The Public Health Institute of Metropolitan Chicago (PHIMC), serving as the Illinois Department of Public Health HIV Section lead organization for Region 8, has opened the FY27 HIV Prevention Regional Implementation Group (RIG) — Region 8 opportunity for high-impact HIV prevention and linkage-to-care services in Suburban Cook County, excluding the City of Chicago.
Immediate mandatory gate: Prospective applicants must submit the required Intent to Apply by September 17, 2026 at 5:00 PM CDT. The NOFO states that only organizations that submit the Intent to Apply by that deadline will be considered. The current Intent to Apply form asks for the organization name, its Illinois GATA registration/prequalification status, and organization website. Full proposals are due October 1, 2026 at 5:00 PM CDT by email to nofo@phimc.org. Questions are due September 23, 2026 at 5:00 PM CDT.
Funding: Approximately $1,102,614 is available for Region 8, and PHIMC anticipates funding up to 12 organizations. The regional funding pool includes approximately $301,906.26 for risk-based HIV counseling and testing; $98,447.69 for integrated STI/HCV prevention testing; $150,953.13 for risk-reduction interventions; $72,194.99 for condom distribution; $236,274.47 for surveillance-based services, linkage, and support; $111,574.05 for Black/Latine MSM peer hiring and training capacity; and $131,263.59 for Black/Latine MSM client-recruitment capacity. Applicants may request funding in one or more categories, and the NOFO does not publish one flat applicant maximum independent of the requested scope.
Eligible applicants: Illinois-based local health departments and nonprofit private community-based organizations, including volunteer and religious organizations, may apply when they can effectively engage populations at increased risk for HIV and deliver services in Region 8. Applicants cannot be 501(c)(4) organizations or organizations whose primary purpose is lobbying, cannot be debarred or suspended, must not be on the Illinois Stop Payment List, and must meet Illinois Secretary of State good-standing requirements. Applicants must have begun Illinois GATA registration and prequalification and must complete those requirements before contracting.
Program and operational requirements: Funded work must be delivered in suburban Cook County outside Chicago. The NOFO uses a reimbursement model, so applicants must have sufficient cash flow to operate while awaiting reimbursement. Programs must follow the applicable standardized HIV prevention scopes and use required IDPH/Provide Enterprise data systems and reporting processes.
Indirect costs and match: Indirect costs are permitted using a federally or State-approved rate or the 15% de minimis rate described in the NOFO. Atlas found no explicit applicant cash-match or cost-share requirement in the controlling FY27 NOFO and does not infer one.
Required proposal materials: The application includes a one-page organization overview, an eight-page project/design section, a two-page external referral/collaboration section, the requested scope form, detailed budget and budget summary, staff resumes and relevant certifications, the most recent financial audit and findings or applicable Verification of Exclusion, fiscal-policy documentation, W-9, IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter for nonprofit applicants, completed GATA Internal Control Questionnaire, Illinois Secretary of State Certificate of Good Standing or government-exempt statement, and the signed application certification form. PHIMC scores organization capacity, project design, referral/collaboration, and budget for a total of 100 points.
Atlas assessment: Atlas Opportunity Score 94/100. This is a high-priority Illinois public-health opportunity because it directly funds HIV counseling and testing, STI/HCV prevention, linkage to care, behavioral interventions, and regional prevention capacity in suburban Cook County, with a mandatory eligibility gate less than three days after September 15. N9+ Fit Score: 5/100. The NOFO funds HIV prevention and testing services, but it does not establish a legitimate remote physical-examination or N9+ device procurement pathway, so Atlas should not force N9+ into applicant positioning.
Applicant priority: Current or prior Region 8 HIV-prevention partners and the Cook County Department of Public Health are logical organizations to screen first because they already serve the required geography and populations. Organization-specific eligibility, GATA/prequalification, proposed scope, recipient identity, email opt-out status, and sent-history deduplication must still be verified before outreach.
Official sources: PHIMC Region 8 NOFO announcement; FY27 Region 8 NOFO and application; PHIMC Region 8 program page.