The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity will administer a grant program that provides eligible youth with age appropriate job training, life skills, counseling, work-readiness skills and supervised work experience. This program presents an opportunity to connect youth to the skills that are needed to enter and advance in the workforce.

1. NOTICE OF GRANT OPPORTUNITY
IL DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE & ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
OFFICE OF EMPLOYMENT & TRAINING
2014 SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM
BACKGROUND
The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity will administer a grant program that provides
eligible youth with age appropriate job training, life skills, counseling, work-readiness skills and
supervised work experience. This program presents an opportunity to connect youth to the skills that
are needed to enter and advance in the workforce.
ELIGIBILE APPLICANTS / PROGRAM TIMELINE
Eligible applicants must have the administrative and fiscal capacity to administer the program
according to the Department’s requirements and have the capability to be the “EMPLOYER OF
RECORD” including the administration of a payroll system for the employed youth. Priority will be
given to projects that will target activity during the Summer of 2014 (starting June 1, 2014). Eligible
applicants include:
• Community-based organizations throughout Illinois that have received state grant funds and
successfully administered a summer youth employment program.
• Community-based organizations that have not received state grant funds (for summer youth
programs) that can demonstrate the capacity to run a summer youth employment program in
the following counties: Adams, Alexander, Coles, Cook, Crawford, Fayette, Franklin, Gallatin,
Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Kankakee, Macon, Marion, Massac, Peoria, Perry,
Pike, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Sangamon, St. Clair, Union, Vermilion, Williamson, Winnebago.
ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS
Eligible youth that can participate in the program must be the age of 16 to 24 and be served under one
of the following programs or meet the income requirement:
• National School Lunch Program
• Workforce Investment Act
• Food Stamp / SNAP Program
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or
• Family income is below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL)
• Court-involved or at-risk youth
• Youth with disabilities
APPLICATION INFORMATION & DEADLINE
DCEO applications for funding are due by April 25, 2014. Funding is subject to appropriation in
the DCEO Fiscal Year 2015 budget. Please note that the 2014 Summer Youth Program with be
coordinated with multiple state agencies. Organizations will not be awarded contracts and/or grants
from multiple agencies to administer the summer program. Organizations that have administered the
program in previous years are encouraged to apply to that same state agency. The participating
agencies include:
• Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity
• Department of Human Services
• Department of Natural Resources

2. FOR MORE INFORMATION
Additional information regarding this program is posted on-line at http://www.illinoisworknet.com.
Questions regarding this program should be directed to DCEO Grant Manager Tammy Stone
at Tammy.stone@illinois.gov or 217-557-5549.