Illinois Healthy Resilient Communities

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), through its Office of Performance Management, has released a funding opportunity titled "Illinois Healthy Resilient Communities 2026" under funding opportunity number IHRC-26. This grant initiative is designed to support multi-sector partnerships to address social determinants of health in geographically defined communities that experience health disparities. The funding program is anchored in Illinois' statewide health improvement planning and local needs assessments, such as the State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) and the Illinois Project for Local Assessment of Needs (IPLAN). The goal is to build or expand community capacity to improve health outcomes in underserved areas through collaborative and community-engaged public health strategies. This opportunity includes two funding tracks: Capacity Building and Implementation. The Capacity Building component offers up to $150,000 to support the development of partnerships and the planning of public health interventions, including the creation of a logic model. The Implementation component, capped at $300,000, is for applicants with existing partnerships and aims to support full program execution and evaluation of strategies aligned with their community action plan. Applicants may only apply for one component, not both. This grant is funded through state appropriations and is subject to approval of the Illinois state budget for Fiscal Year 2026. Eligible applicants include local health departments (LHDs), nonprofit corporations, governmental entities, and institutions of higher education in Illinois. Applicants must be registered in the Illinois Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) system, possess an active SAM registration, and meet several compliance conditions. A lead applicant must either be an LHD or work in partnership with one, and proposed work must take place outside Cook County and the City of Chicago. Supporting documents, including letters of support from partner organizations and a logic model, are required for application. Sub-grantee budgets must also be included where applicable. The application window is from July 17, 2025, to August 18, 2025, with a strict submission deadline of 4:00 p.m. Central Time via the Illinois EGrAMS portal. An optional technical assistance session is offered on July 24, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. via Webex. The anticipated award announcement date is August 27, 2025, and the program start and end dates are September 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. While indirect costs are allowed up to 15%, no cost-sharing or matching funds are required. Certain costs, including promotional items, food, and real estate expenses, are prohibited. Grant applications will be evaluated based on multiple criteria including demonstration of need, capacity, quality of the proposed work, SMARTIE (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-Based, Inclusive, and Equitable) objectives, budget justification, and collaborative acceptability. Applicants may appeal only the evaluation process, not the outcome, via a formal written procedure within 14 days of the award announcement. For further information, applicants can contact Lynette Clontz at Lynette.Clontz@illinois.gov or by phone at 217-785-9212. Required application materials, including the Uniform State Grant Application, budget narrative, and letters of support, must be submitted through EGrAMS by the deadline. Additional documents such as W-9 forms and proof of nonprofit status may be required if applicable.

Applicants are encouraged to review SHIP/IPLAN and submit a logic model, letters of support, and detailed budgets. Follow the SMARTIE format for objectives.