Illinois Department of Commerce Weekly Update

Hello everyone!

Here is the weekly update on funding opportunities per the request of the Latinx Business Colectivo – Funding Opportunities working group.

**To help differentiate between resources I have sent previously and ‘new ones’ (resources I haven’t emailed about) I will highlight the new ones in yellow. Hope that helps.**

NOTE, I sent the OE3 Small Business Capital and Infrastructure Grant Program in a separate email list week since that came out on 1/7/25; however, since it is the first time it is on this email update. I highlighted it to yellow. Note, the Spanish webinar is now 1/21/25. 

THANK YOU- To

• Those who have previously sent resources that are still listed given they are not expired. 

If anyone else knows of resources that can be shared with the group, feel free to share those with me.

Funding Opportunities: 

• DCEO (few highlighted below)
  • Small Business Capital and Infrastructure Grant Program (Notice of Funding Opportunity 2160-2940)
    • Description: “…to businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals (SEDI) or very small businesses (VSBs)1 to support small business capital improvement projects. This program will offer small business grants across the state to help eligible businesses achieve sustainable growth, improve efficiency, and create and retain jobs.”
    • Eligibility:
      • “Businesses owned by Socially Economically Disadvantaged Individuals (SEDI) with a maximum of 25 full-time permanent employees
      • Very Small Businesses (VSBs), businesses with less than 10 employees”
• Note: All applicants must be prequalified to apply (register with sam.gov, GATA, etc.) 
  • Award Range: $10,000 - $245,000
  • Deadline: April 7, 2025 at 5:00pm
    • Technical Assistance: Virtual Presentation in English: January 14, 2025 at 11am: Register Here and Virtual Presentation in Spanish: January 21, 2025 at 2pm: Register Here
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  • Illinois Grocery Initiative - Equipment Upgrade Program (Round 2) (Notice of Funding Opportunity 3295-2956)
    • Description: “The Illinois Grocery Initiative Equipment Upgrades Program, authorized by Public Act 103-0561, will provide grants for new energy-efficient equipment upgrades for existing independently-owned for-profit grocery stores, cooperative grocery stores, or not-for-profit grocery stores.” “DCEO has contracted with Chicago State University (CSU) and Western Illinois University (WIU) to provide technical assistance services for Illinois Grocery Initiative applicants and grantees.” (page 1-2 of NOFO). There is a matching component please read the NOFO. 
    • Eligibility includes:
      • “Grants will be limited to projects making energy-efficient investments in existing bricks[1]and-mortar operations in Illinois.
      • This grant opportunity will be limited to independently-owned grocers or cooperatives with fewer than 500 employees and no more than 4 grocery stores.
      • Grocery locations must be consistent with the following to be eligible:
        • The store is or will be classified as a supermarket or other grocery retailer in the 2022 North American Industry Classification System under code 445110, a meat retailer under code 44524, a fruit and vegetable retailer under code 44523, or a fish and seafood retailer under 44525.
        • The store cannot derive more than 30% of its revenue from alcohol and tobacco sales.
        • The store must accept or will accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children benefits.
        • The store must contribute to diversity of fresh foods available in the community by selling fresh foods such as meats, fruits and vegetables that have not been processed in any manner”
    • Award Range: $25,000 - $250,000
    • Deadline: December 15, 2025 at 5:00PM or until funds are exhausted (applications accepted on rolling basis) 
      • Technical Assistance Webinar: Date: 01/08/2025: 10:00AM, Registration link: https://illinois.webex.com/weblink/register/r88a0de3109f9d80233d673e22bbe4365
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  • For a complete list of DCEO grants, please visit our website.
  • 
    
