Procurement Opportunities | State of Illinois Office of the Illinois Courts
2027 Disability Access Grant Request for Proposal
Grant Opportunity Overview
- Application period: September 18 through October 23, 2026
- Application deadline: October 23, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Central Time
- Anticipated award announcement: December 2026
- Grant period: January 1 through December 31, 2027
- Capped award amount: $40,000
- Total available funding: $400,000
- Submission method: Online application portal.*
*Note: if you require assistance or reasonable accommodations to complete or submit the application, including alternatives to using Google Forms, please contact August Hieber at ahieber@illinoiscourts.gov to discuss available, alternative options.
Program Goals and Parameters
The Disability Access Committee of the ATJ Commission (Committee) issues this request for proposals for the 2027 Disability Access Grant.
The Disability Access Grant has three goals:
- To promote full and equal access for people with disabilities to participate in court activities, to be able to communicate with the court as effectively as people without disabilities, and to receive modifications as per the requirements of the Policy, the ADA, and the IHRA;
- To promote respect and dignity for people with disabilities by fostering a court environment where all people, both individuals with disabilities and without disabilities, are treated with dignity, respect, and courtesy; and
- To support local courts to pursue enhancements that bridge gaps in current budgets but will ultimately lead to sustainable paths forward to local funding for solutions that address barriers for people with disabilities. The Disability Access Grant can be used for activities or projects that advance these goals and address barriers to equal access to court for people with disabilities, with some limitations. Grant funds for projects are meant to support, enhance, or expand existing projects, or to create new or sustainably focused pilot projects that promote or enhance equal access for people with disabilities.
The Disability Access Grant can be used for activities or projects that advance these goals and address barriers to equal access to court for people with disabilities, with some limitations.
Grant funds for projects are meant to support, enhance, or expand existing projects, or to create new or sustainably focused pilot projects that promote or enhance equal access for people with disabilities.
Grant Eligibility, Proposal Requirements, and Expectations
Eligibility
Each application for grant funding must be submitted in partnership with the local Court Disability Coordinator (CDC), who must act as the “Grant Liaison”, by an Illinois:
- Court or court system,
- Circuit or reviewing court clerk’s office,
- Law library,
- Sheriff’s office,
- Bailiff’s office,
- State’s attorney’s office, or a
- Public defender’s office.
Each eligible office or entity may submit one application per grant cycle. Multiple applications serving the same courthouse must identify any overlapping activities and explain how the projects will be coordinated.
Note: The applicant’s associated CDC should ordinarily serve as the Grant Liaison. If the CDC cannot serve, the applicant may designate another responsible employee with the approval of the primary decisionmaker for the entity applying for funding (e.g., the Chief or Presiding judge of a court, the elected Clerk of a clerk’s office, an Executive Director of a law library, etc.), indicated in the required letter of support (see Section V: Letter(s) of Support). The application must still identify the CDC and explain why the alternate Grant Liaison is proposed.
Grant Liaison Expectations
The Grant Liaison’s role is to implement the Disability Access Grant. Grant Liaisons shall:
- Serve as the primary contact for the grant application, coordinating between the applicant jurisdiction and the ATJ Commission,
- Oversee implementation of the funded project or activity, ensuring compliance with grant requirements and accessibility standards,
- Attend a midpoint progress meeting on project activities, including updates, challenges, and grant expenditures,
- Submit a final report, which shall include:
- Final project status,
- Description of project impact and projected sustainability,
- Encountered barriers and solutions,
- Proof of total grant expenditures, such as invoices, proof of payment, and/or photographs, if applicable, and
- Facilitate collaboration with any applicable court departments, community partners, and people with disabilities to meet stated project goals.
Proposal Requirements
Proposals must contain the following
five sections:
- Section I: Applicant Jurisdiction Information
- Section II: Court Disability Coordinator Grant Liaison Information
- Section III: Program Narrative
- Section IV: Grant Amount Requested and Proposed Project Budget Summary
- Section V: Letter(s) of Support
Each application for grant funding will be considered in terms of the following components:
- Specific, demonstrable examples describing how the award will support a new or existing project or activity that addresses accessibility barriers for people with disabilities,
- Project design, including evidence of efficacy and project readiness, compliance with applicable accessibility requirements under the ADA, the IHRA, and the Policy, responsiveness to the accessibility needs of people with disabilities, both generally and within the applicant’s community, and sustainability.
- Local support for the grant activities, including examples of collaborative, successful past projects with relevant stakeholders addressing accessibility, if available, and required letters of support, including a letter of support from the Chief or Presiding judge of the relevant jurisdiction and letter from each listed partner confirming their commitment to the project, including any financial commitments if partial funding or funds matching those committed by other partners is requested,
- Evidence of collaboration will be viewed favorably, particularly where such coordination demonstrates shared investment, feasibility, and long‑term sustainability of the proposed accessibility improvement,
- Evidence of the practicality of the project or activity being completed, including details of feasibility in the Program Narrative, a description of identified contractor expertise, if applicable, and other optional, accessibility-related assessments or estimates, and
- Evidence of cost comparison and budget reasonableness, demonstrating a good‑faith effort to compare prices and explain why specific vendors or products were selected. While detailed cost comparisons will strengthen an application, courts will not be penalized if multiple quotes or granular pricing information are not reasonably obtainable. Reviewers will consider whether the applicant has provided sufficient context to understand the basis for the budget request.
Grant Expectations
Each grant recipient is expected to:
- Implement the project or activity proposed in the application;
- Agree to attend a midpoint progress meeting, submit a final report (see Grant Liaison Expectations), and provide updates as requested to the ATJ Division about project activities, opportunities and challenges, number of individuals served (if applicable), and grant expenditures;
- Identify the long-term need addressed by the grant award and take steps to implement solutions to meet the ongoing need after the conclusion of the grant period (December 31, 2027);
- Secure a replacement Grant Liaison from the jurisdiction if the original CDC is unable to continue work as Grant Liaison;
- Cooperate, coordinate, and collaborate with court departments, offices, communities, and people with disabilities;
- Periodically partner with the ATJ Commission, Committee, ATJ Division, and other grant recipients to share data and information to better identify needs, emerging trends, and create innovative solutions that the rest of the state can implement; and,
- Seek written permission (via email or letter) from the ATJ Division to utilize funds beyond the end of the grant year, should the Grant Recipient be unable to use the full award by the end of the grant period (January 1 - December 31, 2027), or to use grant funds for purposes other than those specified in the Grant Agreement, should circumstances prevent their use according to the original grant purpose.
- Should either request be granted by the ATJ Division, the Grant Recipient shall return any funds not used by the end of the grant period by February 1, 2028.
Grant Application Process: Applications Accepted 9/18/26 to 10/23/26
Applications shall be accepted between
September 18 and October 23, 2026. Completed applications must be submitted through the online application no later than 5:00 p.m. CT on Friday, October 23, 2026. The application is available as a Google Form - Application Form.