Income Qualified Assistance

SCAM ALERT: DCEO has been made aware of organizations receiving fraudulent “notice of award” letters claiming to be from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. These are not legitimate notices from DCEO. If your organization receives a notice, please report it to the Federal Trade Commission  and/or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center . Close button Income Qualified Assistance SCAM ALERT! The Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) does not provide direct grants to individuals; CSBG does not charge a fee for receiving a grant. If you receive a message offering you a CSBG grant or requesting a fee, please contact the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Fraud Hotline at 1-800-447-8477. For more information, please visit the Grant Fraud and Scams: Grant-Related Scams | GRANTS.GOV . 2025-2026 Illinois CSBG Draft State Plan What is CSBG? The Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) program was created by the federal Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981. The CSBG program is designed to provide a range of services which assist low-income people to attain skills, knowledge and motivation necessary to achieve self-sufficiency. The program also may provide low-income people immediate life necessities such as , etc. The Illinois Department of Commerce administers the CSBG program in accordance with federal law and the Illinois Economic Opportunity Act. In its administration, the department places an equal emphasis on self-sufficiency efforts and providing relief for the immediate needs of low-income people. The state receives approximately $30  million annually in CSBG funding to provide and emergency services to the eligible population. How are CSBG funds distributed? Federal law mandates that states distribute their CSBG funds in the following manner: 90 percent to the State's network of Community Action Agencies (CAAs) and our statewide migrant organizations to provide antipoverty services in Illinois' 102 counties and in the City of Chicago. The funds are allocated among the CAAs according to a poverty population-based formula. 5 percent to CAAs or other eligible public or private organizations for discretionary antipoverty programs. 5 percent for state administration, monitoring and technical assistance activities. What services are provided under CSBG? Illinois' Community Action Agencies (CAAs) serve approximately 1 million individuals annually with programs addressing the needs of low-income citizens. Typically, CSBG funds are being used for the following types of programs: Education - A broad spectrum of educational assistance is provided through the CSBG program. Specific examples include: workplace orientation, vocational skills training, family planning education, cultural opportunities for disadvantaged children, energy conservation education, post-secondary education scholarships, GED assistance for high school dropout, adult and youth literacy training and nutrition education for single parents and the elderly. Employment - The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity places a high CSBG priority on job creating economic development programs which result in the employment and self-sufficiency of low-income persons. Each CAA designs and operates an individualized economic development program. Ten percent of each CAA's annual CSBG funding is allocated for economic development/job creation activities. Most CAAs operate a loan program through which below market rate loans are made for business expansion and start-up which results in the hiring of low-income persons.

Eligibility Income Qualified Assistance SCAM ALERT! The Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) does not provide direct grants to individuals; CSBG does not charge a fee for receiving a grant