June 30, 2015 Dear Governor Rauner, Speaker Madigan, President Cullerton, Leader Durkin, and Leader Radogno: As Illinois organizations deeply concerned about tHe state's responsibilities and obligations to serve cHildren, families, and communities, we write to urge you to work togetHer to pass a fair, adequate and fully funded Fiscal Year 2016 budget, tHat raises tHe revenues needed to ensure ongoing access to services and supports, before tHe new fiscal year begins on July 1st. As tHe leaders of tHis great state, we ask tHat you lead tHe way in setting aside differences and partnering togetHer in order to pass a budget tHat is fair and meets tHe needs of Illinois. WitHout a fully funded budget in place by July 1st, tHe cHildren and adults wHo rely on tHe services many of our organizations provide, as well as tHose services provided directly by tHe state, will ultimately be tHe ones wHo shoulder tHe consequences. Almost every line item in tHe budget carries witH it a similar weigHt and importance. The people of Illinois depend on tHe state to pass a budget and fund tHe programs tHey rely upon. Families wHo rely on cHildcare assistance, individuals witH pHysical, developmental, and/or intellectual disabilities, cHildren and adults witH mental illnesses, individuals witH HIV - tHese are our friends, families, and neigHbors wHo rely on a fully funded state budget. Nonprofit organizations are tHe backbone of tHe delivery of state services to tHese populations and are also left to struggle witH tHe consequences of the lack of agreement on tHe budget. In addition to tHe services nonprofits provide on beHalf of tHe state, nonprofit community-based organizations are significant contributors to tHe local economy, employing tHousands as well as buying goods and services from otHer local businesses. WitH July 1st quickly approacHing and no state budget in place, nonprofit organizations and tHeir boards of directors are wrestling witH uncertainty. Lacking direction from state agencies, nonprofits have no idea How mucH state funding tHey can eXpect or wHen tHat funding migHt begin. As a result, nonprofits across tHe state Have no cHoice but to contemplate and, in some cases eXecute, plans to terminate services, lay off staff, and close service sites. Organizations, tHeir staff, and tHe families and communities tHey serve will absorb tHe costs of tHese actions. THese are tHe same organizations tHat Have for decades worked on tHe state's beHalf to ensure tHe availability of tHese services. If tHe state defaults on its responsibility to provide nonprofits witH some level of fiscal certainty and adequate funding so tHat tHey can operate using sound business practices, we all pay tHe price in tHe short- and long-term. We strongly urge tHe General Assembly and Governor Rauner to come togetHer and find agreement to provide the revenue needed to fund a Fiscal Year 2016 budget tHat invests in the people of tHis great state. We certainly stand ready to assist our state's leadership in tHis effort in any way tHat we can. Signed, Page 1 of 4 A Safe Place/Lake County Crisis Center CHicago Metropolitan Association for tHe Education AARP Illinois of Young CHildren Access Living CHicago Metropolitan Battered Women's Network Access Services of NortHern Illinois CHicago Recovery Alliance ACT Now Coalition CHicago Run AFC-COMMUNITY Development Corporation CHicago Women's AIDS Project AIDS Foundation of CHicago CHicago YoutH Centers AIDS Legal Council of CHicago CHild Abuse Council Albany Park Community Center CHildcare Network of Evanston AlcoHolic ReHabilitation Community Home (ARCH) CHildren's Home + Aid AleXian BrotHers Center for Mental HealtH CHildren's Place Association AleXian BrotHers Housing and HealtH Alliance CHinese American Service League All CHicago Citizen ScHools Illinois Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook Clay County HealtH Department County Clay County ReHabilitation Center Allison's Infant & Toddler Center Clearbrook, CHild and Family Connections #6 Alternatives, Inc. Community 4:12 Alton YWCA Community BeHavioral HealtHcare Association of Arab American Action Network Illinois Arab American Family Services Community Crisis Center, Inc. ARCH Community Elements, Inc. Arden SHore CHild and Family Services Community Organizing and Family Issues Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Chicago Community Renewal Society Association of Latino/as Motivating Action (ALMA) CompreHensive Community Solutions, Inc. Austin Peoples Action Center Connections for Abused Women and tHeir CHildren BreaktHrougH Urban Ministries Corporation for Supportive Housing Bridge to Success Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater CHicago Bridgeway, Inc. Crosspoint Human Services BrigHton Park NeigHborhood Council DayOne Network BrotHers HealtH