Request for Proposals: Universal Newborn Support Systems (UNSS) Community Feasibility Assessment

In fall 2025, the Care Coordination and Case Management Committee (CCCMC), a sub-committee of the Illinois Maternal Health Taskforce, finalized recommendations for how the state should build a robust UNSS system. The recommendations and companion report are the culmination of multi-year efforts by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) to enhance the P-3 statewide maternal and early childhood system of care by establishing a UNSS system that better connects families to programs and services. This work was supported by the Early Childhood Comprehensive Services (ECCS): Health Integration Prenatal to 3 Program (P-3), a grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The ECCS recommendations are still awaiting review and release by IDHS and there is no funding or programmatic commitment by the state to scale UNSS. However, the report and recommendations represent significant cross-sector efforts to advance a vision and plan for a statewide UNSS system.  

Medicaid financing is a critically important step toward financing and scaling UNSS. In November 2025, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) announced Medicaid coverage for home visiting services, including some UNSS models, as required under Public Act 102-0665. Per the notice, providers may enroll and bill for home visiting services under the Medical Assistance Program as of November 21, 2025. The Family Connects model is eligible for coverage under the Medicaid fee-for-service (FFS) program and the HealthChoice Illinois managed care organizations (MCOs).  See the fee schedule for UNSS services (Family Connects falls under the nurse model home visiting), effective 10/01/2025. This represents a new funding stream that can contribute to the sustainability of UNSS programs locally. 

Start Early anticipates granting awards ranging from $15,000-$75,000    with each grant lasting 9 months, concluding December 2026.    Allowable uses of funding include research on the potential implementation of a new local UNSS or on the potential expansion of an existing UNSS system. Grant funds may not be used for direct service, capital expenditures, or lobbying. Award amounts will be structured on a tiered system according to community need and the number of key planning activities that each applicant proposes to complete throughout the grant.  

Each awardee will be required to determine and demonstrate a meaningful indicator of short-term progress towards local assessment of UNSS implementation feasibility. These indicators will be specific to each state team’s context and goals.  

The core required deliverable of each grant will be a final report detailing meaningful short-term progress towards assessing feasibility and pathway for implementing or expanding UNSS, including an examination of key logistical considerations, key partners necessary for implementation, demand and local demographics, family/community engagement on UNSS wants and needs, and potential barriers, and the identification of next steps to support further planning and implementation. 

Ideally, a UNSS feasibility project will include many or all of the priority activities listed in Appendix A. Communities have flexibility to identify the activities that most align with their local context and needs regarding UNSS. The final reporting deliverable will be required to address the content areas found in Appendix A high priorities list.

• Start Early will not make more than one grant in a single community. We encourage potential applicants to talk with colleagues in your community in advance of submitting a Letter of Interest (LOI) to plan how you might approach this opportunity together rather than submitting multiple LOIs. If more than one organization from a single community submits an LOI, Start Early will contact all applicants in that community to recommend that they work together on a single application. The RFP is limited to communities in Illinois.
• Interested organizations are encouraged (but not required) to join an informational webinar on Wednesday, January 21, 12:00 – 1:30 PM. Register HERE. Registering for this event indicates your consent for Start Early to contact you if we identify a potential collaborative opportunity with other organizations in your community. This would facilitate the submission of a single, joint application. Webinar materials will be emailed to all registrants after, feel free to register even if you cannot attend live. Submit questions in advance to Beth Savitzky at bsavitzky@startearly.org. 
• Two optional office hour opportunities will be held for applicants to ask questions. Start Early will post a running FAQ document to respond to questions.  
• Submit a Letter of Interest (LOI) by Friday, February 13, at 5:00 PM CST. Letters of Interest will be reviewed by Start Early along with an advisory team of field leaders.  
• Submit a full RFP application by Friday, February 27, 5:00 PM CST.  
• The full RFP will include narrative questions organizational and financial information, to be submitted electronically. 
• Start Early may conduct 60-minute interviews with select applicants as necessary. Interviews will be conducted between March 9 – 23, 2026. 
• Start Early will notify organizations of awards no later than Friday, March 27, 5:00 PM. 

Questions can be directed to: Beth Savitzky, Operations Manager at bsavitzky@startearly.org.   

• Eligible applicants include private, not-for-profit community-based organizations that are incorporated and have been granted 501(c) (3) status; public community-based organizations, including units of local and Tribal government , and private, for-profit community-based organizations. Applicants must be based in Illinois.
• Most counties/communities in Illinois are eligible to apply for this grant opportunity.  Communities that are currently implementing UNSS already can apply to conduct assessments/planning regarding expansion of UNSS into a new community. Publicly funded UNSS is currently being implemented in Decatur, Peoria County, Stephenson County and the City of Chicago. Applications for UNSS feasibility in those communities will only be considered if submitted by the current implementing agency, and only for expansion into a new community.
• This grant is intended to support a collaborative or coalition effort within a county or sub-county region of the state.  Applicants must demonstrate a track record of leadership in coalition building towards policy change at the local, county, or regional level in support of families with young children. Funding will only be awarded to one organization within the community team. Further distribution to other participating organizations will be the responsibility of awardee and should be noted in proposed budget and narrative. 
• Awarded grantees will be invited to participate in a learning community with other grantees.  Applicants should be prepared and willing to engage fully and authentically with peers. 

In addition to the funding, grant awardees will receive consultation and support to develop/refine and make progress on agreed-upon project activities specific to their context. Activities include: 

• Group TA and peer learning calls: Start Early will hold monthly informal group TA calls throughout the duration of the planning grant. Awardees are expected to have a representative from the local project team attend at least two group TA/peer learning calls. 

• Individualized support: Each awardee will have the opportunity to request individual TA and consultation with Start Early throughout the duration of their planning grant. Consultation will be provided via meetings and email. 

• A virtual convening: Start Early will host a virtual convening at the midpoint of the grant for local teams to present on the progress of their UNSS assessment activities progress in their local projects and learn together through shared strategies and brainstorming. All awardees will be required to have representation at the virtual convening. At this time, Start Early anticipates that the convening will be held in August 2026.    

• Wednesday January 21, 2026: Bidders Webinar & RFP Kickoff (Optional) 
  • Register here 
• Tuesday January 27, 2026: Technical Assistance Office Hours (Optional) 
  • Register here 
• Friday February 13, 2026: Letters of Interest (LOI) due (Required) 
  • Complete LOI here 
• Tuesday February 17, 2026: Technical Assistance Office Hours (Optional) 
  • Register here 
• Friday February 27, 2026: Request for Proposals (RFP) applications due (Required) 
  • Complete RFP here 
• Friday March 27, 2026: Notification of awards emailed by 5:00 pm CT 
  • Interviews will be conducted with applicants as needed following RFP submission 
• Late April, 2026: First of two funding payments dispersed 
  • Kick-off Communications to Awardees 
• Friday May 1, 2026: Grant period begins 
• May through August 2026: 1st Half of Grant Period 
  • Technical Assistance calls will be held for awardees during this period 
• During September 2026: Mid-Point Reporting 
  • Required mid-point check in with Start Early 
• September through December 2027: 2nd Half of Grant Period 
  • Optional group convening of awardees will be held during this period 
• Friday January 29, 2027: Final Report Due by 5:00 pm CT (Required)  
• Early February 2027: Second and Final Funding Payment Dispersed 
  • Final payment will only be processed after the final report is received