Grants

State Senator Rachel Ventura is seeking grant requests from non-profits and governing bodies for DCEO capital funding and operations grants for projects and organizations located in the 43rd Senate District for the next budget cycle. 

Application Deadline: March 31, 2027

Request Intake Form

Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom Teacher Book and Project Grants
Application Deadline: Oct. 16, 2026
Program Description: The Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom offers grants to help teachers stock their classrooms with their favorite agriculture books and grants to help incorporate agriculture-based projects in the classroom.

Clean Jobs Workforce Network Program
Application Deadline: Oct. 30, 2026
Program Description: Illinois Clean Jobs Workforce Network Program will identify a network of at least 14 Illinois Clean Jobs Program delivery hub sites throughout the State to recruit and provide clean energy and related workforce training to jobseekers. Locations will engage with potential employers, community-based organizations, educational institutions, and community-based and labor-based training providers to ensure program-eligible individuals across the State have dedicated and sustained support to enter and build clean energy careers.

Energy Transition Navigator Program
Application Deadline: Oct. 30, 2026
Program Description: The Energy Transition Navigators Program will provide outreach and recruitment for the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) workforce and contractor programs. The Department seeks to contract with the community-based providers to connect people to the CEJA workforce and contractor programs.

Small Utility Clean Energy Planning Grant
Application Deadline: Nov. 13, 2026
Program Description: Grants will support municipal and cooperative electric utilities in transitioning to cleaner energy sources through long-term planning and implementation efforts. The program will provide financial assistance for technical assessments, procurement strategies, and implementation planning to help utilities secure renewable power purchase agreements (PPAs) and integrate clean energy generation into their portfolios.

New Stores in Food Deserts
Application Deadline: Dec. 9, 2026
Program Description: The Illinois Grocery Initiative New Stores in Food Deserts program is intended to address the challenge of food deserts. 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 expenditures.

Illinois Electric Vehicle Rebate Program
Application Deadline: Dec. 31, 2026
Program Details: Eligible Illinois residents that meet income thresholds established in the Electric Vehicle Rebate Act (EV Rebate Act) and that purchase a new or used all-electric vehicle whose base purchase or selling price does not exceed $80,000 from an Illinois licensed dealer may be eligible for an Illinois' Electric Vehicle Rebate.

Stretch Building Code Adoption Support
Application Deadline: Dec. 31, 2026
Program Details: Grants to support individual municipalities in adopting and implementing the 2023 Illinois Stretch or, once released, the 2026 Illinois Stretch Energy Codes. Communities may pursue either full adoption of the Illinois Stretch Energy Code or an incremental approach to updating base codes, laying the groundwork for future adoption.

International Tourism Program
Application Deadline: Jan. 31, 2027
Program Description: The intent is to promote Illinois as a travel destination to the international leisure traveler. The International tourism program is important to the State of Illinois' tourism industry to match/leverage local funds with State funds to promote destination drivers, to market and promote attractions and events throughout the State to international travelers to ultimately impact the economic growth of the tourism industry.

Grocery Rescue Program
Application Deadline: June 30, 2027
Program Description: The Grocery Rescue Program is intended to facilitate the re-opening of grocery stores in low-access census tracts, preventing closures from leading to a long-term reduction in availability of fresh food in the community and the potential formation of new food deserts. Successful projects will reestablish availability of fresh foods, encourage economic stability and growth, and prevent existing buildings suitable for grocery store operations from falling into advanced states of disrepair.

Unsewered Communities Planning Grant Program
Application Deadline: Applications will be accepted until funding has been expended.
Grant Description: Will utilize a portion of the Illinois EPA Water Pollution Control Loan Program Loan Support funds generated from loan repayments.

Lead Service Line Inventory Grant Program
Application Deadline: Applications will be accepted until funding has been expended
Grant Description: To assist communities in meeting the lead inventory requirements outlined in the LSLRNA, the IEPA is making $6,570,000 available through the 15% Local Assistance and Other State Program Set-Aside, where no more than 10% of the grant funds may be used on a single program activity.

Community Development Block Grant Economic Development Program
Application Deadline: Rolling
Grant Description: Provides federal funding for community-based projects. Communities in non-metropolitan areas can apply for Economic Development funding to assist private business in retaining or creating full-time, permanent jobs. Grant funds may also be used for improvements to public infrastructure that directly supports companies in local communities.

CDBG Disaster Response Program
Application Deadline: Rolling
Grant Description: This program is designed for communities experiencing an imminent and urgent threat to public health and safety as indicated by a disaster declaration by the governor.

