Funding Opportunities

• Description: “to award grants to certified convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs) for the development of tourism, education, preservation and promotion of the 100th anniversary of Route 66 in 2026.”
• Eligibility includes: “Eligible applicants include convention and visitors bureaus certified by the Department pursuant to 20 ILCS 605/605-707.”
• Award Range: $20,000 - $500,000
• Deadline: June 11, 2026 at 5:00 PM

• Description: “to award grants and work in cooperation with certified local tourism and convention bureaus outside the City of Chicago that demonstrate their international tourism appeal and request to develop or expand their international tourism marketing program.”
• Eligibility includes: "Local Tourism and Convention Bureaus certified by the Department to receive funds under 20 ILCS 605/705 and located outside the City of Chicago."
• Award Range: $10,000 - $200,000
• Deadline: June 15, 2026 at 5:00 PM

• Description: “to match/leverage local funds with State funds to market and promote destinations, tourism attractions and tourism events throughout the State. The goal of the program is to increase overnight stays in paid accommodations.”
• Eligibility includes: “Eligible Applicants include:
  • Counties located outside Cook County
  • Municipalities located outside Cook County
  • Not-for-profit organizations located outside Cook County
  • Local promotion groups located outside of Cook County that includes any non-profit corporation, organization, association, agency or committee thereof formed for the primary purpose of publicizing, promoting, advertising or otherwise encouraging the development of tourism in any municipality, county, or region of Illinois”
• Award Range: $10,000 - $100,000 (Grantees should provide matching funds that “in no case shall be less than 50 percent of the Total Project Cost.” Please see NOFO for more details)
• Deadline: June 17, 2026 at 5:00 PM

• Description: “to match/leverage local funds with State funds to market and promote destinations, tourism attractions and tourism events throughout the State. The goal of the program is to increase overnight stays in paid accommodations”
• Eligibility includes: “Eligible Applicants include:
  • Municipalities located within Cook County
  • Not-for-profit organizations located within Cook County
  • Local promotion groups located within Cook County that includes any non-profit corporation, organization, association, agency or committee thereof formed for the primary purpose of publicizing, promoting, advertising or otherwise encouraging the development of tourism in any municipality, county, or region of Illinois”
• Award Range: $10,000 - $100,000 (Grantees should provide matching funds that “in no case shall be less than 50 percent of the Total Project Cost.” Please see NOFO for more details)
• Deadline: June 17, 2026 at 5:00 PM

• Description: “The purpose of grants relative to the Public Infrastructure (PI) Notice of Funding Opportunity is to fund water and sanitary systems and storm sewer construction projects that alleviate public health, safety, and public welfare and help communities with substantial low to moderate-income populations. Project areas must be primarily residential in character.”
• Eligibility includes: “Only units of general local government (i.e., cities, villages, townships and counties) may apply for funding.”… “Municipalities must not be a HUD direct Entitlement community or be located in an urban county that receives "entitlement" funds.”
• Award Range: $300,000 - $1,500,000
• Deadline: August 27, 2026 at 5:00 PM

• Description: “The purpose of grants relative to the Housing Rehabilitation (HR) Notice of Funding Opportunity is to provide units of general local government with funds to address housing needs of eligible low-to-moderate income (LMI) households. The program targets projects which preserve singlefamily, owner-occupied housing needing rehabilitation and encourage neighborhood revitalization.”
• Eligibility includes: “Only units of general local government (i.e., cities, villages, townships and counties) may apply for funding.”… “Municipalities must not be a HUD direct Entitlement community or be located in an urban county that receives "entitlement" funds.”
• Award Range: $300,000 - $800,000
• Deadline: August 27, 2026 at 5:00 PM

• Small Business Development Centers
  • Description: “…“DCEO” is issuing this Notice of Funding Opportunity (“NOFO”) to seek qualified host organizations to operate Illinois Small Business Development Centers and provide program services.” “…Illinois SBDCs deliver professional, high-quality, individualized, confidential one-on-one advising and technical assistance to existing small businesses and pre-venture entrepreneurs.”
  • Eligibility includes:
    • “Fully accredited institutions of higher education such as public and private universities, state, and community colleges.
    • Private nonprofit organizations engaged in economic development activities.
    • Local counties or municipalities with established community/economic development departments and/or programs.
    • Public economic development institutions such as workforce investment boards and economic development corporations.“…specifically in the geographical areas noted below. Any areas outside of those listed below will not be considered.

