Illinois Diversity Equity and Inclusion Grants

This program provides funding to local governments and nonprofit organizations in Waukegan for public infrastructure and facility improvements that benefit low- and moderate-income residents.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations that assist socially and economically disadvantaged individuals and very small businesses in Northern Illinois, helping them access capital and improve their financial readiness through legal, accounting, and advisory services.

This grant provides financial support for innovative, women-led projects at Southern Illinois University that empower women students, faculty, and staff, enhancing their learning experiences and campus engagement.

This funding opportunity supports academic enrichment and youth development programs for students in high-poverty, low-performing schools during non-school hours, while also providing family literacy and educational support.

This grant provides funding to diverse and minority-owned small businesses in Illinois, offering loans between $10,000 and $50,000 to support economic growth and community development.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in the greater Aurora, Illinois area that empower women, particularly women of color, through programs focused on education, economic empowerment, and racial equity.

This program provides funding to arts organizations in Chicago and Cook County to help them adapt and strengthen their operations in response to changing circumstances, with a focus on BIPOC-led groups and innovative capacity-building projects.

This funding opportunity supports community-based organizations and public entities in Illinois to develop and plan community solar projects that benefit low-income households and historically disadvantaged communities.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to various organizations to create after-school programs that enhance academic achievement and offer enrichment activities for children in low-income and underperforming schools.

This grant provides funding to organizations that empower communities to advocate for social justice and address issues like housing, immigration, criminal justice reform, and environmental justice.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to Illinois pharmacies to enhance diabetes prevention and management programs, particularly for underserved communities, by improving services and training staff.

This funding opportunity supports local news organizations and storytellers in Chicago to promote diverse and equitable media representation while addressing underreported community issues.

This program provides funding to support renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in Illinois, specifically targeting disadvantaged communities and organizations that serve them.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to Illinois-based organizations that assist small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs with essential services like business planning, financial analysis, and access to capital, particularly in underserved and rural areas.

This grant provides funding to U.S.-based non-profit organizations to support projects that promote Japanese arts and culture, particularly in areas with limited access to such events.

The DeKalb County Community Foundation Promise Grants, ranging from $1000 to $10,000, aim to support charitable organizations in DeKalb County, Illinois, that empower underserved populations, with a focus on projects related to healthcare, affordable housing, and enhancing quality of life.

This program provides funding to organizations for projects that improve broadband access in underserved and unserved communities across Illinois, promoting digital equity and economic growth.

This grant provides funding to support the establishment of new grocery stores in underserved areas of Illinois, aiming to improve access to fresh and affordable food in food deserts.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations and public entities in Sangamon County, Illinois, to create accessible recreational opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

Title II Juvenile Justice Council grants are specifically awarded to local juvenile justice councils to implement programs, policies and practices that improve the effectiveness of local juvenile justice systems, reduce unnecessary juvenile justice system involvement and/or analyze and reduce Racial and Ethnic Disparities (RED) in each council’s local system. Because this model of local governance, collaboration and data-driven decision-making has proven effective, the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission is allocating funding to support local juvenile justice councils and the development of data-driven, collaborative local juvenile justice plans which guide future system improvement efforts. The Illinois Juvenile Court Act provides that each county or group of counties may establish a local juvenile justice council [705 ILCS 405/6-12]. The purpose of this council, according to the Act, is “to provide a forum for the development of a community based interagency assessment of the local juvenile justice system, to develop a county juvenile justice plan for the prevention of juvenile delinquency, and to make recommendations to the county board, or county boards, for more effectively utilizing existing community resources in dealing with juveniles who are found to be involved in crime, or who are truant or have been suspended or expelled from school.” Through juvenile justice councils, the Act prescribes a response to juveniles in conflict with the law that is comprehensive, driven by data and analysis, and collaborative across all systems that touch these youth. As embodied in the Juvenile Court Act, Juvenile Justice Councils provide a structure to ensure that local jurisdictions respond to youth in conflict with the law in a manner which is data-driven, strategic, and focused on serving youth, families and communities in the most effective ways possible. Unfortunately, very few jurisdictions in Illinois have developed councils that operate in the manner envisioned in the Act. In some communities, youth become involved in the juvenile justice system unnecessarily because alternatives do not exist, or are not embedded within the system decision-making process. Because the needs and resources are different in each community in Illinois, a one-size-fits-all approach is not likely to be very effective. Local councils are in the best position to craft solutions that meet the local community’s needs and take into account local resources. Empowering and supporting local juvenile justice councils can also stem the tide of racial and ethnic disparity in the juvenile justice system at the front door and help ensure that no youth enters the juvenile justice system unnecessarily. Such local ownership is the best way to ensure more effective long-term programming and sustained systemic change. This, in turn, will reduce the costs associated with incarcerating youth in correctional facilities, reduce rates of recidivism, reduce the number of crime victims, and ultimately create safer communities in Illinois. Juvenile Justice Youth Serving Programs: The federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) provides funding directly to states through its Title II Formula Grants Program (Title II) to support state and local delinquency prevention, intervention efforts and juvenile justice system improvements. These funds are used to help states implement comprehensive state juvenile justice plans based on detailed studies of needs in their jurisdictions. State Advisory Groups, comprised of members appointed by the governor, set priorities for funded activities. The State Advisory Group for Illinois, the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission (IJJC), administers the Title II funds. These funds support a broad range of juvenile justice activities at the state and local level that are designed to improve the juvenile justice system through the development of more effective education, training, research, prevention, diversion, treatment, and rehabilitation programs in the area of juvenile delinquency. These programs or projects can be designed to be developed, implemented and evaluated directly or through grants and contracts with public and private agencies. Title II also funds state and local activities designed to ensure and maintain the state's compliance with the Core Requirements of the JJDPA. • Deinstitutionalization of Status Offenders (DSO) • Adult Jail and Lock-Up Removal (Jail Removal) • "Sight and Sound" Separation • Address Racial and Ethnic Disparities (RED); In some communities, youth become involved in the juvenile justice system unnecessarily because alternatives do not exist or are not embedded within the system decision-making process. Because the needs and resources are different in each community in Illinois, a one-size-fits-all approach is not likely to be very effective. Local juvenile justice systems and community-based providers are in prime position to craft solutions and develop youth serving programs that meet the local community's needs and take into account local resources. Empowering and supporting local youth programming can also stem the tide of racial and ethnic disparity in the juvenile justice system at the front door and help ensure that no youth enters the juvenile justice system unnecessarily. Investing in local communities will reduce the costs associated with incarcerating youth in correctional facilities, reduce rates of recidivism, reduce the number of crime victims, and ultimately create safer communities in Illinois.