The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announce $10 million in Small Business Capital and Infrastructure Grants.

The grant is limited to:

• Businesses owned by “Socially Economically Disadvantaged Individuals” that employ 25 or fewer full-time employees.
• “Very Small Businesses” that employ less than 10 employees.

Grants can range from $10,000 to $245,000. Grant dollars can be used for capitol improvement expenses, such as the expansion of existing buildings or facilities, new construction of buildings and structures, site selection and land acquisition, architectural planning and engineering design, etc.

In the press release announcing the grant opportunity, the governor’s office defined “Socially Economically Disadvantaged Individuals” as “historically underrepresented groups including people of color, women, people with disabilities, veterans, member of the LGBTQ community and more.” The certification form can be found here.

Businesses interested in applying can find additional information on DCEO’s website. The state will not consider bad credit or previous bankruptcies when making grant decisions. Applications are due by April 7, 2025, at 5:00 p.m.