Illinois Food and Nutrition Grants

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (the “Department” or “DCEO”) is issuing this Notice of Funding Opportunity (“NOFO”) to improve access to fresh food within food deserts by providing incentives to establish grocery stores. Donor Name: Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity State: Illinois County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline:  05/24/2024 Size of the Grant: More than $1 million Grant Duration: 2 Years Details: The Illinois Grocery Initiative New Stores in Food Deserts program is intended to address the challenge of food deserts. Food deserts are census tracts meeting specific criteria related to poverty standards, population density, and limited food accessibility. This program aims to combat food insecurity by offering competitive grants to support the establishment of new grocery stores in these areas by reimbursing successful applicants for eligible capital and non-capital costs.  Performance Goals and Measures  Grantees will be required to submit performance data to the Department on a quarterly basis. Performance reporting may encompass both the implementation of projects supported by the grant and impacts on the community. Performance measures may include but will not necessarily be limited to: New Store Project Milestones Completed Quarterly food sales New Grocery Store Remaining Open 1 year after project completion Number of employees in full time equivalents Funding Information Total amount of funding expected to be awarded through this program is $14 million across multiple rounds. Awards will range from $160,000 to $2,400,000. Project Period The period of performance is expected to be July 1st, 2024 through December 31st, 2026. The following expenditures will be eligible for reimbursement under this program: Land acquisition and related expenses Site development Construction of a new facility Renovations of an existing facility Furniture, fixtures, and equipment Working capital for first-year operating expenses, including: Employee wages Utility costs Initial inventory of food Other operating expenses that support the retail sale of food. This will not include expenditures on items unrelated to provision of fresh foods (e.g., video poker machines, inventory of cleaning supplies for sale) Eligibility Criteria An entity must be registered in the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) Grantee Portal, the time of grant application. The portal will verify that the entity: Has a valid FEIN number Has a current SAM.gov registration, SAM.gov registrations must be marked as “public” to allow the GATA Grantee Portal to expedite the review of the federal information; Has a valid UEI number Is not on the Federal Excluded Parties List Is in Good Standing with the Illinois Secretary of State, as applicable Is not on the Illinois Stop Payment list (verified once entity is registered in GATA Grantee Portal); and Is not on the Department of Healthcare and Family Services Provider Sanctions list For more information, visit DCEO.

This grant provides funding for community-based projects in Urbana that promote sustainability, climate resiliency, and inclusive participation among diverse residents.

This grant provides financial support to public agencies, tribal governments, and nonprofit organizations for the preservation and interpretation of historic sites along the Route 66 corridor, with a focus on underrepresented communities.

This funding program provides financial support to community-based organizations that empower youth aged 12 to 20 through established, youth-led urban greening initiatives focused on social and environmental justice in select states.

Arts Midwest is offering Cultural Sustainability: Equity-Based Operating Grants of up to $67,000 to small arts and culture organizations rooted in communities of color, providing general operating support for those with annual expenses up to $500,000 in selected states.

The United Way of the Wabash Valley has issued a new grant opportunity through their Community Health (UWWV CH) and Youth Success (UWWV YS) Impact Councils that are focused on projects that will address the overall health of area youth. Donor Name: United Way of the Wabash Valley State: Illinois, Indiana County: Clark County (IL), Clay County (IN), Parke County (IN), Sullivan County (IN), Vermillion County (IN) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/17/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: In particular, they are looking for projects that will improve the mental, behavioral, and physical health and well-being of children ages 6 to 18 (K-12). The UWWV CH and YS councils are seeking proposals for innovative programs that address the overall health of the youth participants. Programs may be conducted during the school year, summer 2025, or another out-of-school time. Proposed projects can take a variety of approaches to addressing the overall health of students with a more holistic approach. Priority will be given to programs that show the following attributes: Program serves youth in outlying counties: Clay, Parke, Sullivan, and Vermillion counties in Indiana, and Clark County in Illinois. Programs form collaborations/partnerships among organizations. Physical exercise is integrated with one or more of the following: social/emotional well-being, mental health, life skills, and food and nutrition. Funding Information The UWWV has made available a total of $30,000 in funding to be provided to eligible qualifying applicants. Applicants may apply for $1,000 to $5,000 to be expended by August 31, 2025. Eligibility Criteria The following groups within the UWWV service area (Clay, Parke, Sullivan, Vermillion and Vigo counties in Indiana and Clark County in Illinois) are invited to submit proposals: Youth-serving organizations, school organizations, and/or civic organizations Businesses, Local government entities (e.g. Parks Department) Faith-based organizations, committees/groups and/or ministries Non-profit health services organizations If counseling/therapy/life skills services are proposed, evidence that a licensed or certified counselor is performing the services must be provided. Services must be conducted in person. Virtual sessions will not be funded. For more information, visit UWWV.

This grant provides funding to organizations that improve healthcare access for underserved and uninsured residents in northern Lake County, Illinois.

The Forecast Public Art’s Midwest Memory Grant, ranging from $10,000 to $100,000, is open to non-profit organizations in rural Midwest communities, aiming to elevate and preserve the stories of BIPOC communities through monuments, with a focus on addressing systemic inequities and advancing racial justice.

