Illinois Public Radio and Television
🏛 Illinois Arts Council Agency
✓ Free, no account · Source: Illinois GATA Catalog (CSFA) · Last verified Aug 1, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for Illinois public radio and television stations serving the state's residents. Applicant organizations must be locally operated public broadcasting stations currently providing programming to communities in Illinois. The grant supports operating costs, maintenance, local productions, arts programming, educational outreach, and news services.
Funds must directly benefit the public broadcasting station and cannot support parent organization overhead or general institutional costs. Stations must ensure state funds do not supplant or reduce other funding sources. Grant funds cannot be used for real property acquisition, depreciation, for-profit ventures, or instructional activities costs.
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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
Required documents
- Application form (via Illinois GATA system CSFA 503-00-0892)
- Project narrative describing station operations and community benefit
- Budget and detailed cost breakdown
- Documentation that funds won't supplant other revenue sources
- Proof of nonprofit status and operational capacity
Program contact
- 👤 Sandra Velazquez
- 📧 sandra.velazquez@illinois.gov
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?
Locally operated public radio and television stations in Illinois. Applicants must be active public broadcasting entities serving Illinois residents.
What can grant funds support?
Operating costs, station maintenance, local productions, arts programming, educational outreach, and local/regional news. Funds must directly benefit station operations.
What is not eligible for funding?
Real property acquisition or depreciation, parent organization overhead, costs underwritten by other PBS entities, for-profit business operations, and in-kind contributions.
What is the funding range?
Awards range from $6,000 to $600,000. Individual station awards vary based on need and merit.
Is cost-sharing required?
No cost-sharing or matching funds are required. However, applicants must ensure state funds do not reduce other funding sources.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Focus your proposal on local community benefit. Emphasize how funds will serve Illinois residents through unique local programming and services.
- Clearly document that state funds will not replace existing revenue sources. Show your diversified funding and explain how this grant supplements your budget.
- Detail specific operating and maintenance activities. Provide realistic cost projections tied directly to station operations.
- Avoid proposing real property investments or parent organization overhead costs. Keep proposals focused exclusively on station-level operations.
- Include evidence of community engagement and local impact. Highlight arts programming, educational outreach, and journalism that serve your region.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications fail when they propose non-operational expenses like real property acquisition, depreciation, or parent organization costs. Inadequate documentation that state funds won't supplant existing revenue sources is a common rejection reason. Proposals lacking clear community benefit and local impact details are less competitive.
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