Illinois For AllPride 2023The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is honored to continue celebrating the LGBTQIA+ communities in observance of PRIDE Month. During this monthlong festivity, DCEO is hosting and sharing different creativities to highlight and celebrate the LGBTQIA+ communities across Illinois as well as spotlighting the contributions of LGBTQIA+ leaders in their respective industries. DCEO is excited to be partnering internally and with community partners in honor of the LGBTQIA+ communities. For more information on different events and webinars happening throughout the month click HEREDCEO Grants & Programs
Blue Collar Jobs Act Construction Tax Credits for Illinois Businesses
Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) today announced the launch of the Blue Collar Jobs Act (BCJA) Tax Credit application for eligible companies. BCJA is a bipartisan legislative package designed to promote economic expansion and growth in Illinois by incentivizing construction projects. The legislation makes $20 million in tax credits available per year for eligible companies.Eligible companies can receive tax credits equal to 75 percent of the income tax attributable to construction workers on eligible projects located in an underserved area, or 50 percent for projects located in other areas. The BCJA is designed to further incentivize major capital investments in communities across Illinois and create good-paying construction jobs.Providing tax incentives specifically for construction projects supports job creation and additional investments in communities. DCEO currently leverages this innovative tax credit structure for construction jobs as part of the Reimagining Energy and Vehicles (REV) and Manufacturing Illinois Chips for Real Opportunity Act (MICRO) tax credit programs.DCEO will host a technical assistance webinar to share details regarding the BCJA program application and processes on Monday, June 26, 2023, from 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. Click here to sign up and RSVP; companies looking for information are encouraged to email [email protected] or visit the BCJA website.Federal Grant Support ProgramGeneral announcement open for a period of time with no specific due dates for applications.The State of Illinois benefits economically when federal funds are invested in Illinois. However, Illinois receives less funding in federal grants per person1 (or per capita) than the average state as well as states similar in population size2. Federal grant funding is distributed by formula and non-formula (or competitive) grants. Competitive federal grants typically require a match, which is the non-federal share of the project costs that a grantee must contribute to achieve the purposes of the award. In some instances where there is no formal matching requirement, the percentage of the match provided by the grantee is used as a metric for evaluating the competitiveness of an application. The Department’s Federal Grant Support Program will make up to $15 million available to Illinois based businesses and organizations seeking competitive federal grants. The Department may provide a grant up to $2,000,000 that entails up to a 1:1 match of the applicant’s cash contribution towards the project. This matching grant program is intended to encourage more Illinois-based applicants to apply for federal grant opportunities, provide critical assistance to meet the minimum match eligibility requirements, increase the competitiveness of applications, and provide the State of Illinois with an opportunity to make a firm commitment and demonstration of support for projects that are well aligned with the State’s economic development goals and priorities. Eligible applicants will apply for this program while they are preparing an application for a federal grant. Successful applicants will then receive a letter of commitment that they will be awarded a Federal Grant Support grant from the Department, contingent on receiving a federal award. Additional information and the NOFO can be found hereTechnical Assistance Webinar:Date: 06/15/2023 2:00 PMRegistration link : https://illinois.webex.com/illinois/j.php?MTID=m468e91cef03a659ca70698e6d81bb34cConnect Illinois Round 3 Open & Accepting ApplicationsThrough multiple rounds of competitive matching grants, Connect Illinois seeks to achieve what no otherstate or federal approach to date has accomplished: ubiquitous broadband access for homes,businesses, and community anchor institutions. At the same time, Connect Illinois seeks progress indigital equity and inclusion while leveraging investment in new broadband infrastructure to spuradvances in use and innovation for such areas as agriculture, economic development, education, andtelehealth.Applications should be classified under one of three categories: (a) Broadband Access for Illinois homes,businesses, and community anchor institutions in unserved or underserved areas; (b) BroadbandInnovation for economic development and related applications; or (c) Urban Broadband for expandedaccess and/or innovation in qualified Illinois cities or metropolitan areas of 75,000 residents or more.All Connect Illinois projects must include infrastructure expansion scalable to speeds of at least 100 Mbpsdownload and 100 Mbps upload upon deployment.To view the NOFO and apply, click here. Application Deadline: Rolling.Grant Match Program to Spur Innovation in Cutting Edge TechnologiesGovernor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced $5 million in state-funded