ICJIA posts $750,000 NOFO for statewide deferred-prosecution programs; applications due Dec. 17

An Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) presenter announced a statewide Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO 2827-0925, dated Nov. 14, 2025) that makes $750,000 in SFY26 general revenue available for deferred prosecution programs and provided step‑by‑step application instructions.

ICJIA framed the funding as aimed at programs that "increase public safety through accountability, reduce future offending, minimize negative consequences for participants, and prioritize court resources for violent offenses." The opportunity is limited to Illinois state's attorney offices, with one application allowed per agency.

Applicants must be prequalified to do business with the State of Illinois, be registered in the GATA grantee portal, and be in good standing on all prequalification requirements. The presenter advised that applicants "must also submit and obtain approval of the GATA SFY26 internal controls before grant execution." Proposals should be scoped to the available budget; ICJIA said the total available is "$750,000 in SFY26 general revenue funds." The projected funding period is February 2025 through June 30, 2026, and ICJIA may recommend subsequent grants up to a maximum of 36 months with satisfactory performance and available funds.

All application materials must be submitted through Amplifund (also called UNIGrants); emailed, mailed, or hand-delivered applications will not be accepted. "Submit all required pieces in Amplifund by 5PM, CDT, 12/17/2025," the presenter said, and added that Amplifund times out after 20 minutes of inactivity, so applicants should save frequently. A question submission deadline was announced as 5PM Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2025; ICJIA said replies to questions will be posted on ICJIA's website.

ICJIA outlined the required application components: the Uniform State Grant Application; a program narrative completed in Amplifund that describes eligibility criteria and the level of prosecutorial discretion (including whether state's attorneys can admit participants who do not strictly meet criteria); a budget and budget narrative; goals, objectives, and performance measures (to be downloaded from Amplifund, completed, and uploaded); a staffing table; and an implementation schedule. The presenter said programs should state whether violent offenses, including domestic violence and other excluded offenses, will be excluded and explain how the program will notify state's attorneys, judges, and defense counsel about requirements and consequences of noncompliance.

ICJIA recommended consulting external design guidance, including the deferred-prosecution implementation guide from Florida State University's Institute for Justice Research and Development, and cited an evaluation of Winnebago County's diversion program that emphasized the role of a program coordinator. ICJIA requires proposals to identify at least one program manager responsible for performance data collection, oversight, documentation of screening and compliance, and identifying barriers to participant completion.

For technical or application questions, ICJIA provided the email cja.sdpnofo@illinois.gov and encouraged applicants to consult www.icjia.gov for NOFO instructions and updates. The presenter closed by thanking participants for their work to strengthen deferred prosecution programs across Illinois.