Healing Illinois

HEALING ILLINOIS: Building a bridge to a racially equitable Illinois

Healing Illinois Logo

 

Healing Illinois is a racial healing initiative of the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), in partnership with The Field Foundation of Illinois, designed to distribute $4.5 million in grants to organizations across the state to begin, or continue, the work of racial healing.
The goal of Healing Illinois is to build the foundation for long-term racial healing and anti-racism in Illinois. Healing Illinois’ intended outcomes are to:
1.    Build knowledge and understanding of racial healing and equity in communities across the state
2.    Strengthen trust and relationship building among community residents
3.    Expand opportunities for communities and individuals to begin to heal from the harms caused by racism
4.    Increase awareness and media engagement focused on racial healing and equity

As the Intermediary for Region 4, United Way of Central Illinois encourages applicants to call our office for assistance. 

Important Details

Notification of Grant Award: End of January 2024

Update: As of end of day on January 31st, 2024, all grant notifications have been emailed to recipients. If you did not receive an email, please check your spam folder or call 217.726.7000.

Grant Award Maximum: $30,000

 

Requirements

To be eligible, applicant must be a nonprofit organization with evidence that it has been recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as an organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Code, and in good standing with the Illinois Secretary of State, or part of a school or other local governmental agency.

Applicants must be located in, or project must be directed to communities in the Illinois Department of Humans Services Region 4 counties. (Click Here to see map)

Grant funds must be expended by June 30, 2024 with a grant report and mid-year in-person meeting.

 

The Healing Illinois Grant is available to organizations that will use the money in one of the following ways: 

Racial Healing Sustainability: activities designed to build community through knowledge-sharing, deeper interpersonal interactions, and intentional spaces for collective healing. Types of projects may include, but not limited to:

  • Projects that build deeper interpersonal interactions through racial healing circles, peace circles, restorative justice practices, etc.
  • Expansion of existing racial healing programs
  • Creative artistic activities, including community-wide murals, visual artistic events, exhibitions, storytelling and discussion that advance racial healing.
  • Leadership development initiatives for racial healing practitioners, organizers and leaders of color in relation to racial healing, power-building, and community advocacy.

Narrative Change: awareness building of racial healing and justice work to facilitate the engagement, leadership, and activation of residents most impacted by systemic racism. Types of projects may include, but not limited to:

  • Workshops to teach community members how to share their personal stories to active others for systemic change
  • Amplify truth narratives of communities most impact by systemic racism.
  • Storytelling programs to build understanding and empathy

Education and Training: enhancing knowledge and understanding of racial healing and justice via trainings focused on anti-racism, racial equity, racial justice, etc.

Racial Healing Readiness: developing the capacity and early-stage ideas that may lead to new programming and projects with long-term vision to advance racial healing. Types of activities include community consultation, issues identification and research, assessment or feasibility studies for expanding programs and projects, increasing group or organizational capacity through specific skills training and/or new tools.

Contact and Questions

UWCIL Director of Community Initiatives at 217.726.7000

Or click here to send an email.