FY26 Renewal: Adoption Listing Service

The Adoption Listing Service (ALS) works to match registered children with the identified permanency goal of 24 (Substitute Care Pending the Termination of Parental Rights) and permanency goal of 25 (Adoption) with an adoptive family. ALS maintains and manages a photo listing of children on the national website AdoptUSKids as well as the Heart Gallery of Illinois. The national listing service increases opportunities for matching and it supports States, Territories and Tribes in their efforts to find families for children in foster care, particularly the most challenging to place. A trained team of Child Centered Recruitment Specialists assists IDCFS and Child Welfare Contributing Agencies (CWCA) with the development of a recruitment plan tailored to a child’s strengths and needs to assist in finding an adoptive family. The Heart Gallery of Illinois is an online photographic exhibit created to find adoptive family for children in foster care. As part of the fast-paced social media landscape, this website provides resources so that families can meet children waiting to be adopted. The ALS team also manages the statewide toll-free number that assist potential foster parents on the licensing process and inquiries of youth on the Heart Gallery of Illinois.

Indirect Costs are allowed. To charge indirect costs to a grant, the applicant organization must have an annually negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA). There are three types of NICRAs: 1. Federally Negotiated Rate. Organizations that receive direct federal funding, may have an indirect cost rate that was negotiated with the Federal Cognizant Agency. Illinois will accept the federally negotiated rate. The organization must provide a copy of the federal NICRA. 2. State Negotiated Rate. The organization may negotiate an indirect cost rate with the State of Illinois if they do not have a Federally Negotiated Rate. If an organization has not previously established an indirect cost rate, an indirect cost rate proposal may be submitted to the State of Illinois through the indirect cost rate system no later than three months after the effective date of the award. If an organization previously established an indirect cost rate, the organization must continue to use that rate until its expiration. Upon expiration, the organization may re-submit a new indirect cost proposal through the system annually, within six months after the close of the grantee’s fiscal year, OR an organization may elect to use the de minimis rate instead of their State Negotiated Rate. 3. De Minimis Rate. An organization may elect a de minimis rate of 15% of modified total direct cost (MTDC). Once established, the de minimis rate may be used indefinitely. The State of Illinois must verify the calculation of the MTDC annually in order to accept the de minimis rate. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ NOTE • All grantees must complete an indirect cost rate negotiation or elect the De Minimis Rate in the indirect cost rate system to claim indirect costs. Indirect costs claimed without an established negotiated rate or a De Minimis Rate election in the system may be subject to disallowance. • Grantees have discretion not to claim payment for indirect costs. Grantees that elect not to claim indirect costs cannot be reimbursed for indirect costs. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Department of Children and Family Services must receive a full application.

NOTE: This application is for Year 2 or 3 of a multi-year award. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Complete the following: 1) UNIFORM APPLICATION FOR STATE GRANT ASSISTANCE

Renewal applications only.

Awarded applicants will receive two emails. One stating the status of the application has been updated to Approved. The second prompting to login to view the Award Details. Denied applicants will receive a letter of notice.

Grantees will be expected to submit both (monthly or quarterly) periodic performance reports and monthly financial reports. The exact reporting requirements of this award will be defined in the program plan of the Uniform Grant Agreement.

Questions regarding this Notice of Funding Opportunity should be addressed to: ILDCFS Accountability Unit Email: DCFS.GATA@Illinois.gov