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• Additional DCEO funding
• Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
  • Description: “Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to support income eligible households with utility costs. LIHEAP will begin accepting applications on October 1, 2024, through August 15, 2025, or until funds are exhausted.”
  • Deadline: August 15, 2025
•  
• Additional State of Illinois
  • Illinois Environmental Protection Agency - Energy Efficiency Assessment Program
    • Description: “The Energy Efficiency Assessment Program provides funding to public housing authorities, local governments, or nonprofit organizations to conduct energy efficiency assessments at properties benefiting residents receiving housing assistance from a state or federal program.”
    • Award Range: $5,000 to $25,000
    • Deadline: No specified due date. Note this has been open for a while. 
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  • Capital Development Board - Solicitations
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  • 810-014-005 | Replace Plumbing and Upgrade Restrooms
    • Cost Range: Less than $3,000,000
    • City: Chicago (Harold Washington College)
    • Cook: County
    • Deadline: Tuesday, January 21, 2025 at 11:00 AM
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  • 321-100-130 | Replace Roofing Systems
    • Cost Range: Less than $3,500,00
    • City: Kankakee (Shapiro Campus Engineering Building)
    • County: Kankakee
    • Deadline: Tuesday, January 21, 2025 at 11:00 AM
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  • 810-094-025 | Construct Allied Health Addition (construction – new)
    • Cost Range: Less than $45,000,000
    • City: South Holland 
    • County: Cook
    • Deadline: Tuesday, February 4, 2025 at 11:00 AM
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  • Illinois Treasurer’s Office Charitable Trust Grant
    • Description: “Charitable Trust is intended to help small non-profits with annual budgets of $1 million or less and a full-time employee. Grant applicants located in an area where pervasive poverty, unemployment, and economic distress exist will be given special attention.” “The Spring 2024 Grant Cycle, running from January 1 – March 31, will award grants to non-profit charitable programs in two categories: Food and Housing.” Open statewide
    • Award Range: up to $20,000
    • Deadline: March 31 2025

• Federal Government
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  • Tribal Management Grant Program
    • Description: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) are eligible for this program. The purpose of this program is to: Enhance and develop health management infrastructure. Help T/TOs in assuming all or part of existing IHS PFSAs through a title I ISDEAA contract. Help established title I ISDEAA contractors and title V ISDEAA compactors to further develop and improve management capability.”
    • Award Range: $50,000 - $150,000
    • Deadline: January 13, 2025
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  • SBA Growth Accelerator Fund Competition 
    • Description: “Tailored for Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs) who help entrepreneurs focused on innovation-driven startups and entrepreneurs in underserved regions, industries, and communities to launch, grow, and scale. The Stage One application offers $75,000 in cash prizes to organizations that identify challenges within their innovation ecosystems and propose unique solutions.”
      • Award Range: up to $75,000
      • Deadline: January 31, 2025
• 
  
  • National Endowment for the Arts - Notice of Funding Opportunity: FY 26 Challenge America
    • Description: “Challenge America supports projects that extend the reach of the arts to underserved groups/communities. The program welcomes applications from applicants that are primarily small organizations, first-time applicants to the NEA, and/or returning Challenge America applicants. Eligible applicants include: nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3), U.S. organizations; units of state or local government; Federally recognized tribal communities or tribes; and applicants that have not been recommended for funding in any of the three most recent Fiscal Years in the NEA’s Grants for Arts Projects, Our Town, or Research Awards grant programs”
    • Award Range: $10,000
    • Deadline: April 24, 2025 at 10:59pm 

