Illinois grants for Small businesses

This initiative provides financial support and mentorship to minority-owned small businesses in specific West Side neighborhoods of Chicago, helping them grow and contribute to their communities.

This grant provides financial support for projects that improve economic development and quality of life in rural Illinois communities, encouraging collaboration among local organizations to address challenges like funding shortages and infrastructure needs.

This grant provides funding to diverse and minority-owned small businesses in Illinois, offering loans between $10,000 and $50,000 to support economic growth and community development.

This program provides funding to projects that improve tourism attractions in Illinois, helping local communities increase visitor traffic and boost economic growth.

This funding opportunity is designed for private sector businesses in Illinois to develop projects that boost tourism and drive economic growth in the state.

This program provides substantial funding to support the development of commercial, cultural, industrial, and mixed-use projects in Chicago, aimed at enhancing community infrastructure and services.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for commercial, cultural, industrial, and mixed-use development projects in Chicago, aimed at enhancing community development and economic growth.

This funding provides financial support for small businesses and property owners in Chicago to make permanent improvements and repairs to their commercial and industrial properties.

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is accepting applications for its Manufacturing Retention Grant Program to retain a company’s operating presence in Illinois by encouraging investments in its employees, facilities, equipment, technologies, and infrastructure. Donor Name: Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity State: Illinois County: McDonough County (IL) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 09/25/2024 Size of the Grant: More than $1 million Grant Duration: 2 Years Details: This is a new program with limited awards, supported though the Enterprise Fund administered by DCEO. Enterprise Fund grants may encompass a wide range of economic development projects including infrastructure, capital equipment purchases and any employee related expenditures that will result in job retention in Illinois.  The primary goal of this grant is to retain the company’s manufacturing campus in Bushnell at operating production levels that support the minimum employment level of 100 employees at this site.  Funding Information Total amount of funding expected to be awarded through this NOFO is $5,000,000. Grant Period The period of performance is expected to be from September 1, 2024 through August 31, 2026.  Eligible Expenses Eligible expenses for these funds include: Employee payroll for existing employees, including unpaid backpay incurred from 5/14/2024 through the time of grant period. Invoices for services incurred from 5/14/2024 through the time of grant period. Training expenses for existing employees.  Machinery, Equipment, Tooling Refurbishment /Replacement (e.g., forging hammers & dies, Swiss lathes, forklift maintenance, EDM mills & dies). Facility Repairs (e.g., roof repair, air compressor installation, safety & electrical upgrades, site demolition & clean-up). Productivity/Innovation (e.g., robotics reprogramming & expansion, induction heat furnaces, material storage redesign). Replenishment of Inventory (e.g., maintain stocking levels at standard amounts to support daily production). Eligibility Criteria Must be a private for-profit business entity.  Must be the legal owner of and have the authority to implement investments in a major manufacturing complex located in Bushnell, IL. Must have extensive direct applicable experience in operating a successful tool manufacturing firm. Business entity must have less than 1,000 employees.  Must have acquired a tool manufacturing firm in McDonough County that has a minimum 100 full-time equivalent employees.  For more information, visit DCEO.

The Regional Site Readiness Program’s Capital Ready Grant Program, funded by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, offers between $250,000 to $3,000,000 to local governments, economic development organizations, nonprofits, for-profit organizations, and private landowners for infrastructure and capital improvements to prepare sites for future industrial and manufacturing development across all counties in Illinois.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to eligible contractors for developing renewable energy and energy efficiency projects that benefit low-income communities and promote workforce training in Illinois.

The Regional Site Readiness Program’s Planning Grant, funded by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, offers $100,000 to $500,000 to local governments, economic development organizations, nonprofits, for-profit organizations, and private landowners for planning and due diligence activities aimed at preparing industrial and manufacturing sites for future development across all counties in Illinois.

