The State Board of Education of Illinois has released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Fiscal Year 2026 Child Find Project of Illinois – Public Awareness. The Child Find Project is a discretionary grant designed to support Local Education Agencies (LEAs), Regional Offices of Education (ROEs), Intermediate Service Centers (ISCs), institutions of higher education, and not-for-profit organizations in their efforts to locate, identify, and refer children with disabilities for early intervention or special education services. This initiative is part of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B, which mandates that states develop comprehensive systems to identify and support children with disabilities. The Illinois Child Find Project is responsible for providing outreach materials, maintaining a developmental screening database, and assisting in the transition from early intervention to early childhood special education programs.

The total anticipated funding for this opportunity is $300,000, with one award being granted. The funding is federal in origin and comes from Special Education Preschool Grants, Part B, Section 619. This grant has an initial term from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, with the potential for two one-year renewals, contingent on state and federal appropriations and satisfactory performance. The awarded funds must be used to supplement existing resources and not supplant them. No cost-sharing or matching funds are required.

Eligible applicants must complete the State of Illinois Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) prequalification process before submitting an application. Applications must include a Uniform Application for State Grant Assistance, a 30-page Program Narrative, a Federal Budget Summary, and a Budget Summary Breakdown. The deadline for submission is April 11, 2025, by 4:00 PM CST. Applications must be submitted through the ISBE Attachment Manager, and a confirmation page must be retained as proof of submission. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

The grant selection process is merit-based, with proposals evaluated on expertise and experience, project personnel, quality of project components, and budget feasibility. A minimum score of 60 points is required for funding consideration. The review criteria emphasize the applicant's capacity to provide outreach materials, maintain screening data, ensure confidentiality of student records, and develop public awareness resources in multiple languages. Successful applicants must submit quarterly reports, an annual programmatic report, and screening data summaries to ISBE.