Community Funding Request FAQs

Why is there an opportunity for our communities to request federal funding?

As your representative in Washington, my goal is to meet the needs of communities throughout the 9th Congressional District of Illinois. Congress has decided to use our firsthand understanding of our districts' needs to help determine the best uses of a modest portion of federal dollars. I'm excited to have this chance to advocate for the resources we need and tackle the issues I've heard about from you at the grocery store or other parts around my district. Community Project Funding, a revamped version of the "earmarks" funding offered by Congress in the past, will bring direct funding to projects that make a real difference in the lives of our constituents, particularly when so many are hurting. The inclusion of Community Project Funding in fiscal year 2022 appropriations bills came from listening to members on both sides of the aisle from diverse districts. Bipartisan reforms will produce a small number of projects with strong community support, a transparent process where no member's family can benefit, and auditing to ensure money was spent as planned.

Who is eligible to receive federal funding?

Members of Congress may request funding for state, county or local governmental grantees. I will also consider requests from nonprofits that are working in partnership with state or local governments, or can demonstrate support from local government. No funding can be directed to for-profit grantees.

If I ask your office to request federal funding, does that mean I will definitely receive that funding?

No. My office will determine which projects best meet the criteria set by the House of Representatives and would constitute appropriate uses of taxpayer dollars. The final decision as to whether your project will receive funding will be made by the House Appropriations Committee.

What criteria will you use to determine whether you will submit a project to these committees for consideration?

Below are the questions my team and I will ask as we evaluate the projects we receive. A project need not meet every criterion set out below to be selected, but projects that meet more than others will get favorable consideration.

1. Does this project meet all the criteria set out by the House Appropriations Committee?
2. Is this project located in Illinois' 9th District?
3. Will this project serve multiple communities in Illinois' 9th District? If so, how many?
4. Does this project have strong community support?
5. Does this project address a salient concern for communities in Illinois' 9th District?
6. Does this project serve vulnerable communities in Illinois' 9th District?
7. Will all community members have equitable access to this project (e.g., is it ADA-compliant, are translation services available for non-English speakers)?
8. Will this project make no threat to the health and wellbeing of Illinoisans or our environment?

If you submit my request to the House Appropriations Committee, will I definitely receive federal funding?

No. The final decision as to whether your project will receive funding will be made by the House Appropriations Committee. Only a limited number of projects will be selected by these committees.

Is any project eligible for federal funding?

No. Funding is only available through certain federal programs and must meet certain criteria. Please refer to the next sections of this document for more information.

I'm not sure if my project is located within Illinois' 9th Congressional District. How can I check?

You can find an interactive map of IL-09 on my website at /about/our-district. You can also enter your zip code on https://www.house.gov/ to find out your Congressional district.

What if my project is partially or entirely outside IL-09? Can I still apply for federal funding?

Please feel free to apply if these projects will serve IL-09 constituents. These projects will still be considered, but priority will be given to projects in IL-09.

What measures is the House of Representatives taking to ensure this process will be ethical and fair?

The House of Representatives' rules forbid any member of Congress from pursuing funding to further his or her financial interest, or that of his or her spouse. Each member requesting funding must certify in writing that there is no such interest and make that certification available to the public. Every project I submit for consideration by the House Appropriations Committee will be made public on my website at schakowsky.house.gov/cpf-library.

If I want to request federal funding, how and when should I let your office know?

If you would like to request Community Project Funding, please fill out this form by 6PM EDT on Friday, March 17, 2023. Please be sure to refer to the next section of this document for information on the kinds of projects eligible for federal funding.

Do I need to request a specific amount of federal funding?

Yes. Please share the amount of federal funding you are requesting for this project, as well as the source(s) of funding for the full share of the cost of the project beyond the amount requested, if applicable.

Do I need to tell you how I plan to use the federal funding?

Yes. Please include a budget breakout specifically describing how the requested federal funding will be used, such as amounts for salaries, equipment, travel, etc.

My project has already received federal funding. Can I still request more?

Yes. Please note whether the project has received federal funding previously, and if so, the source and amount. Include both formula funds and any discretionary grants and fiscal years.

Can you guarantee that all of the information I submit be kept private?

No. To comply with the rules of the House of Representatives, every project I submit for consideration by the House Appropriations Committee will be made public on my website, schakowsky.house.gov. If your project is selected to receive federal funding, further information may be made public by the relevant committees. My office cannot guarantee that any information you share as part of this process will remain private.

Can I submit multiple projects?

Yes, you are permitted to send as many projects as you would like for Community Project Funding requests. However, in the case of Community Project Funding specifically, our office is permitted to submit no more than 10 projects to appropriators. In our CPF selection process, we will seek to impact the widest geography of the district possible so it may be unlikely for you to have more than one project selected by our office. If you choose to submit multiple CPF applications, our office is likely to follow up with you about your top priorities.

COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING: GENERAL QUESTIONS

If selected, what is the likely amount of federal funding my project will receive?

The majority of CPF appropriations will likely be in the range of $100,000-$1 million. These decisions will be made by members of the committee and not by our staff, and there will almost certainly be some exceptions to this likely range.

Can Community Project Funding projects receive partial funding?

Partial funding is available. If the full amount requested for federal funding cannot be honored, it is still possible for your project to be selected and receive a small amount. However, if a smaller amount would be unlikely to advance the program, funding may be more unlikely.

Can I request funding for operational and staffing needs?

In general, operational and staffing needs will not be prioritized for funding. See below for more on funding criteria.

Can I request federal funding to cover multiple fiscal years?

No. Each request must be for fiscal year 2024 funds only and cannot include a request for multiyear funding.

How many projects will Congresswoman Schakowsky select?

Congresswoman Schakowsky will submit up to 15 projects for consideration in the Appropriations Committee, where final determinations will be made.