Protection and advocacy of individual rights (pair)

The Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services awarded Equip For Equality, Inc. $620,398 on October 1, 2025, under the Protection and Advocacy of Individual Rights (PAIR) program (CFDA 84.240), a formula grant supporting protection and advocacy systems that defend the legal and human rights of individuals with disabilities ineligible for services from other protection and advocacy programs or whose needs fall outside the Client Assistance Program scope.

Equip For Equality, Illinois's designated Protection and Advocacy system, provides legal advocacy, rights protection, and support services to individuals with disabilities throughout Illinois, working to ensure equal access to employment, community integration, voting rights, and other essential services. The award period runs from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026, with place of performance in Chicago, Illinois. The organization collaborates with sub-grantees including the University of Illinois and Equal Justice Works to expand service delivery through training, outreach, technical assistance, and consultation on Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, voting access, and disability rights education to employers, government agencies, educational institutions, and the disability community.