• Local Governments

• City of Chicago - Individual Artists Program (IAP)
  • Description: “The Individual Artists Program (IAP) aims to assist Chicago's practicing artists in creating work that develops their craft and elevates their careers, while adding to the cultural vitality of the city of Chicago. IAP grants support artists across all artistic disciplines including Film & Media Arts, Literary Arts, Music, Performing Arts (Theater/Dance), and Visual Arts/Design.”
  • Award Range: up to $6,000
  • Deadline: January 15, 2025 at 5:00 p.m.
•  
  • City of Chicago - Community Development Grants (CDG) 
    • Description: 
      • Medium CDG: “Medium grants…are intended to support eligible commercial, cultural, industrial, institutional, social service and mixed-use projects”
      • Large CDG: “Large grants…are intended to support eligible commercial, cultural, industrial, institutional, social service and mixed-use projects”
    • Award Range: Small CDG – up to $250,000; Medium CDG – between $300,001 - $5 million; Large CDG - $5 million and above
    • Deadline: 
      • Medium CDG: February 14, 2025 at 11:59pm
      • Large CDG: Rolling 
•  
  • City of Chicago – Neighborhood Opportunity Fund
    • Description: “The Neighborhood Opportunity Fund (NOF) provides grants up to $250,000 for small business and cultural projects located along West, Southwest, and South Side commercial corridors. NOF grants are provided as reimbursement for up to 75% of eligible project expenses with a maximum grant of $250,000. Applicants may qualify for additional funding for Technical Assistance.”
    • Award Range: up to $250,000
    • Deadline: February 14, 2025 at 11:59pm 
•  
  • Cook County Department of Environment and Sustainability’s (DES) free Businesses Reducing Impact on the Environment (BRITE) program
    • Description: Open to businesses in suburban Cook County who have 500 or less employees, were negatively impacted by COVID-19 pandemic, were in operation prior to January 1, 2020 and are in the following industries: 
      • Dry cleaning facility
      • Auto body or auto repair shop
      • Metal finisher
      • Metal fabricator
      • Food and beverage manufacturer 
    • Award Range: up to $300,000 (please note, “To receive a BRITE grant, small businesses must complete the interest survey by DES or must have had a similar environmental assessment conducted by a DES partner or third party.)
•  
  • Cook County Manufacturing Reinvented
    • Description: “The Cook County Manufacturing Reinvented Program gives the opportunity for small to mid-sized manufacturers in Cook County to receive fully funded projects in areas they want to focus on.” “Manufacturing establishments with less than 500 employees in Cook County are eligible.” 
    • Award Range: up to $25,000
•  
  • Jo Daviess County Small Business Development Grant
    • Description: “Eligible applicants include any [Jo Daviess County]-based or to be based private sector small business retailer, manufacturer, service provider, wholesaler, those in the hospitality industry, along with farmers and food processors.”
    • Award Range: up to $25,000
    • Deadline: May 30, 2025 
•  
  • Village of Gurnee – Impact Grant
    • Description: “This is a 1:1 matching grant open to a business of any size located within the Village of Gurnee corporate limits, generate sales tax, in good standing with the Village and compliant with all obligations, & a building owner of a qualifying business. No minimum project size with a rolling application period.”
    • Award Range: $10,000 - $20,000

• Private/Community Resources 

 Small Certified Supplier Innovative Finance Program

• Description: Open to certified minority-, women-, veteran-, and LGBTQ+ owned businesses (certified by national or state organizations) in the following states California, Georgia, Kansas, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Pennsylvania, or New Jersey. The annual revenue of the business should be between $250,000 to $10 million.
• Award Range: $5,000

• Advance McHenry County grant from IMEC
  • Description: Open to manufacturing businesses located in McHenry County 
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  • Vanguard Charitable – Philanthropic Impact Fund
    • Title: Philanthropic Impact Fund 
    • Description: Open to nonprofits, 501(c)3. “The Philanthropic Impact Fund (PIF) issues grants that elevate the philanthropic industry. PIF works to help donors make informed granting decisions and educates nonprofits on providing effective and efficient solutions to increase capacity and capability.”
    • Award Range: $30,000 – $50,000
    • Deadline: January 15, 2025

• Title: Sustainable Disaster Relief Fund 
• Description: “The Sustainable Disaster-Relief Fund (SDRF) was established in 2006 to aid communities hit by natural disasters. This fund supports communities as they rebuild and establish necessary infrastructure to better handle the impact of a repeat disaster.”
• Award Range: $10,000 - $30,000
• Deadline: January 15, 2025

• The Racial Equity and Community Partnership Grant Program by Northwestern University
  • Description: “…goal is to foster mutually beneficial partnerships between community-based organizations and Northwestern University representatives that address the root causes of racial inequities and work toward structural changes.” Target geographic areas are Evanston and Chicago. 
  • Award Range: $25,000-$75,000
  • Deadline: January 24, 2025 (letter of interest due) 

• 2025 Hillman Prize Nominations from Sidney Hillman Foundation
  • Description: Open nationwide to journalists and writers in the following categories: 
    • “Book (nonfiction)
    • Newspaper Journalism (story, series or multimedia; print or online)
    • Magazine Journalism (longform; print or online)
    • Broadcast Journalism (television, radio or podcast; at least 20 minutes in total package length)
    • Opinion & Analysis Journalism (commentary and analysis in any medium)”
  • Award Range: $5,000 honorarium
  • Deadline: January 30, 2025 at 10:59pm 

