Small Business Development Centers

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), administers the Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) program to provide professional, high-quality, and confidential advising and technical assistance to small businesses and pre-venture entrepreneurs throughout the state. Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), DCEO seeks qualified host organizations to operate SBDC Service Centers, with the aim of expanding access to entrepreneurship services across Illinois, including underserved and rural areas. The initiative aligns with SBA’s national mission to support innovation, improve business operations, and enhance the competitiveness of small businesses. The SBDC program follows a direct-report model, where Service Centers operate under a cooperative agreement with DCEO and may establish satellite offices to increase service accessibility. Centers provide services such as business planning, financial analysis, access to capital, export readiness, regulatory compliance, innovation support, and more. Special designations are available for applicants wishing to provide targeted programming in international trade or manufacturing, and applications may be consolidated to include both standard SBDC services and these specialty focuses. These centers are expected to collaborate across regions and with workforce development stakeholders to avoid duplicative services and ensure effective resource use. To be eligible, applicants must be Illinois-based accredited institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, local governments with economic development departments, or economic development corporations. Applicants must have operated for at least five years, demonstrate fiscal soundness, and provide a 100% match for requested grant funds, with at least 50% of that match as cash. Matching contributions must be documented and pre-identified at the time of application. Indirect costs are allowed only as part of the in-kind match and cannot be reimbursed from grant funds. Organizations may elect to waive indirect costs or use approved rates. Applications must be submitted via the online portal no later than December 3, 2025, at 5:00 PM ET. A voluntary technical assistance webinar is scheduled for November 14, 2025. The application must include a completed Uniform Grant Application, budget, conflict of interest and mandatory disclosures, SBDC Program narrative (Sections 1–4, maximum 15 pages), training calendar, staffing forms, organizational charts, scope of work, holiday schedule, and optional letters of support. Entities must also be registered in the GATA Grantee Portal and meet all verification checks (e.g., SAM.gov, UEI, IRS tax status, and Illinois good standing) at the time of submission. Evaluation of applications will follow a three-phase merit-based review process, including an initial compliance screening, in-depth scoring by at least three reviewers, and final funding recommendations by the SBDC Lead Center. Proposals are scored based on need, capacity, and quality, with additional points available for those proposing specialty services. Awards will begin January 1, 2026, and cover a performance period through December 31, 2026, with options for two one-year renewals. This is a reimbursement-based program and applicants must demonstrate the ability to cash flow operations up front. Performance goals include measurable economic impacts such as job creation, capital investment, business starts, and export sales. Centers are also required to submit quarterly reports, client success stories, stakeholder engagement summaries, and maintain rigorous data tracking systems. The grant is part of a long-standing partnership program dating back to 1984 and continues to be a cornerstone of Illinois’ small business ecosystem.

Provide detailed match documentation and define clear service areas. Highlight regional collaboration and cost-efficiency strategies.