Description: The Illinois Grocery Initiative aims to establish new grocery stores in food deserts to increase access to fresh food in underserved areas. This grant, under the funding opportunity number FY24-2 and CSFA number 420-35-3295, anticipates awarding 8 grants with a total program funding of $14,000,000. Eligible projects must involve capital expenditures, as operational costs are not covered. Grants will range from $160,000 to $2,400,000, and applicants are required to meet cost-sharing requirements. The application window opens on 04/09/2024 and closes on 05/24/2024. Indirect costs are allowed but restricted to capital-only expenditures. There are mandatory and optional technical assistance sessions provided to assist applicants, with registration required through provided links.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to local governments in Illinois for rehabilitating homes occupied by low-to-moderate income households, promoting neighborhood revitalization and improving housing conditions.

The City of Naperville in Illinois is offering a Social Service Grant ranging from $500,000 to $1 million for a duration of one year, aimed at financially assisting non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations that provide services such as emergency assistance, senior care, self-sufficiency programs, support for special populations, and youth programs to benefit the Naperville community.

The Illinois Grocery Initiative New Stores in Food Deserts program, authorized by Public Act 103-0561, is intended to address the challenge of food deserts. Food deserts are census tracts meeting specific criteria related to poverty standards, population density, and limited food accessibility. This program aims to combat food insecurity by offering competitive grants to support the establishment of new grocery stores in these areas by reimbursing successful applicants for eligible capital and non-capital costs.

The Hubbell-Waterman Foundation is seeking grant applications from nonprofit organizations in Scott County, Iowa, and Rock Island Country, Illinois. Donor Name: Hubbell-Waterman Foundation State: Illinois, Iowa County: Rock Island County (IL), Scott County (IA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 09/01/2024 Size of the Grant: Not Available Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The foundation has three long-term funding priorities: Culture and the arts Cultivating and supporting the visual and performing arts Investing in landmark cultural institutions Supporting new and innovative programs and initiatives that enrich their community Education Supporting pre-K–12 education through: After-school and summer programs Creative learning initiatives Life skills and career training Environmental education with a focus on sustainability Mental health programs for students and their families Social welfare Supporting programs that are accessible to individuals and families through: At-risk and low-income family services Food and nutrition support Housing security Immigrant and refugee community support Physical and mental health services. Funding is awarded to support three areas of focus: culture and the arts, education, and social welfare. Within these areas, they provide support for: Capital campaigns and capital acquisitions, including construction and renovations. Operational and/or program grants not to exceed three years resulting from the completion of a capital campaign grant. Multi-year program grants not to exceed three years. Program grants may include general operating expense reimbursement. The Foundation does not fund Because Foundation believes in transparency, they have also identified projects that the foundation will not fund, including: Debt retirement Membership or affiliation campaigns, dinners, or special events Conferences, symposia, and related travel Grants that further political doctrine Grants that further religious doctrine Grants to individuals Individual scholarships or sponsorships Medical, scientific, or academic research Endowments Organizations that discriminate based on race, color, religion (creed), gender, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or military status, except to serve an historically disadvantaged group. (Note: Inclusiveness is one of the Hubbell-Waterman Foundation’s values. Therefore, they wish to fund organizations that are inclusive in their policies and practices.) For more information, visit Hubbell-Waterman Foundation.

This program provides funding to Illinois-based nonprofits, educational institutions, and government entities to enhance the specialty crop industry, focusing on food safety, research, and support for underserved farmers.

This grant provides $40,000 to small businesses in Springfield, Illinois, that have suffered revenue losses due to construction disruptions near the Capitol Complex.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to local nonprofit organizations in DeKalb that serve vulnerable populations, including the homeless, individuals facing mental health challenges, victims of violence, and low-income families.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations and local government units in McLean County, Illinois, to enhance health and well-being initiatives that address health equity and social determinants of health for underserved populations.

The State of Illinois administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) which helps low-income individuals obtain proper access to food and nutrition. States must also provide employment and training services (E&T) to SNAP program participants. The SNAP JP/SNAP to Success is a program to help customers acquire education and employment related skills and to assist in finding and maintaining employment and is a federally funded SNAP E&T program. The program also helps customers with work-related expenses and continued case management for 90 days after obtaining a job, through their participation in SNAP E&T. Participation in SNAP E&T enables participants to gain education, work skills and work experience, to meet the federal work requirement, and to improve self-sufficiency. The purpose of SNAP E&T is to help individuals receiving SNAP benefits obtain employment through participation in supervised job search, skills training, education and work-based learning activities that lead to greater independence and self-sufficiency. The program is open to any SNAP recipient who volunteers to participate in SNAP E&T to improve their skills or advance in their career. The program delivers services through grants and a third-party reimbursement model, which consists of contractual partnerships between the State of Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS) and community-based organizations (CBOs). Individuals will participate in specific components based upon their individual assessments, identifying strengths and areas for development. All individuals who participate in the SNAP JP/SNAP to Success program must participate in an approved, appropriate component based on their individual assessment and receive case management. Approved components include: Supervised Job Search Job Search Training Job Retention Education (Basic Education, Vocational Training, English Language Acquisition, Work Readiness Training) Work Experience (Internship, On-The-Job-Training, Pre-Apprenticeship, Apprenticeship)

This program provides reimbursement funding to nonprofit organizations for marketing and municipal expenses related to free events that attract visitors to Edwardsville, fostering community engagement and economic growth.

This grant provides funding to arts organizations in Chicago and Cook County to help them adapt and innovate their operations and practices, with a focus on supporting BIPOC-led initiatives and fostering long-term sustainability.