• Asphalt Art Initiative from Bloomberg Philanthropies 
  • Description: “The Asphalt Art Initiative grant program is designed to fund visual art on roadways, pedestrian spaces, and public infrastructure in cities with the following primary goals: Improving street and pedestrian safety; Revitalizing and activating underutilized public space; Promoting collaboration and civic engagement in local communities." “This grant program is open to cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States with populations of 50,000 or more. Each city may only submit one application; multiple applications from one city will not be considered.”
  • Award Range: up to $100,000
  • Deadline: January 31, 2025 at 10:59pm 

• KFC Foundation – 2025 Kentucky Fried Wishes Grants
  • Description: Open nationwide to nonprofits. This cycle will focus on empowering through education and training. 
  • Award Range: $10,000
  • Deadline: January 31, 2025

• Brookfield Zoo Request for Proposal: Phase I – Design Engineering Services
  • Description: “…is soliciting proposals from qualified and experienced firms to provide Phase I – Design Engineering Services to address local traffic congestion issues and improve pedestrian and bicycle access within the regional community.” 
  • Deadline: January 31, 2025 at 5:00pm 

• Youth Engagement Philanthropy (YEP) Grant Program from Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley
  • Description: “The YEP Program provides grants to verified nonprofit agencies in the Community Foundation’s service area.” Service area includes: City of Aurora, Kane County, and Kendall County.
  • Award Range: $500 - $5,000
  • Deadline: February 1, 2025 

• RRF Foundation for Aging
  • Description: “…focuses on improving the quality of life for older people. In an effort to strengthen the Foundation’s impact, RRF has established Priority Areas. These Priority Areas are specific topics in aging that will be given higher priority within the Foundation’s grantmaking program. While these reflect RRF’s primary funding interests, the Foundation will remain open to considering compelling applications on other topics.
    • Caregiving: Ensuring care partners are informed, well-trained, and supported while providing care to older people in community settings.
    • Economic Security in Later Life: Valuing the dignity of older people through efforts that ensure and protect their economic security and well-being.
    • Housing: Promoting efforts to make housing more affordable and provide coordinated services that enable older people to live safely in community settings.
    • Social and Intergenerational Connectedness: Strengthening social bonds through efforts that promote meaningful connections, including those that span generations.
    • Organizational Capacity Building: Improve management and governance of organizations in Illinois.”

Open to nonprofits or “OR nonprofit organizations that are not required to have a 501(c)(3) designation, such as state-funded universities and Area Agencies on Aging.” Open nationwide with a focus on Midwest. 

• Award Range: undisclosed but awardees from last year received $15,000 - $574,000
• Deadline: February 1, 2025 (letters of inquiry is due) 

• 2025 King's Daughters Organization Fund
  • Description: “The King’s Daughters Organization (KDO) mission is to support the well-being of and to charitably aid the elderly in Sangamon County.” Open to nonprofits that serve the elderly in Sangamon County. 
  • Award Range: $2,500 to $25,000
  • Deadline: February 3, 2025

• The Women's Fund at the Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln
  • Description: The general focus area for the Women for Women grant cycle is women's and/or women's and children's issues in Sangamon County and surrounding counties.” “Funds must be used for programs and services primarily affecting positive mental health outcomes for women or women and children who reside in Cass, Christian, Logan, Macoupin, Menard, Montgomery, Morgan, and/or Sangamon counties.” Open to nonprofits, faith based orgs, public or private school, and some government entities. 
  • Award Range: range of $30,000 - $67,000
  • Deadline: February 10, 2025

• Western Suburbs Giving Circle of Chicago Foundation for Women (WSGC)
  • Description: Open to nonprofits, 501(c)3 – with a 50% staff leadership and 40% of Board members identify as a woman, transgender or gender non-binary person, with an operating budget of $3 million or less and who primarily serve the western suburbs of Chicago. Grants are for “programs or operations addressing economic security, freedom from gender-based violence or access to health…”
  • Award Range: $5,000 to $15,000
  • Deadline: February 12, 2025 at 5:00pm 