The Rockford is currently accepting applications for its Restaurant Relief Grants to provide vital relief to restaurants in Rockford and Winnebago County. Donor Name: Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau State: Illinois County: Winnebago County (IL) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 08/30/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau is the official destination marketing and management organization for Rockford and Winnebago County and is responsible for promoting the Rockford region as an attractive travel destination and enhancing its public image as a dynamic place to live and work. Funding Information The maximum award a restaurant may receive, as set by the State of Illinois, is $100,000. Eligibility Criteria To qualify to apply, an authorized representative of a restaurant will need to certify that: The restaurant’s principal place of business is located within the geographical boundaries of Winnebago County, Illinois. The restaurant complied with the indoor dining closure mandates enacted by the State of Illinois during the first quarter of 2021 via Executive Orders 2021-01, 2021-02, 2021-03, 2021-04, and 2021-05.  In complying with indoor dining closure mandates in Q1 of 2021 the restaurant laid off staff and, as a result, has experienced an increase in state unemployment insurance charges. The restaurant incurred and/or will incur a higher rate of state unemployment benefit charges in 2022, 2023 and 2024, because of the higher unemployment benefit charges in Q1 of 2021. The restaurant remains operational today. For more information, visit RACVB.

The Small Business and Not-For-Profit Support Grant Program is designed to provide small businesses and nonprofits with funds to assist in recovering from economic losses resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Donor Name: City of Chicago State: County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 09/06/2024 Size of the Grant: Not Available Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The City of Chicago, acting through the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP), seeks one (1) qualified organization to administer a $21.5M Small Business Support and Not-For-Profit Grant Program funded through the American Rescue Plan Act. The awardee will be responsible for administering grants to eligible small businesses and nonprofits located in Chicago to assist in stabilizing their operations, supporting their workforce, and mitigating the long-term impact of the pandemic. The selected organization will be held to a contractual agreement by applying to Request of Proposal (RFP) that reflects a clear understanding of the potential city contractor’s needs, the local small business and nonprofit ecosystem, and City of Chicago processes.   For more information, visit City of Chicago.

IDHS is seeking to fund entities with experience in training, technical assistance, and support to build the RPSA grantee’s program capacities. Successful applicants will work with grantees across multiple RPSA grant programs in Chicago and/or Greater Illinois, based on grantee selection. To address the spike in firearm violence, the Illinois General Assembly passed the Reimagine Public Safety Act (RPSA) (430 ILCS 69) in 2021. The RPSA creates a comprehensive approach to ending Illinois' firearm violence through targeted, integrated behavioral health services and economic opportunities that promote self-sufficiency for victims of firearm violence.

IDHS is seeking to fund entities with experience in training, technical assistance, and support to build the RPSA grantee’s program capacities. Successful applicants will work with grantees across multiple RPSA grant programs in Chicago and/or Greater Illinois, based on grantee selection. The Illinois Office of Firearm Violence Prevention (OFVP) is seeking applications from those public and private nonprofit community-based organizations subject to 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the tax code (26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) or 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(4)) For-profit, small businesses and individuals are also eligible to apply. IDHS is working to counteract systemic racism and inequity, and to prioritize and maximize equity and diversity throughout its service provision process.

The "Illinois Regional Site Readiness Program" is a $40 million funding opportunity from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, aimed at supporting infrastructure and capital improvements to prepare industrial and manufacturing sites for economic development across all 10 Economic Development Regions in the state, with individual awards ranging from $250,000 to $3,000,000, and applications open from July 23 to October 21, 2024.

The Clean Energy Primes Contractor Accelerator Program offers progressive courses with one-on-one coaching to help clean energy contractors to develop a business plan. It provides operational support grants, tailored business coaching, mentorship, access to Clean Energy Contractor Incubator Program services, assistance with certifications and vendor status, support in preparing bids, networking opportunities, and access to financial development assistance programs, including zero-interest and low-interest loans.

The Governor and the General Assembly direct the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) to administer grants for specific miscellaneous purposes to bolster the state’s economy, promote a clean environment, and improve the overall quality of life throughout the state of Illinois. This grant program is available to any entity receiving funding via lump sum appropriation. Eligible costs for this program are bondable costs associated with the acquisition of land and/or buildings. This includes acquisition costs of all improved or unimproved real property including appraisal fees; title opinions; surveying fees; real estate fees; title transfer taxes; condemnation; and related legal expenses. This may include construction on, and/or renovation to, the property after purchase.

This grant provides financial support and educational resources to diverse-led businesses in Illinois, helping them grow and create new jobs.