Grants to Promote the Community Health Worker Profession in Illinois

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) aimed at promoting and advancing the community health worker (CHW) profession in Illinois. The funding opportunity seeks a lead organization to develop a multi-year campaign that will enhance awareness of CHWs, integrate them into healthcare systems, and expand the CHW workforce in the state. CHWs play a critical role in bridging healthcare and social services with local communities, helping to address health disparities and improve public health outcomes. IDPH has been actively working to support CHWs through various initiatives, including efforts to establish a certification program. This program is expected to enhance the quality and availability of CHW training and facilitate reimbursement for CHW services through Medicaid. The grant-funded campaign will further these efforts by educating the public and healthcare organizations about the role of CHWs and by fostering a diverse and highly qualified workforce. The initial phase of the grant will provide up to $25,000 for an organization to develop a comprehensive, multi-year plan for CHW workforce promotion. Once the plan is developed, the selected grantee will be eligible for non-competitive continuation grants for up to three years. Depending on funding availability, these continuation grants may total approximately $2 million. Eligible applicants include organizations capable of designing and executing a large-scale awareness campaign. The chosen entity will be responsible for ensuring the effective integration of CHWs into public health, healthcare, and human service organizations. The grant aims to align with the broader goals of health equity and improved community trust in public health initiatives. Applications for this grant must be submitted no later than March 17, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. Central Time. An informational session regarding the funding opportunity will be held on February 14, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. Central Time. Applicants can access further details and the application portal by visiting http://www.idphgrants.com and selecting "Health Promotion" from the list of IDPH offices. For more information, potential applicants can attend the informational session via the following link: https://illinois.webex.com/meet/CHW.Review.Board. Additional inquiries regarding the grant opportunity should be directed to IDPH through the contact information provided on the grant website.