Illinois Public Radio and Television
🏛 Illinois Arts Council Agency
✓ Free, no account · Source: California Grants Portal · Last verified Aug 1, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for publicly operated radio and television stations in Illinois that provide local programming and community services. Eligible applicants are licensed public broadcasting stations serving Illinois communities. The funds support operating costs such as staffing, equipment maintenance, and local programming production. Funds cannot be used for real property acquisition, commercial enterprise costs, or institutional overhead expenses.
⚖️ Cost sharing / matching required — applicants must contribute their own funds.
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Program description
IAC grant funds enable the people of Illinois to have access to locally operated Public Radio and Television stations that provide unique services to their communities, including local productions, arts programming, educational outreach and local and regional news. Enable the people of Illinois to have access to locally operated public radio and television stations that provide unique services to their communities. The use of grant funds by an Illinois Public Broadcasting Station is not restricted to a specific purpose. The station, however must comply with the statutory provisions which require that the funds received from the State of Illinois do not supplant or cause to be reduced any other sources of funding for the station. The funds are to be used solely for the benefit of a public broadcasting station and are not for general institutional overhead or parent organization expenses. Generally, the funds should be used for the cost of operating and maintaining a public broadcasting station. Funds cannot be used for long-term investments or purchases of real property such as land or buildings or related depreciation expenses.
Operating cost cannot include the costs of acquiring real property, depreciation on real property, production costs underwritten by public broadcasting entities, costs attributable to instructional activities of the educational institution, whether on closed circuit or not, costs of operating a commercial (profit-making) business enterprise, including a for-profit subsidiary, and all in-kind expenses related to the above. Beneficiaries: State of Illinois residents Administered by the Illinois Arts Council Agency via the Illinois GATA Catalog of State Financial Assistance (CSFA 503-00-0892).
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- Application form via Illinois GATA system
- Organizational documentation (license status, governance)
- Operating budget for current and projected year
- Sources of revenue (documentation of non-supplanting)
- Project narrative describing how funds support local service
- Matching funds commitment letter
Program contact
- 👤 Sandra Velazquez
- 📧 sandra.velazquez@illinois.gov
Funding track record
Past applications & awards under this program (California Grants Portal) — how competitive it is.
By fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Applications | Awarded | Award rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | 14 | — | 0% |
Source: California Grants Portal
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Illinois state appropriations. How funding has trended year over year.
| 2020 | $1,507,100 | |
| 2021 | $1,507,100 | |
| 2022 | $1,507,100 | |
| 2023 | $1,507,100 | |
| 2024 | $1,657,800 | |
| 2025 | $1,657,800 | |
| 2026 | $1,657,800 | |
| 2027 | $1,657,800 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for this grant?
Licensed public radio and television stations in Illinois. Parent organizations and commercial entities are not eligible. Your station must be locally operated and serving an Illinois community.
What can grant funds be used for?
Operating and maintaining the public broadcasting station. Eligible uses include staffing, equipment, local production, and educational outreach. Funds support arts programming and local news operations.
What costs are not allowed?
Real property acquisition, depreciation on buildings, commercial business operations, and general institutional overhead. Costs underwritten by other public broadcasting entities are also ineligible.
Is there a deadline?
This grant operates on a rolling basis. Check with the Illinois Arts Council Agency for current application windows and deadlines.
What matching is required?
Cost sharing is required. Your station must demonstrate non-supplanting of existing funding sources and cannot reduce other revenue due to this grant.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Document your station's current operating budget and revenue sources. Clearly show how grant funds complement (not replace) existing support.
- Prioritize operational needs tied to local public service: community outreach, local news, arts programming, and educational initiatives.
- Avoid requesting funds for capital projects or long-term investments. Focus on year-to-year operating costs.
- Explain how funds strengthen local service to your community. Funders want to see impact on local listeners and viewers.
- Keep cost-sharing documentation clear and realistic. Show committed matching funds from station reserves, underwriting, or other sources.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications that request funds for real property, depreciation, or capital equipment purchases fail immediately. Applicants who cannot document non-supplanting of other revenue sources are rejected. Vague proposals lacking specific operational plans don't compete well.
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