• The Old National Bank Foundation – Grant Opportunity
  • Description: Open to nonprofits, 501(c)3, in the areas where Old National Bank is located. “funding targets innovative programs that enhance the quality of life within our communities in support of the following four strategic initiatives: Affordable Housing, Workforce Development, Economic Development, and Financial Empowerment. We prioritize programs that serve underrepresented communities and low- to moderate-income people.”
  • Award Range: average grant is $15,000
  • Deadline: February 12, 2025

• Pre-Development Fund – The Chicago Community Trust
  • Description: “…the Trust seeks to support neighborhood-scale development projects that catalyze economic growth and create thriving neighborhoods where residents can stay and grow their wealth with improved quality of life and well-being, regardless of income.” Open to nonprofits 501(c)3 and 501(c)6. “Eligible geography is limited to communities within Cook County.”
  • Award Range: $75,000 – $150,000
  • Deadline: February 13, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. CT. 

• Boundless Futures Foundation – 2025 EmpowHer Grant
  • Description: Open nationwide. “… provide financial and leadership resources for aspiring female entrepreneurs building businesses to solve today’s biggest social issues so they can have a boundless impact in society.” Businesses must not be more than 3 years old.
  • Award Range: up to $25,000
  • Deadline: February 15, 2025 at 11:00pm

• DoorDash Restaurant Disaster Relief
  • Description: “…DoorDash has partnered with Hello Alice to create the Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund. The fund supports restaurants impacted by natural disasters, severe weather events, or major infrastructure failures…” Open nationwide to “a restaurant, gastropub or bakery with a brick & mortar location that has experienced a loss in revenue as a direct result of a natural disaster, severe weather event, or major infrastructure failure which occurred within the last 12 months”, been opened at least 6 months, “Own a maximum of three locations, and employ fewer than 50 employees per location”, and “Have revenues of $3M or less per location in the last 12 months.”
  • Award Range: $10,000
  • Deadline: Winter Round due March 3, 2025 at 5pm; Spring Round due May 30, 2025 at 5pm 

• Community Foundation of Central Illinois
  • Description: “The Community Foundation of Central Illinois has several funding opportunities available to qualifying organizations.” 
    • COMMUNITY ARTS GRANTS: “Available to organizations that offer art programs to enhance its mission. Art programs must fall into one of these five categories: Arts Education, Performing Arts, Musical and Cultura Activities, Sculpture/Visual Fine Arts for Display, and Art Therapy Initiatives.”
    • THE ARTS MEAN BUSINESS FUND GRANTS: “…was established to support the generation of economic growth in the Peoria region through arts tourism, increased successful arts businesses, greater community participation in the arts, and financial support of the arts from local governments and economic development councils.”
    • JEAN M. LIGON ANIMAL WELFARE GRANTS: “Available to organizations focusing on the care and adoption of homeless cats and dogs, for the neutering of both homeless and other such pets, and for the fostering of research and education revolving around adoption and neutering. Preference is given to such organizations within the Tri-County Area.”
    • ACKERMAN FAMILY LEARN TO SWIM FUND GRANTS: “Available to organizations in Peoria and Tazewell counties with the purpose to create and/or support programs and activities that help youth learn to swim and expand awareness about the importance of water safety.”
  • Award Range: up to $5,000 or up to $10,000 depending on grant
  • Deadline: due 1st Wednesday in March by 5:00pm (March 5, 2025)

• Vilcek Foundation (grant to support orgs who support immigrant artists)
  • Description: “…invites applications for grants to support nonprofit organizations that work with immigrant artists and communities, and that promote diversity in the arts, sciences, education, and humanities.” Open nationwide and U.S. territories nonprofits with 501(c)3 status.
  • Award Range: $5,000 and $20,000
  • Deadline: June 30, 2025

Thank you and have a great week!

Sincerely,

Diana

Diana Alfaro (she/her)

Latinx Business Development Manager

Office of Economic Equity & Empowerment (OE3)*

Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity

Phone: 312-919-3620

diana.alfaro@illinois.gov

https://dceo.illinois.gov/

Office of Economic Equity & Empowerment (illinois.gov)

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*Formerly OMEE