Federal Grant Award Summary

The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services awarded Equip For Equality, Inc. a formula grant of $620,398 under the Protection and Advocacy of Individual Rights (PAIR) program (CFDA 84.240), effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. As Illinois's designated protection and advocacy system, Equip For Equality provides comprehensive legal advocacy and rights protection services to individuals with disabilities whose needs fall outside the scope of other protection and advocacy programs or the Client Assistance Program. The organization delivers advocacy services, legal representation, and support related to vocational rehabilitation, independent living services, and general disability rights protections for vulnerable populations across the state.

Equip For Equality executes this mission through direct legal advocacy work and collaboration with sub-grantees, including the University of Illinois and Equal Justice Works, to expand service delivery and provide training, outreach, and technical assistance on critical topics such as Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance, voting access, and disability rights education to employers, government agencies, educational institutions, and the disability community. The award is part of the program's annual formula grant cycle, which distributes funding to designated protection and advocacy agencies in all states and territories based on statutory formulas rather than competitive selection, ensuring predictable and consistent support for these essential advocacy services.