Chicago Childrens Advocacy Center

Chicago Childrens Advocacy Center, a tax-exempt nonprofit based in Chicago, Illinois, operates as a federal grant recipient and sub-recipient providing trauma-informed mental health services, victim advocacy, forensic investigation coordination, and human trafficking victim services to child abuse survivors and trafficking victims. The organization acts as a prime recipient on four recent federal grants and as a sub-recipient on 34 awards routed through state and national intermediary grantees, positioning it primarily in a supporting operational role rather than as a direct federal contracting entity.

The organization's capability portfolio centers on coordinated multidisciplinary response to child maltreatment, sexual abuse, and human trafficking. As prime recipient, ChicagoCAC received a $1 million project grant from the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (CFDA 16.590) awarded April 1, 2026, funding legal assistance and civil/criminal legal navigation for domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking victims, plus a pilot high-risk case coordination team, offender data tracking, and human trafficking partnership development through March 31, 2029. A $911,563 Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime project grant (CFDA 16.320) awarded October 1, 2024, supports expanded services for minor sex and labor trafficking victims, including 24-hour crisis intervention, case management, onsite childcare, transportation, mental health services, and victim advocacy through September 30, 2027. A $425,000 cooperative agreement from the Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (CFDA 16.543) awarded October 1, 2022, funds trauma-informed group and family treatment for children with problematic sexual behavior, expanding capacity to serve approximately 150 children annually and 45 families through September 30, 2025. A $1 million Community Project Funding construction grant awarded September 30, 2023, supports facility renovations to increase mental health therapy capacity and prepare for launch of the Chicago Advocacy Center for Hope.

The organization's sub-recipient footprint reflects routing through state intermediaries. The Illinois Department of Human Services serves as prime grantee on 18 sub-awards spanning Social Services Block Grants, Family Violence Prevention funds, and Domestic Trafficking Victim Programs (July 2024 through February 2025). The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority administers 5 sub-awards for Services for Victims of Human Trafficking and Services for Underserved Victims of Violent Crime (April 2024 through March 2025). The National Children's Alliance Inc. holds prime grants on 4 sub-awards covering core direct Children's Advocacy Center services, equipment and technology, and program improvement (January 2023 through June 2026). The Department of Children and Family Services routes 2 sub-awards for mental health services to child sexual abuse victims (July 2025).

Customer concentration is heavy with Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs entities and HHS Administration for Children and Families, accounting for approximately 85% of awards. Department of Justice Victims of Crime and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention combined represent 14 awards; HHS ACF accounts for 19 awards across both prime and sub positions. Activity accelerated sharply in 2024 with 22 awards compared to three in both 2022 and 2023, driven largely by state pass-through grants to ChicagoCAC as a service-delivery sub-recipient. The organization reports serving over 2,000 child sexual abuse reports annually and 500–600 children as witnesses to violence, at risk of harm, or trafficking victims, with approximately 70% female clientele, more than 80% children of color, and 60% under age thirteen.