CDBG Economic Development Program
Application Deadline: Rolling
Grant Description: The program provides Economic Development component funds that are available on an as-needed basis throughout the year to eligible applicants for units of general local governments meeting program component requirements until all funds allocated to this component have been distributed. Only projects that create and/or retain permanent jobs will be funded. Projects should attract sizable private investment, have solid commitments to create or retain permanent jobs and demonstrate financial feasibility and benefit to low-to-moderate income persons.

Federal Grant Support Program
Application Deadline: General announcement open with no specific due dates for applications
Grant Description: DCEO will make $15 million available to Illinois-based businesses and organizations seeking competitive federal grants. This match program will encourage more applicants to apply for federal grant opportunities, provide critical assistance to meet the minimum match eligibility requirements and increase the competitiveness of applications.

Sport Fish Restoration – Fisheries, Boat Access (FY27)
Application Deadline: Rolling 
Grant Description: The DJ - Sport Fish Restoration - Fisheries, Boat Access (FY27) grant opportunity is designed to restore, conserve, manage, or enhance sport fish populations and provide boat access to public waters. Eligible activities include sport fisheries research and management, boating access development and maintenance, aquatic resource education, lake construction and maintenance, land acquisition, technical assistance, planning, habitat enhancement, administration, coordination, and hatchery construction. The grant is available to government organizations, education organizations, and nonprofit organizations.

Wildlife Restoration (FY27)
Application Deadline: Rolling 
Grant Description: The PR - Wildlife Restoration (FY27) grant opportunity aims to restore, conserve, manage, and enhance wild birds and mammals and their habitat. The projects also include providing public use and access to wildlife resources, hunter education and safety, and the development and management of shooting ranges. The funding source is the USFWS Wildlife Restoration Funding, and the awarding agency is the Department of Natural Resources. The eligibility type is public, and eligible applicants include government organizations, education organizations, and nonprofit organizations.

USDA Disaster Assistance Grants

Application Deadline: March 1, 2027
Grant Description: Agricultural operations in Illinois have been significantly impacted by recent severe weather, including tornadoes, straight-line winds, and hail. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has technical and financial assistance available to help farmers and livestock producers recover from these adverse weather events.

Leveraging Network Infrastructure to Conduct Innovative Research for Women, Children, Pregnant and Lactating Individuals, and Persons with Disabilities
Application Deadline: Nov. 15, 2027
Grant Description: This opportunity leverages NICHD clinical research network infrastructure relevant to infants, children, women, pregnant and lactating individuals, and persons with disabilities to conduct innovative, multisite, investigator-initiated clinical trials and observational studies. This NOFO will utilize a bi-phasic (UG3/UH3), milestone-driven mechanism consisting of a start-up phase (UG3) and a full enrollment and clinical study implementation phase (UH3).

Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute - Call for Merit Reviewers
Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis
Grant Description: The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) is seeking Merit Reviewers who share a commitment to patient-centered research and an interest in helping PCORI fulfill its mission of funding research that can help patients, clinicians, and other stakeholders make more informed health and healthcare decisions. Merit Review Panels consist of scientific, patient, and other stakeholder reviewers whose scores are equally weighted to ensure that all perspectives are heard.

Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program
Application Deadline: Oct. 2, 2026
Program Details: Illinois Works is expanding DCEO’s statewide network of providers to recruit, prescreen, and provide pre-apprenticeship skills training. The program providers offer structured pathways and manage the program graduates' transition from the pre-apprenticeship program to a registered apprenticeship program in construction and the building trades.

ETIP - Strategic Sectors Single Company Grant
Application Deadline: Rolling
Program Details: The ETIP Program aims to enhance employment opportunities for Illinois citizens by assisting Illinois employers in upgrading the technological skills of their workforce and introducing efficient business practices, allowing them to be more efficient and competitive and expand their market shares. The training and upgraded skills will help facilitate increases in employee earnings, future employment opportunities, and economic self-sufficiency.

Illinois Economic Empowerment Centers
Application Deadline: Rolling
Grant Description: The Illinois Economic Empowerment Centers program provides no-cost business development, mentorship, and technical assistance to entrepreneurs, startups, and very small businesses in historically underrepresented communities. Administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the initiative features 10 regional centers across the state.

Small Business Development Centers
Application Deadline: Rolling 
Grant Description: The Illinois Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) located throughout the state provide information, confidential business guidance, training, and other resources to start-up and existing small businesses. In addition, the Illinois SBDCs help clients with securing needed business capital, marketing, exporting, commercialization of new ideas, development of innovative products and services. Client projects range from early-stage, pre-revenue concepts to established business operations.

Federal Grant Support Program - Round 2
Application Deadline: Rolling
Program Details: The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s (DCEO)’s Federal Grant Support Program will make $16.9 million available to Illinois-based proposals seeking competitive federal grants. This match program will encourage more 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.