• This area includes: (this was updated in the NOFO in March 2, 2026)

• • • • • • City of Chicago Neighborhoods
            • Far Southeast Side (Chatham, Avalon Park, South Deering, Hegewisch, Riverdale, West Pullman, Roseland, Burnside, Calumet Heights, South Chicago)
          • Cook County Municipalities
            • Elgin
          • Counties
            • Grundy and Kankakee
    • Award Range: $80,000 - $525,000
    • Deadline: rolling

Innovation Vouchers Program

• • Description: “Innovation Vouchers will provide grants for companies to engage in research projects in partnership with an Illinois institute of higher education. This will facilitate the sharing of technologies, knowledge, facilities, and equipment, and ultimately lead to the production of more Illinois-based goods and services and spur economic growth in the state.”
  • Eligibility includes: “Illinois-based companies with 500 or fewer total employees; Commit to maintain operations in Illinois for duration of project; Businesses that operate in key industries, including agribusiness and agtech; energy; information technology; life sciences and healthcare; manufacturing; and transportation and logistics”
  • Award Range: “…cover up to 75% of the cost of the research engagement (not to exceed $75,000).”

• For a complete list of DCEO grants, please visit our website.

• Description: “The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) will distribute more than $796,000 over the next three years to expand access to fresh, locally grown produce and boost the competitiveness of the state’s specialty crop industry.”
• Eligibility includes:
  • “Entities eligible for grants under the SCBGP are:
    • Nonprofit organizations.
    • Local government entities.
    • Tribal governments.
    • Institutions such as schools, universities, or hospitals.
    • For profit farmers or producers who are connecting the public and/or other farmers or producers to specialty crops with educational programs.”
  • “Illinois funding priorities include projects that benefit beginning farmers and first-time specialty crop producers (a beginning farmer is an individual or entity that has not operated a farm or ranch for more than 10 years and substantially participates in the operation), projects with educational programming to enhance knowledge and consumption of specialty crops, projects connecting specialty crops with nutrition and health outcomes, including food safety, projects that prioritize sustainability and conservation.”
• Award Range: max of $75,000
• Deadline: June 5, 2026 at 12:00pm

• Description: “The Art-in-Architecture Program of the Capital Development Board is pleased to announce a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to Illinois professional artists to create permanent original public art for the Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) Education Building in Chicago, Illinois.”
• Deadline: June 17, 2026 at 3:00pm

• Description: “The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement is to invite proposals for funding from established organizations interested in providing innovative hands-on, in-person manufacturing training and technical assistance to eligible small manufacturing business concerns, under the U.S. Small Business Administration's Empower to Grow Program (formerly known as 7(j) Management and Technical Assistance Program).” Open nationwide to: “Be a for-profit or not-for-profit entity (including, but not limited to small businesses, other-than small businesses, trade and professional associations, and educational institutions);…”
• Award Range: $5,000,000
• Deadline: June 15, 2026 at 10:59pm

• Description: “Rural Business Development Grants (RBDGs) support targeted technical assistance, training, and other activities that promote the development and expansion of small and emerging private businesses in rural areas. Eligible businesses must have fewer than 50 employees and less than $1 million in gross annual revenues. RBDG funding is separated into either enterprise or opportunity-type grant activities.”
• Eligibility includes:
  • Applicants must be from an eligible area:
    • “The RBDG supports projects benefiting rural areas outside of urbanized areas that have populations of 50,000 or more. You can use the USDA Income and Property Eligibility site (available at this link: tinyurl.com/8ysytefa) to determine your area’s eligibility.”
  • “Eligible applicants include:
    • Rural cooperatives
    • State government agencies, towns, and communities
    • Nonprofit corporations and institutions of higher learning
    • Federally recognized Tribes
    • Important: Neither individuals nor for-profit businesses or organizations are eligible to apply for RBDGs.”
• Award Range: “Generally, grants range from $10,000 to $500,000, and there is no cost-sharing requirement. Opportunity-type grants are limited to no more than 10 percent of the total available RBDG funds.”
• Deadline: “two different closing dates: 1) June 15, 2026, only applies to Strategic Economic and Community Development (SECD) applications and 2) June 30, 2026, applies to the remainder of the applicants”

