Illinois Grants

Up to $10,000 per new job created. Requires a 1:1 match — grant funds cover up to 50% of total eligible capital costs. Funded by Rebuild Illinois capital funds, subject to Bondability Guidelines.

Local governments may request up to $1,000,000 for gap financing to assist a business locating or expanding in the community. 2026 CDBG Guidebook and Application materials are published, indicating the current cycle is active.

Flat $100,000 grants, up to 88 businesses awarded. Application window ran September 25–November 14, 2025; award notifications went out May 22, 2026. Cook County states directly it does not anticipate grant programs in 2026 or 2027 due to budget constraints and the conclusion of ARPA funding — included specifically so the database reflects that no active county-level grant currently exists, rather than omitting Cook County entirely.

Established under Public Act 103-0561. The official program page does not publish current per-award dollar amounts or match requirements for either sub-program. Round history: New Stores Round 1 closed May 2024, Round 2 closed December 2024, Round 3 "expected early 2026" per the source page as of this access date — current status of Round 3 is unconfirmed. Equipment Upgrades Round 2 closed December 15, 2025. FY2026 total program allocation is separately reported at $13,000,000. Grantees may also qualify for HIB tax incentives. Needs a follow-up check closer to publication to confirm the current round status.

Up to $75,000 for individual projects; up to $250,000 for collaborative projects. $3.6 million available for FY2026. Funds value-added processing, livestock processing, milling, dairy, refrigerated vehicles, food hubs, and community kitchens.

Up to $5,000 per company for Group Trade Missions; up to $10,000 per company for Individual Foreign Market Sales Missions, Product Compliance, Website Localization, or Export Credit Insurance. Funded partly by an SBA STEP grant.

The 2025 application window (April 15–30, 2025) has closed and all awards communicated. No future window has been announced as of this access date — status will need re-verification when DCEO/IMEC announce the next cycle. Covers machinery/automation acquisition, IIoT/cybersecurity/predictive-maintenance software, late-stage product testing, and new product development.

Base grant: 75% of eligible project costs, up to $250,000. Additional Technical Assistance Fund: up to 20% of the base grant or $50,000, whichever is less, if partnered with an approved technical assistance provider.

Two current opportunities totaling $50 million: $35M for service delivery (reentry, economic development, civil legal aid), $15M for youth development and violence prevention. Live page showed "apply now" as of a January 21, 2026 announcement — re-verify window status close to publication, since NOFO copy can lag behind the actual application deadline.

Phase I: up to $75,000. Phase II: up to $250,000. Phase I disbursed 75% upon approval; Phase II disbursed 50% upfront with the remainder after program requirements are met.

Commercial: up to $150,000, reimbursement sliding from 90% (gross sales $0–$3M) down to 30% (gross sales $6–$9M). Industrial: up to $250,000 at 50% reimbursement. Multi-tenant commercial: $75,000/tenant. Multi-tenant industrial: $100,000/tenant. Applications open monthly, by TIF district.