FY27 CAR Parents Care and Share

FY27 CAR Parents Care and Share

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 purpose of the program is to prevent child abuse and neglect by empowering parents in the six protective factors proven to prevent child abuse and neglect, resulting in the promotion of child safety, permanency, and well-being. The services available include the following:
• Facilitation of mutual, self-help support groups that follow the Circle of Parents Model
• Community education, training and networking to establish new support groups
• Facilitator and children's program specialist training
• Annual Child Abuse Prevention awareness activities
• Promotion of the Protective Factors & evaluation of program outcomes
• Companion children's groups for the children

The Provider will develop and support Circle of Parents peer to peer led groups in partnership with local community social service providers. Provider’s regional coordinators will build these partnerships through community education and networking efforts and execute an operating agreement for each group that clearly outlines the partner’s responsibilities. Support group session length and location will be determined by group members and will vary based on needs of individual attendees.

Each group will be led by a trained facilitator from a community-based social service agency working in collaboration with the Provider. The Provider will provide Circle of Parents model orientation & Parent Leadership Ladder Tool training to the group facilitator. This training will equip group facilitators with specific instruction on how to effectively lead group activities related to family service delivery, domestic violence protocols, parent leadership development, and strategies for parent retention.

Using the Circle of Parents model, all groups will:

• Be Parent-led with support from a trained facilitator
• Maintain a confidential and nonjudgmental environment
• Be offered at no cost
• Provide concurrent, developmentally appropriate children’s programs or childcare
• Operate as open ended and ongoing groups
• Offer weekly support opportunities

Meals Snacks: The Provider will offer, a nutritious meal/snack to parents and children.

Special Speakers: The Provider will facilitate appropriate speakers to address topics of urgency and concern for parents, while maintaining the goal of providing education on the Protective Factors.

Children’s Groups: The Children’s support groups will be established based upon need and active groups will be maintained with existing companion children’s programs for groups whose parents need the childcare component. Provider will employ trained children's program specialists to achieve program goals by leading developmentally appropriate activities and consistently following all program policies and procedures. The regional coordinators will provide Children’s Program Specialist with materials that support the introduction of social-emotional learning activities within each group. Through these guided experiences, children will engage in activities that promote their social-emotional development in alignment with the Circle of Parents Model.

Facilitator Supports: Provider staff will provide monthly coaching calls to group facilitators as a means of support to ensure each group stays aligned with the program goals. Monthly coaching contacts will cover topics such as successes, challenges, progress on goals and objectives, parent leadership development, children's program update, training needs, data collection, good news stories, parent retention, managing to the outcomes and father friendliness.

Provider program staff will conduct quarterly coaching calls with children’s program workers. These coaching calls with group facilitators will address successes, challenges, progress toward goals, will center on these issues: successes, challenges, progress toward goals, parent leadership development, updates on the children’s program, training needs, data collection, parent retention, outcome management, and father‑friendliness. In additions, Provider will conduct an annual site visit for groups operating for at least one year to assess model fidelity, the welcoming environment, and overall program quality.

Each Quarter, Provider program staff will provide group facilitators with protective factor material to share with participants.

The provider will track and maintain records of service delivery and facilitation to verify services provided through attendance records, while maintaining confidentiality.

Growth, Development & Maintenance of Supportive Networks: The Provider shall maintain a minimum of 36 existing parent support groups distributed within the geographical areas and work to establish four new support groups annually, within the defined areas.

Provider’s Regional Coordinators will oversee quarterly administration of a client/family outcome survey parents who have completed at least 12 group hours. Survey administration will be staggered to ensure ongoing data availability, and results will be used to measure changes in protective factors.

Community Outreach: During Child Abuse Prevention month, the Provider will conduct Blue Bow Child Abuse and Awareness Prevention Month activities. Regional coordinators will be involved in the planning and execution of four Blue Bow Events in April to educate and bring awareness to the public about the preventing child abuse and neglect, the availability of existing resources in communities for parents and children, and the protective factors which serve as a solution to the issue of child abuse and neglect.

A client is defined as any parent or caregiver of children (prenatal – 17), both male and female including DCFS and non-DCFS individuals. Referred may come through DCFS, community or social service agencies, or through self-referrals. Child(ren) of a parents and caregivers may also be considered clients and will receive services, including participation in support groups, as needed
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STAFFING QUALIFICATIONS

Direct Service -
Group Facilitator: must have a high school diploma or equivalent with a minimum of two years’ experience in facilitation of groups; completion of program-specific facilitator training within 60 days of hire; bachelor’s degree in a human services field is preferred.