• City of Chicago: Small Business Improvement Fund
  • Description: “promotes economic development by providing small businesses and property owners with reimbursement grants for permanent building improvement costs.”
  • Award Range: $75,000 multi-tenant properties, $150,000 commercial properties, and $250,000 industrial properties
  • Deadline varies

• Description: “The City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) supports artists and cultural organizations, invests in the creative economy, and expands access and participation in the arts throughout Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods. The CityArts Program aims to support a diverse group of arts and culture nonprofits reflective of the city of Chicago and its cultural landscape through flexible and strategic grant funding.” Two types of grants will be offered: General Operating grants and Project grants.
• Award Range: up to $50,000 (varies depending on organization’s average annual revenue)
• Deadline: June 3, 2026 at 12pm

• Description: “Downtown Refresh is a competitive reimbursement grant for ground-floor storefront and customer-facing interior improvements in downtown Champaign.”
• Award Range: “Up to $50,000 per building (up to $100,000 per property owner across multiple buildings)”
• Deadline: June 19, 2026

• Description: “The City of Chicago helps support business and neighborhood vitality through Small, Medium and Large Community Development Grant (CDG) awards.” “Applications are open to business owners, property owners, non-profit organizations, community developers and entrepreneurs.”
• Award Range: Small: up to $250,000; Medium: $300,001 to $5 million and Large: $5 million and up
• Deadline: Small and Medium due August 14, 2026 and Large accepted on rolling basis

• Description: “The Neighborhood Opportunity Fund (NOF) provides capital development grants…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…”
• Award Range: up to $250,000
• Deadline: August 14, 2026

• 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.)

• 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

• Description: “SomerCor helps small businesses purchase owner-occupied commercial real estate through the Small Business Administration (SBA) 504 financing. With SomerCor’s new Down Payment Assistance Program (DPAP), eligible businesses in Cook County can receive a grant to reduce upfront costs when purchasing their first building.”
• Award Range: up to $25,000

• Description: “The Social Impact Funds support community-led transformation by strategically deploying capital to social entrepreneurs who are using their lived experience to tackle three vital social drivers of health [health care access & quality, food security and economic empowerment]”. “…currently accepting applications for projects in Chicago, Florida, Los Angeles, Minnesota, New York City, Philadelphia, Toledo and West Virginia. Both for-profit and nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply for funding from the Social Impact Funds.”
• Award Range: $150,000 – $500,000

• Description: “The Anthology Fund is a $100M initiative between Menlo Ventures and Anthropic to fund the next generation of AI startups. We invest in Seed and Series A startups with check sizes starting at $100K”.
• Award Range: several but includes “$30,000 in free Anthropic credits”
• Deadline: rolling

• Description: “The Community Foundation for McHenry County is committed to enhancing county services and expanding financial support to local non-profits.” “The Emergency Grant program supports nonprofits facing unexpected expenses that significantly impact their ability to fulfill their mission or deliver services. This grant is intended to help organizations address unbudgeted, unforeseen, and time-sensitive emergencies.”
• Award Range: unknown
• Deadline: “This grant operates on a rolling application cycle”

• Description: “Available to organizations [eligible nonprofits, 501(c)3] with programs aligned to the Emerging Philanthropists Fund grantmaking principles, which support grassroots, evidence-based, innovative, and collaborative projects that address unmet community needs.” “The Community Foundation of Central Illinois serves a 50-mile radius surrounding the City of Peoria (excluding Knox and McLean Counties).”
• Award Range: up to $5,000
• Deadline: June 10, 2026 at 5:00pm

• Description: “These project-based grants support individuals such as educators, organizers, artists, and others who use the arts and humanities to work toward a truly just society. Research projects, podcasts, grassroots publications, and public performances are just a few of the impactful initiatives we fund to create understanding about mass incarceration and its impact on communities in Illinois.”
  • “Applicants for this category include, but are not limited to: artists, humanists, community organizers, policy makers, journalists, and community advocates.”
  • “Based anywhere in Illinois; individuals from the following areas are particularly encouraged to apply: East St. Louis, Decatur, Carbondale, Galesburg, Urbana-Champaign, and the Bloomington-Normal Metro Area. However, applicants from anywhere in Illinois are eligible.”
• Award Range: Up to $5,000
• Deadline: June 12, 2026 at 5:00pm