Collective DeboraH's Place Campaign for Better HealtH Care Delta Center, Inc. Carole Robertson Center for Learning DeWitt County Human Resource Center Casa Central Social Services Corporation District 207 ScHool Based HealtH Center CatHolic CHarities of tHe ArcHdiocese of CHicago Don Moss and Associates State Representative Linda CHapa LaVia Donors Forum CCR&R Carterville Dove, Inc. CCRS-Urbana DuPage CHildren's Museum Center for Advancing Domestic Peace, Inc. DuPage Pads Center for Housing and HealtH Early CHildHood Coalition of tHe Illinois Quad Cities Center for TaX and Budget Accountability Area Center on Halsted East Side HealtH District Centers for New Horizons Easter Seals Central Illinois Centerstone Easter Seals DuPage & FoX Valley Central States SER, Jobs for Progress, Inc. Easter Seals Metropolitan CHicago CHicago Arts PartnersHips in Education Ecker Center for Mental HealtH CHicago Coalition for tHe Homeless EdgeAlliance, Inc. CHicago Coalition of Site Administered CHild Care El Hogar del Nino Programs El Valor CHicago Commons Elev8 CHicago House Epilepsy Foundation of Greater CHicago CHicago House and Social Service Agency Equality Illinois CHicago Jobs Council Erie NeigHborhood House CHicago Medical-Legal PartnersHip for CHildren EverTHrive Illinois Page 2 of 4 Faculty Advisory Council, Illinois Board of HigHer Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee RigHts Education (ICIRR) Family Counseling Center, Inc. Illinois Collaboration on YoutH Family First Center of Lake County Illinois Federation of TeacHers Family Focus Illinois Network of Centers for Independent Living Family Focus DuPage (INCIL) Family Rescue Illinois Occupational THerapy Association Family Service and Mental HealtH Center of Cicero Illinois Partners for Human Services Family SHelter Service Illinois PHysical THerapy Association Federation for Community ScHools Illinois Primary HealtH Care Association First Step Learning, Inc. Illinois-Iowa Center for Independent Living Ford HeigHts Community Service Organization Imagine Englewood If FoX Valley Montessori ScHool IMPACT CIL Friedman Place INC Board, NFP Futures Unlimited, Inc. INCCRRA Gads Hill Center Inspiration Corporation Garden Center Services Instituto del Progreso Latino Goldie's Place Interdependent Living solutions Center Good Samaritan House of Granite City InterfaitH House Good SHepHerd Center for EXceptional CHildren InterfaitH LeadersHip Project GROW in Illinois Jane Addams Senior Caucus, HealtHcare and Hamdard Center for HealtH and Human Services Economic Justice Committee HealtH & Disability Advocates Jasper County HealtH Department HealtH & Medicine Policy ResearcH Group KCCDD HealtHcare Alternative Systems, Inc. Kilmer Sullivan ScHool Based HealtH Center HealtHy Families CHicago La Casa Norte Heartland Alliance Land of Lincoln Goodwill Industries, Inc. HepzibaH L'ArcHe CHicago Heritage BeHavioral HealtH Center Latino Organization of tHe SoutHwest Hesed House, Inc. Latino Policy Forum Hispanic Community Education and Services Lawrence Hall YoutH Services HOPE Fair Housing Center League of Women Voters of Illinois Housing Action Illinois Lessie Bates Davis NeigHborhood House Housing Forward LIFE Center for Independent Living Housing Options for tHe Mentally Ill in Evanston, Inc. LifeLinks Mental HealtH Howard Area Community Center LINC, Inc. Howard Brown HealtH Center Logan Square NeigHborhood Association Human Resources Development Institute LutHeran CHild and Family Services of Illinois Human Support Services LutHeran Social Services of Illinois Hyde Park NeigHborhood Club Madison County Housing AutHority IARF Madison County PartnersHip to End Homelessness ICG ReHab Services Marillac St. Vincent Family Services IFF Marion County HealtH Department Illinois Action for CHildren Mary Crane Center Illinois Alliance for Retired Americans Mary Crane Center LatHrop Illinois Asset Building Group Mary Crane CHild Development Programs Illinois Association for Infant Mental HealtH Massac County Mental HealtH Illinois Association for tHe Education of Young Mental HealtH Centers of Central Illinois CHildren Mental HealtH Summit Illinois Association of Free and CHaritable Care Mercy Hospital & Medical Center Clinics (IAFCC) Mercy Housing Lakefront Illinois Association of Hispanic State Employees Metropolitan Family Services Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence Muslim Women Resource Center NAMI Barrington Area Page 3 of 4 NAMI CHicago SoutHwest Organizing Project NAMI Illinois Sparc New Foundation Center, Inc. SPARK Aurora Early CHildHood Collaboration New Moms, Inc. St. Bernard Hospital Nicasa St. Procopius CHurcH NortH Center for Handicapped CHildren Statewide Independent Living Council of Illinois NortH/NortHwest Suburban Task Force on StepHenson County HealtH Department--HealtHy