Programs And Grants For Felons in Illinois (2026)

While there aren’t any exclusive grants for felons in Illinois, many programs available to low and moderate income households are open to felons.

Felon grants are sometimes available from reentry providers, but if you need financial assistance, it’s better to focus your efforts on applying to the following programs. The eligibility criteria for most programs are based on income, household size and residency, so your felony won’t be a barrier.

Programs And Grants For Felons in Illinois 2026

In this guide, we’ll cover:

SNAP (food assistance)
TANF (cash assistance for families)
General Assistance (hardship grants)
LIHEAP (energy bill assistance)
Rent assistance programs
Modest Needs grants
Free health insurance and medical care
Grants for college and trade school
Reentry grants for felons

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Also known as Food Stamps, SNAP provides a monthly grant to spend on groceries. The exact amount you’ll get depends on how many people are in your household (spouse, partner, children) and how much you earn.

Income limits are higher than those shown below if anyone in your household is over 60 or has a disability,

Household Size	Income Limit (Gross)	Maximum Monthly Benefit
1 person	$2,151 / month	$298
2 people	$2,908 / month	$546
3 people	$3,664 / month	$785
4 people	$4,420 / month	$994
5 people	$5,177 / month	$1,183

Apply for SNAP online (Application for Benefits Eligibility): http://abe.illinois.gov/

Temporary Assistance For Needy Families Program

TANF provides monthly cash assistance to help families with children cover basic expenses. To qualify, you must be pregnant or have a dependent child and work with IDHS on a self-sufficiency plan. Assistance through TANF has a lifetime limit of 60-months (5-years).

Most families receiving TANF must register for work or work related activities (unless exempt).

Income eligibility is based on countable income, which is your income after allowable deductions. Benefits like SNAP are not counted as income.

Household Size	Countable Income Limit	Maximum Monthly Benefit
2 people	$617 / month	$596
3 people	$777 / month	$753
4 people	$938 / month	$910
5 people	$1,098 / month	$1,067

Illinois General Assistance (GA) Hardship Grants

The General Assistance program is a hardship grant for very low income people without children, and families who don’t qualify for TANF.

Income limits and other eligibility requirements for GA vary because the program is administered at the township or county level instead of the State of Illinois.

Some townships issue cash payments, but most provide vouchers you can use to help cover your basic needs like rent, utilities, and food.

Apply for General Assistance at your local township office.

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

In Illinois, the LIHEAP grant helps low-income households pay for heating and electric. Winter crisis grants are also available to help households prevent an energy shutoff or pay for a heating system repair.

If your energy bills are included in your rent, you can still apply for LIHEAP.

The grant amount depends on income, household size, and fuel type. The minimum grant is $315 and the maximum is $2,075. The maximum winter crisis grant is $1,500.

Household Size	Income Limit (pre tax)
1 person	$3,332 / month
2 people	$4,357 / month
3 people	$5,382 / month
4 people	$6,407 / month
5 people	$7,432 / month

Apply for a LIHEAP grant: https://dceo.illinois.gov/

Programs That Help Pay Your Rent

Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCV)

Government support from the Housing Choice Voucher program is available to help you pay your rent, but you’ll need to pass a background check and most areas have waiting lists.

Your local Public Housing Agency (PHA) runs the HCV program for your area. PHAs set their own background check policies and disqualification criteria. For example, a felony conviction for distributing drugs could be grounds for denial for 3–5 years. A conviction for a violent crime could make you ineligible for 7–10 years.

Sex offenders with a lifetime requirement to register are permanently barred from the HCV program, as are felons convicted of manufacturing methamphetamine on the premises of public housing.

Because of the long waiting lists in many areas, you should apply for the rent assistance program as soon as possible. Your felony may not count against you by the time you’re selected, and the background check process does give you an opportunity to show that you’ve turned your life around and will be a responsible tenant.

Find your local PHA: https://www.hud.gov/contactus/public-housing-contacts

Rapid Rehousing Programs

Rapid Rehousing helps homeless people and people without stable housing. The program works on a housing first basis, so your felony won’t be a barrier to getting support.

If you qualify, you’ll get a case manager who will help you move into permanent housing and issue payments for upfront costs like security and utility deposits. You may also receive rent assistance through the program.

To find out which agency or nonprofit handles Rapid Rehousing in your area, call the free 2-1-1 helpline (24/7). Chicago residents should contact the 3-1-1helpline.

Modest Needs Grants

Modest Needs is a small charity that provides grants to working people on low incomes. The grants are designed to help recipients cover expenses due to unforeseen circumstances.

For example, you may be living paycheck to paycheck when your car breaks down and needs a repair you can’t afford. With a Modest Needs grant, you can repair the car and continue to get to work.

Learn about Modest Needs grants, how they work, who is eligible, and how to apply online at https://www.modestneeds.org/mn/for-applicants/grants/self-sufficiency-grants.

Medical Care For Low-Income Felons

The Medicaid program provides health insurance for low-income individuals and families in Illinois. Felons are eligible for the program and can qualify for free or low-cost insurance with an income at or under 138% of the federal poverty level.

Household Size	138% Federal Poverty Level (Medicaid Limit)
1 person	$1,799 / month
2 people	$2,432 / month
3 people	$3,064 / month
4 people	$3,697 / month
5 people	$4,329 / month

Apply for Medicaid: https://hfs.illinois.gov/medicalclients/medicaidguide.html

Illinois felons in need of medical care can also make use of the network of free clinics and sliding scale clinics (fees based on income).

Find your nearest clinic: https://www.illinoisfreeclinics.org/clinic-search/clinic-directory/

Education Grants in Illinois for Felons

You can get financial help to go back to school, and with a combination of federal and state grants, it’s possible to study for a degree or trade certification at no cost.

Federal Pell Grant: This grant for low-income students can give you up to $7,395 per year.
FSEOG: Only available to students with exceptional financial need, this grant is worth up to $4,000 per year.
Illinois Monetary Award Program: Low-income students receive up to $8,400 per year.

Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to find out how much you qualify for.

Learn more: https://www.illinois.gov/services/service.financial-aid.html

Reentry Grants For Illinois Felons

The Second Chance Act provides grant funding for reentry services in Illinois. While you won’t usually get money to put in your pocket from a reentry provider, the services offered to felons enable returning citizens to make a fresh start backed by professional support.

Your reentry provider can help with things like:

Housing
Job training programs
Education
Substance addiction
Employment
Life skills and financial literacy
Medical care
Documents and ID

Grants for individuals may be available depending on the reentry program. These grants are usually used to pay for training programs and certifications, housing move-in costs, and uniforms and tools for work.

Illinois Reentry Resource Hub: https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=168659.