Strategic EV Component Part Manufacturing in Illinois

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is offering the Strategic EV Component Part Manufacturing grant under its Strategic Economic Development Program. This opportunity is intended to support capital building improvements, infrastructure costs, and acquisition of machinery and equipment for an expansion by an electric vehicle component manufacturer located in McLean County, Illinois. The program seeks to strengthen the electric vehicle manufacturing sector within the county and promote job creation, requiring applicants to have an executed Reimagining Energy and Vehicles in Illinois (REV) Tier 1 agreement with DCEO. The grant covers capital expenses incurred between July 1, 2024, and August 31, 2026, with possible one-year extensions. Pre-award costs may be approved, and funding is reimbursed in two phases: 50% after documented expenditures and the remaining 50% upon completion of all capital spending including match funds. Funding for this program totals $2,375,000 in state appropriations, with a single award expected. Eligible expenses must meet bondability guidelines and may include facility improvements, infrastructure development, and equipment purchases specifically tied to manufacturing EV components. Indirect costs, overhead, or administrative expenses are not allowed. The grant requires a 1:1 match, meaning the Department may cover up to half of eligible costs. The anticipated performance period is September 1, 2025, through August 31, 2026, with the option for up to two one-year renewals. Applicants must be registered in the Illinois Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) Grantee Portal at the time of application and be in good standing with federal and state compliance checks. Eligibility is limited to business entities located in McLean County, holding a current REV Tier 1 program agreement, and ranking in the top 20 of global suppliers by sales of original equipment parts in 2024, according to Auto News. Entities on the Federal Excluded Parties List or Illinois Stop Payment List are not eligible. The grant is restricted to capital improvements and requires adherence to state labor and contracting laws, including the Prevailing Wage Act, Illinois Works Jobs Program Act, and Employment of Illinois Workers on Public Works Act. Applications must be submitted online via the Smartsheet form no later than 5:00 PM on August 21, 2025. The application package must include the Uniform Grant Application, Uniform Budget, Conflict of Interest Disclosure, Mandatory Disclosures, and a program-specific application describing project goals, investment details, and expected economic development impacts. Only electronic submissions are accepted; cloud-based document links will not be considered. Applicants may confirm submission receipt with the program contact. Proposals will be evaluated competitively using a merit-based review process with scoring across need, capacity, and quality criteria. Points are awarded for holding a REV agreement, location in designated economic or energy transition areas, alignment with program goals, capacity to complete the project within the grant term, and the wage level of jobs created. The highest-scoring proposal will be funded until available funds are exhausted. Successful applicants will receive a Notice of State Award (NOSA) initiating the grant agreement phase, during which funding terms and conditions are finalized. The program contact for this grant is Lisa Clemmons Stott (lisa.clemmonsstott@illinois.gov), with additional application support available through the DCEO Grant Help Desk (CEO.GrantHelp@illinois.gov). The NOFO and required application documents are available on the DCEO website. The release of this opportunity does not obligate the state to issue an award, and DCEO reserves the right to issue a reduced award or none at all.