Children’s Program Worker: requires a high school diploma or equivalent; a bachelor’s degree in a human services field is preferred. A minimum of one year of experience working directly with children is required.

Supervisory -
Program Supervisor: Must possess a bachelor’s degree in a human services or related field from an accredited institution, with a minimum of four (4) years of relevant social services or child welfare experience.

Program Manager: must possess a master’s degree in social work or a related human services field from an accredited institution, with a minimum of five (5) years of relevant social services or child welfare experience. The individual must demonstrate knowledge of family systems, including issues related to domestic violence, child welfare, and substance abuse.
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MINIMUM STAFFING EXPECTATIONS

At a minimum, provider must maintain one coordinator per region served. Full-time coordinators may be assigned a caseload up to 20 groups per region as necessary. Part-time coordinators may be appointed a group caseload of 10 groups per region as needed.
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PROVIDER REQUIRED TRAININGS

In compliance with the guidelines of the Circle of Parents Model all program staff must be trained through the National Circle of Parents® Model training by the organization or through a certified Circle of Parents Train the trainer (T3) training prior to working with clients. As part of the development of the new support groups training, the Provider must ensure facilitator and children's program specialist complete training prior to working with clients.

As part of the development of the new support groups training, the Provider must ensure facilitator and children's program specialist complete orientation and continuing education on topics such as child welfare, family strengthening, protective factors and child development.

Staff must attend webinars hosted by the National Circle of Parents Network and complete all necessary refresher training outlined in the model.
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TARGET POPULATION

Inclusions:
The Provider will serve all parents and caregivers including, biological parents, stepparents, grandparents raising their grandchildren, adoptive parents, foster parents, other kin parents, single parents, male and female parents/ caregivers, custodial and noncustodial parents who are in need of parenting support and education, especially those with risk factors for child abuse and neglect (isolation, lack of resources, low income, stress, lack of knowledge of parenting and parenting skills, addictions, single parent status, children with special needs, young parents (teen), mental health issues, presence of domestic violence).Groups may include multiple target populations such as teen parents, Spanish speaking parents, trafficked parents, prenatal parents, grandparents raising their grandchildren, parents whose children are truant, and parents who have children with special needs.

Exclusions:
Individuals may be excluded if they are not able to function safely within a group setting because of mental illness, alcohol, or drug abuse/impairment. Exclusions are determined on a session-by-session basis.

Client Capacity Under DCFS Agreement: 130
Capacity at Any Given Time: 50

Client Capacity Under Program: 1500
Capacity at Any Given Time: 37.5 per group x 40 groups

Average Length of Services: 12-14 months

The provider must obtain prior authorization from DCFS to serve clients outside of the program plan parameters.
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REFERRAL DECISION-MAKING CRITERIA

The Provider must accept all referrals meeting inclusion criteria on a no decline basis regardless of the source of the referral. Provider must maintain a published local phone number to receive referrals. Provider will maintain a process to track referrals.
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TREATMENT GOALS/SERVICE PLANS

The program must adhere to the Circle of Parents model, a nationally recognized evidence-informed model for the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Circle of Parents® – The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare This model is heavily rooted in family support principles and philosophy. Parents will be encouraged to set their own personal and family goals and work toward them at a pace that is realistic for them. Provider will encourage support group members to keep each other accountable for the attainment of their personal and family goals.
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PROGRAM OUTCOMES AND METRICS

70% of participants will report improved family functioning/resilience on outcome surveys.
70% of caregivers will report improvement in attachment indicators.
70% of caregivers will report increased social connections.
70% will report improved peer support and shared learning.
At least 50 children per quarter will engage in model-aligned activities.
At least 25 facilitators and 10 workers coached quarterly.
100% of eligible groups receive site visits.
At least 100 parents per quarter receive information.

Details

• Awarding Agency: Department Of Children And Family Services
• CSFA Number: 418-00-3568
• CSFA Popular Name: Parents Care & Share
• Funding Opportunity Number: 418 - Parents Care and Share
• Assistance Listings Number: 93.590, 93.669
• Announcement Type: Initial Announcement
• Award Type: Competitive
• Total Funding Available: $302,724.00
• 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.