• Description: “These project-based grants support collectives, non-profit organizations, and other groups that use the arts and humanities to work toward a truly just society. Prison education programs, independent media, community dialogues, and conferences are just a few of the impactful initiatives we fund to create understanding about mass incarceration and its impact on communities in Illinois”
  • “Must be a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization in good standing (learn what “good standing" means here) or have a fiscal sponsor.”
  • “Based anywhere in Illinois; individuals from the following areas are particularly encouraged to apply: East St. Louis, Decatur, Carbondale, Galesburg, Urbana-Champaign, and the Bloomington-Normal Metro Area. However, applicants from anywhere in Illinois are eligible.”
• Award Range: Up to $10,000
• Deadline: June 12, 2026 at 5:00pm

• Description: “Female entrepreneurs 22 years of age and older with businesses registered and operating solely in the United States. An applicant’s business must make a social impact through its product or business model, be earning revenue, and not be more than five years old.” Open nationwide to eligible businesses.
• Award Range: up to $50,000
• Deadline: June 15, 2026

• Description: “Presented in partnership with Hello Alice and the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN), the Allstate Main Street Grants Program is here to support the small businesses fueling communities across the U.S.” “The program includes a 12-week virtual Boost Camp accelerator and will select 250 entrepreneurs to participate.”
• Award Range:  $20,000 (100 participants from the Boost Camp cohort will be eligible for these $20K grants)
• Deadline: June 23, 2026 at 5pm

• Description: “Nicor Gas considers grant requests only from those organizations classified as 501(c)(3), tax-exempt by the IRS. Nicor Gas does not contribute to individuals, religious organizations or private K-12 schools.” “Our Community and Culture pillar provides support to cultural and community organizations that create engagement in the arts and organizations that work to ensure that individuals from all backgrounds can thrive and reach their full potential. Organizations funded under this pillar include museums and theatres and organizations that create access to opportunities for all. Nicor Gas supports a broad range of programs that promote community and culture, including but not limited to:
  • Arts education and cultural enrichment programs
  • Community-based exhibitions and performances
  • Programs that promote access to resources and opportunity for all”
• Award Range: “no more than $5,000, and organizations will be limited to one grant a year.”
• Deadline: June 30, 2026

• Description: “SEED SPOT has partnered with Greenwood Archer Capital (GAC) to launch Made for Retail Chicago— a bootcamp and CPG pitch competition connecting Chicago-area consumer product founders with nondilutive capital, retail buyers, and the tools to get there.”
• Geographic Coverage: Chicago, Cook County, and surrounding Collar Counties
• Award Range: “Top three founders receive nondilutive cash grants totaling $25,000”
• Deadline: July 2, 2026

• Safety First Grant
  • Description: Open to 501(c)3 nonprofits or government entities that operate in Norfolk Southern’s 22 state network (this includes Illinois), project must be 30 minutes from Norfolk Southern main line and be in alignment with one of Norfolk Southern’s focus areas.
  • Award Range: $1,000 to $15,000
  • Deadline: August 3, 2026

• Thriving Communities Grant
  • Description: Open to 501(c)3 nonprofits that operate in Norfolk Southern’s 22 state network (this includes Illinois), project must be 30 minutes from Norfolk Southern main line and be in alignment with one of Norfolk Southern’s focus areas.
  • Award Range: $1,000 to $50,0000
  • Deadline: August 3, 2026

• Description: “...business plan competition to identify, encourage, and reward excellence in entrepreneurship in the St. Louis Metro East region (now including Fayette, Macoupin, and Montgomery Counties).”
• Award Range: $28,000 in total cash prizes (grants vary from: $1,500 - $10,000)
• Deadline: June 14, 2026 - August 9, 2026

• Description: Verizon, in partnership with LISC, will award $10,000 national grants to small businesses throughout the year. Each month, 10 small businesses will be selected for grants.
• Award Range: $10,000
• Deadline: Rolling from June – December 2026