matching grants for businesses who have received federal funding through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.DCEO is currently accepting applications from businesses who have received a Phase I federal SBIR/STTR grant award. Applicants are eligible to receive up to $50,000 in matching grants, with the option to re-apply and receive up to five awards for each federal Phase I award received (one per fiscal year). Application Deadline: June 30, 2023. Interested companies can learn more here.Meat & Poultry Supply Chain Capital Grant ProgramGovernor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced a new $6 million capital grant program designed to strengthen the meat and poultry supply chain by helping independently owned meat processing companies in Illinois build capacity and create and retain jobs. Through the Meat & Poultry Supply Chain Capital Grant Program, companies are eligible for grants of $250,000 to $1.5 million, with a company match of at least four times the amount awarded. Grants will be issued on a rolling basis; interested parties can find more information on the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) here.Other State Agency Grants & Programs
IHDA Next Generation Capacity Building Initiative
The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) Board of Directors has approved an award of $5 million to launch the Next Generation Capacity Building Initiative (Next Gen), a new program designed to expand the talent pipeline and increase diversity within the housing development field and related industries. The grant award will be made to the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), who will use the funds to provide capital, training, and technical assistance that will expand access to housing resources administered by the state, with a focus on reducing barriers to entry for developers of color in the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program. This joint initiative between IHDA and LISC is part of the Authority’s continuing efforts to support the capacity and growth a diverse pool of affordable housing developers in Illinois.IHDA expects the developer application process to begin in Fall 2023, with participant selections and training beginning in early 2024. More information on the application process, participant eligibility, and program details will be available at LISC Central Illinois (www.lisc.org/central-il/programs/build-physical-environment/).About the Illinois Housing Development AuthorityIHDA (www.ihda.org) is a self-supporting state agency that finances the creationand the preservation of affordable housing across Illinois. Since its creation in 1967,IHDA has allocated $18 billion and financed approximately 255,000 affordablehousing units for residents of Illinois.
IDOT Funding Opportunities Workshops
The Illinois Department of Transportation is hosting several workshops throughout the state in May and June to help local governments and communities learn about and apply for funding opportunities. The Special Programs Assistance Conferences are designed to help potential grantees take part in the department’s Economic Development Program, Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program and Safe Routes to School Program.Staff from IDOT will be available to offer general information and answer questions one-on-one. Each conference will take place over two days, with morning sessions the first day and morning and afternoon sessions the second day, at the following locations:Advance registration is encouraged. Visit the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program and Safe Routes to School Program pages to view the schedule and learn more. More details on the Economic Development Program are available here.
IDNR Illinois Natural Areas Stewardship Grants
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) will accept applications through June 16, 2023, for Illinois Natural Areas Stewardship grants.The goal of this grant program is to increase the delivery of much needed stewardship activities to natural areas protected within the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission (INPC) system. Stewardship needs throughout the state have continued to outpace the ability to deliver these services by individuals, volunteers, organizations, and government agencies. Stewardship activities funded by this grant program must be included in the management schedules approved by the INPC and are limited to a maximum of $100,000 per proposal. Eligible costs may include contractual services, staff time related to the project, equipment, and materials necessary to complete stewardship projects such as tools, safety items, herbicide, construction materials, and indirect costs. Benefit costs are not eligible. Matching funds are required on all projects. The minimum match requirements allowed by administrative rule are 5% or $1,000, whichever is less, to ensure that all land trusts will have access to the program.Eligible applicants are Conservation Land Trusts exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code and whose originating documents include in its purposes the restoration and stewardship of land for conservation purposes.Potential applicants for this program can find more information online at https://dnr.illinois.gov/grants/stewardshipgrants.html. Questions can be directed to [email protected].To view the Notice of Funding Opportunity for IDNR programs or to browse all State of Illinois grant opportunities, see https://gata.illinois.gov/grants/csfa.html
