Opportunity Overview
Open now. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is accepting applications for the FY27 CDS Hair Care Initiative, CSFA 418-00-4117, Funding Opportunity Number 418-Hair Care Initiative. The program funds statewide, trauma-informed and culturally competent haircare education and services for youth in Illinois DCFS foster care, foster and adoptive caregivers, and DCFS staff.
Funding and Period
DCFS lists $324,035 in total funding and expects one competitive award of $324,035. The initial period of performance is October 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, and the FY27 application must use a prorated nine-month budget. Indirect costs are allowed under the published NICRA/de minimis framework. Direct administrative costs are limited to 20%, and fringe benefits cannot exceed 25% of total salaries.
Program Requirements
The provider must deliver a statewide service model that includes regional hands-on caregiver workshops, virtual training modules, individualized haircare assessments and written plans, caregiver resource-kit distribution, youth direct services, and DCFS staff training. Direct-service personnel must hold the applicable active Illinois cosmetology, natural-hair-braiding, barbering, educator, or instructor licenses specified by DCFS and complete required trauma-informed-care preparation. The program director must hold an active Illinois cosmetology educator license and have at least five years of beauty-education experience, including supervision of licensed cosmetology professionals.
Eligibility and Application
DCFS lists small businesses, government organizations, education organizations, and nonprofit organizations as eligible applicant types, subject to SAM/UEI and annual Illinois GATA registration and prequalification. DCFS states that 501(c)(3) status is preferred and may receive first consideration, but the opportunity is not limited to 501(c)(3) organizations. The application includes the Uniform Application for State Grant Assistance, program narrative, GATA budget with narrative and FFATA data-collection form, supplemental questions, and a board-of-directors list or N/A treatment where applicable.
Deadline Control
The Illinois GATA funding-opportunity list identifies September 16, 2026 as the application closing date. The linked controlling Euna opportunity states that DCFS must receive a full application by the listed due date and time, but its public Submission Close Date field is currently blank in the exposed opportunity page. No authoritative public source reviewed in this verification pass separately establishes the closing clock time or time zone. Atlas therefore does not infer either one. New cold outreach is not authorized unless the exact closing time and time zone can be established while at least 48 hours remain.
Atlas Analysis
Atlas Opportunity Score: 86/100. This is a substantial, tightly defined statewide child-welfare service opportunity focused on foster-youth well-being, culturally responsive care, caregiver education, scalp-health and hygiene support, trauma-informed services, and placement stability. Applicant fit is highly specialized because DCFS requires statewide delivery capacity and licensed cosmetology leadership and staff.
N9+ Fit Score: 0/100. Although the service model includes virtual haircare assessments and training, the controlling opportunity does not establish a legitimate remote clinical examination, diagnostic, or telehealth-device pathway.
Next Action
For any organization already engaged with this opportunity, immediately confirm its GATA/SAM/UEI standing, licensed staffing, statewide service capacity, secure referral portal, required program components, nine-month budget, administrative/fringe limits, and all Euna application fields. Do not begin new applicant outreach unless the exact deadline time and time zone are authoritatively established and the 48-hour outreach gate remains satisfied.
Official source: Illinois DCFS / Euna Grants – FY27 CDS Hair Care Initiative.