payment for indirect costs. Grantees that elect not to claim indirect costs cannot be reimbursed for indirect costs.
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Restrictions on Indirect Costs

Yes

Citation Governing Indirect Cost Restriction

2 CFR 200.414(c) and 2 CFR 300.414

State Award Notices

REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS
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. The review and selection of grant award recipients is conducted in a fair and equitable manner that evaluates and selects grantees most likely to be successful in delivering results based on program objectives, and with limited disruption to the continuity of services. 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. The release of this Notice of Funding Opportunity does not obligate the Department to make an award.
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AWARD NOTIFICATIONS
An award status notification (approval or denial) will be delivered via an automated email from Euna Grants. This email will serve as notification that an award has been made. However, this email is not an authorization to begin performance or incur costs.
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APPEALS
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.

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.

Reporting

Grantees will be expected to submit both (monthly or quarterly) periodic performance reports and monthly financial reports. The exact reporting requirements of this award will be defined in the program plan of the Uniform Grant Agreement.