TANF Employment & Training Special Project - Community Resource Development Program Grant

Funder: Illinois Department of Human Services: Division of Family & Community Services

The TANF Employment & Training Special Project Grant aims to enhance community capacity for organizations serving the TANF population and low-income families. This funding supports collaboration, training, and linkages to improve access to essential services, ultimately fostering self-sufficiency. Grantees will focus on workforce development, health, and educational programs, while addressing pressing community needs and promoting equity and inclusion for diverse populations.

Executive Summary:
This is a community capacity building grant for organizations that provide coordination, training and education and community service linkages for local anti-poverty programs and other programs that serve the TANF population and other low-income individuals and families. Organizations should be hub organizations that facilitate and convene other local organizations and employers with the purpose of reducing poverty and helping individuals access services effectively in the local community.
Program Description
Required Information:
The general purpose of the funding is to provide broad-based community services to TANF eligible (Transitional Assistance to Needy Families) and other low-income families to access state and local human services in order to improve outcomes that lead to self-sufficiency for the public good.
Goals and objectives of the Program.
The Grantee will provide broad-based community services to:
Improve the quality of life for children, youth and families by making human services, workforce development, health and educational programs and policy more effective, accessible, coordinated and responsive to community needs;Provide linkages enabling individuals and families to access state and local human service agencies; andFocus on ways each of the local communities served can address the most pressing self-sufficiency issues in their area.
Program Deliverables
These services will address areas such as:
Development of Community Planning PartnersEducation about Public Benefits (Essentials of Public Benefits/SNAP and TANF), spend-down, navigating disability and how to obtain them.Offering TANF Informational sessionsEarly Childhood (Parenting workshops)Diversity and Language Access Resources (LARC)Mental Health and Substance abuseHousing security assistanceEmploymentFinancial Literacy & Asset BuildingHealth services and Healthy LifestylesCultural awarenessTax Preparation

Eligibility

Successful applicants under this NOFO may be eligible to receive two subsequent one-year grant renewals for this program.Indirect Costs may be applied to this grant award. Indirect Cost rates must be approved through the Illinois Indirect Cost Rate Election System (ICRES)The specific types of applicants that may apply for the grant award are:private, not-for-profit community based organizations that are incorporated and have been granted 501C(3) statuspublic community based organizationsunits of local governmentcommunity colleges.The applicant must meet the Registration, Pre-qualification and any other Mandatory Requirements listed in this funding opportunity.Must be in "good standing" with the Illinois Secretary of State if the Illinois Secretary of State requires the entity's organization type to be registered.Applicants should be able to:Demonstrate the ability to begin services immediately upon execution of the uniform grant agreement.Demonstrate strong connections with the local or regional community to identify appropriate sites of operation and perform outreach to participants.Provide strong evidence that their organization is a hub organizations that facilitates and convenes other local organizations and employers with the purpose of reducing poverty and helping individuals access services effectively in the local community.Have demonstrated compliance with IDHS performance, financial and reporting standards.Applicants should be located or plan to offer services within community areas with high rates of poverty and unemployment.Applicants should have prepared a budget in accordance with the template provided by the Illinois Department of Human Services which follows and adheres to all applicable Federal guidelines.The applicant must have a minimum of 3 (five) years of experience providing similar services.The applicant must develop a budget consistent with program requirements. (If your program has additional mandatory requirements, enter them here; if ot, enter N/A)

Ineligibility

Applications for renewal or supplementation of existing projects are not eligible to compete with applications for new State awardsPre-Award costs are not allowable for this awardApplications from entities that have not prequalified prior to and on the due date of this application will NOT be reviewed and will NOT be considered for funding.Must not be on the Illinois Stop Payment ListMust not be on the Sam.gov Exclusion ListMust not be on the Medicaid Sanctions ListSpecific unallowable costs for this program include the following: Entertainment costs, except where specific costs that might otherwise be considered entertainment have a programmatic purpose and are authorized in the approved budget (2 CFR 200.438).Capital expenditures for general purpose equipment, including any vehicle regardless of cost, buildings, and land (2 CFR 200.439).Capital expenditures for improvements to land, buildings, or equipment which materially increase their value or useful life (2 CFR 200.439).Food, and other goods or services for personal use of the grantee's employees, contractors, or consultants of the grantee unless authorized as per diem under the State of Illinois Governor's Travel Control Board (2 CFR 200.445).Deposits for items, services, or space.