Resource Directory /

Financial Assistance and Grant Programs Resources

  • Illinois Department on Aging’s Provider Profile Search

    The Illinois Department on Aging’s (IDoA) Provider Profile Search provides help with finding IDoA services and providers throughout Illinois. Services are listed by county and include local contacts for the Area Agency on Aging, in-home service, care coordination and more.

    For more information, contact:

  • Illinois Elks Children’s Care Corporation

    The Illinois Elks Children’s Care Corporation (IECCC) assists any child under the age of 21 who is a legal resident of Illinois with medical assistance, as long as it falls within the IECCC scope and guidelines.

    Assistance can include custom-designed braces, wheelchairs, treatment programs, corrective shoes, physical/occupational therapy services and more.

    IECCC provides several competitive scholarship programs. No current or past affiliation with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is required. Areas of study include physical or occupational therapy, special education and speech-language pathology. Scholarship application packets must be returned by March.

    Explore all IECC scholarship requirements online or visit your local Elks‬ Lodge for more information.

  • Illinois STAR NET Region VI

    STAR NET Region VI is part of the Illinois STAR NET system and is supported through a grant from the Illinois State Board of Education in cooperation with Southwest Cooperative. STAR NET provides training, consultation and resources to the early childhood community.

    The STAR NET system assists the State Board of Education in meeting local needs by providing services to professionals and parents of young children with special needs throughout Illinois.

    STAR NET Region VI serves South Cook, Kane, Kendall, Kankakee, LaSalle, Will and  Grundy counties.

    STAR NET Region VI
    6020 W. 151st Street
    Oak Forest, Il  60452
    Phone:  (708) 342-5370
    Fax: (708) 687-2247
    email: starnet6vi@gmail.com

  • Illinois STAR NET Regions I & III

    STAR NET provides training, consultation, and resources to the early childhood community in Illinois.  They offerprovide early childhood development workshops and webinars. STAR NET also provides information on how to apply for financial assistance to attend a workshop for family members of a child two through six years of age with an IFSP or an IEP.

    STAR NET Regions I & III
    Western Illinois University, Horrabin Hall 32
    Macomb, IL 61455
    Toll-free 800-227-7537
    Phone 309-298-1634
    Fax 309-298-2305

  • Illinois Student Assistance Commission

    The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) provides Illinois students with information and assistance to help make education beyond high school accessible and affordable.

    ISAC offers free comprehensive, objective, and timely information on education and financial aid for students and their families. Help includes:

    • The ISAC Student Portal with free online tools, events and resources for students, as well as short videos about college planning and financial aid.
    • State scholarship and grant programs
    • ISAC College Q&A, a free texting service that allows any student to submit their financial aid and college planning questions and receive a response from ISAC staff.

    ISAC also offers assistance through the agency’s call center at (800) 899-4722 (ISAC).

  • Illinois Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

    The Illinois Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ITDHH) focuses on promoting the professional growth of teachers and the quality of education for people who are deaf and hard of hearing throughout Illinois. The organization hosts an annual conference and provides annual scholarship opportunities for teachers and students.

    ITDHH annual scholarship and grant opportunities for Illinois students and teachers include:

    • The “Hazel Bothwell Memorial Scholarships and Grants For Educators of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing” provides funding to teachers to help strengthen learning and educational services for children who are deaf and hard of hearing. You must be a current ITDHH member to apply.
    • The “Jacki Marcus Memorial Scholarship for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students” is for high school seniors planning to pursue a two- or four-year college degree. 
    • The “Pierce-Scherer Student Scholarship for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students” is for high school seniors planning to attend a vocational or trade school.

  • Immune Deficiency Foundation

    The Immune Deficiency Foundation is  a nationwide organization that can assist with finding specialists, providing financial assistance and providing educational materials. Primary immune deficiency diseases are a group of relatively rare conditions caused by intrinsic or genetic defects in the immune system.

  • Internet Essentials

    Since 2011, Internet Essentials from Comcast has connected more than 8 million low‑income Americans to low‑cost, high‑speed Internet at home. Families may qualify if they are eligible for public assistance programs including the National School Lunch Program, Housing Assistance, Medicaid, SNAP, SSI and others.

  • John Wood Community College Services for Students With Disabilities

    John Wood Community College (JWCC) offers various support services to help students in Adams and Brown County succeed in the classroom. Students with disabilities can get help exploring career options, finding resources to pay for college, tutoring and more. Other programs include:

  • June Jessee Memorial Foundation

    The June Jessee Memorial Foundation (JJMF) provides events, information, financial assistance and mental health services to children with medically complex neurological conditions and their families in the St. Louis area and beyond. JJMF resources include:

    • Uncomplicated financial assistance for out-of-pocket medical needs
    • Free mental health services
    • A welcoming, understanding community
    • Information to help make journeys easier