2025 Disability Accessibility Improvement Grant – Illinois - fundsforNGOs

The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice (ATJ Commission) and the Access to Justice Division of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC) have launched the inaugural application for a new grant initiative that advances accessibility and reduces barriers to equal access to courts for people with disabilities.

Donor Name: Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice (ATJ Commission)

State: Illinois

County: All Counties

Type of Grant: Grant

Deadline: 10/15/2024

Size of the Grant: Not Available

Grant Duration: 1 Year

Details:

The grant program, which is called the Disability Accessibility Improvement Grant, recognizes that courts have obligations to address accessibility barriers and provide equal access to people with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Illinois Human Right Act (IHRA), and the recently updated Illinois Supreme Court Policy on Access for People with Disabilities (Policy).

Goals

The Disability Grant has three goals:

To promote full and equal access for people with disabilities to participate in court activities, to be able to communicate with the court as effectively as people without disabilities, and to receive accommodations as per the requirements of the Illinois Supreme Court Policy on Access for People with Disabilities (Policy), the ADA, and the IHRA;
To promote respect and dignity for people with disabilities by fostering a court environment where all people, but particularly those with disabilities, are treated with dignity, respect, and courtesy; and
To support local courts to pursue enhancements that bridge gaps in current budgets but will ultimately lead to sustainable paths forward to local funding for solutions that address barriers to full and equal access or respect and dignity for people with disabilities.

Grant Period

January 1 – December 31, 2025.

Uses of funds

The Disability Grant can be used for any activity or project that forwards these goals and addresses a barrier to equal access to court for people with disabilities. Grant funds for projects are meant to support, enhance, expand, or create new or pilot projects, which may include, but are not limited to:

Installing or repairing ramps, elevators, and automatic doors in court facilities to ensure accessibility.
Remodeling jury boxes, witness stands, and restrooms to ensure accessibility.
Conducting comprehensive accessibility audits of court buildings to identify and prioritize areas needing improvement, to monitor the effectiveness of existing disability accessibility measures, and to make informed adjustments towards more accessible improvements.
Providing funding to hire qualified Certified Deaf Interpreters or Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) transcription for court proceedings.
Purchasing and providing assistive listening devices and other communication technologies.
Funding a community listening session or town hall to better understand the experiences of people with disabilities and to promote disability-centered cultural responsiveness from court personnel.
Developing and distributing court forms and documents in accessible formats, such as large print, braille, and electronic formats compatible with screen readers.
Providing additional training and further skill development opportunities for the jurisdiction’s Court Disability Coordinator.
Providing training for court staff on their obligations under the Policy, ADA, and IHRA, including how to effectively respond to reasonable accommodation requests from court users.
Providing training for court staff on respect, dignity, support, and customer service for people with disabilities from a disability advocacy organization.
Developing and distributing explanatory resources or educational programs for people with disabilities that provide clear, accessible explanations of court processes and case proceedings in multiple accessible formats, including videos with captions, sign language, and audio descriptions, and easy-to-read brochures.
Redesigning court websites and mobile applications to ensure they comply with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and are compatible with assistive technologies.
Developing and improving accessible online court services or procedures, such as virtual court clerk counters and remote court proceedings, and ensuring they are accessible for people with disabilities.
Conducting listening sessions or user testing sessions with local disability advocacy organizations to ensure continuous feedback and improvement of accessibility measures and court resources.