| Application Portal Now Open |
| Is your small business still recovering from pandemic related losses? The new $250 million Back to Business (B2B) economic recovery program application portal is now open! B2B is targeted for hardest hit industries and geographies such as entertainment venues, restaurants and bars, hotels, and Disproportionately Impacted Areas (DIAs) that have had higher concentrations of COVID-19 cases. The application process is has been streamlined with an online portal, allowing applicants to view their status in real-time. DCEO and our partners will host numerous informational webinars in the coming days and weeks, including two on Thursday. Upcoming Webinars · Applying for the Illinois Back to Business Grant Program – What Restaurants Need to Know – 8/19 10:00 AM · Back to Business (B2B) Grant Program – 8/19 11:00 am Application Support To assist small businesses with the B2B application process, DCEO has partnered with Community Navigator organizations in every region of the state. These navigators stand ready to help with technical assistance and application preparation, including multilingual support, assistance with bank and tax documents, and more. The Navigators will work in tandem with our state team and our network of 42 Small Business Development Centers to ensure business have the help they need. Find your community outreach partner including navigators, SBDCs, as well as DCEO Support Teams with the B2B search tool (scroll to bottom), or view the list by name, county, or language service. Here are the contacts around the 109th District: Edwards County City of Fairfield- Economic Department Flo Simpson 109 NE 2nd Street Fairfield 62837 fadc@fairfieldilcitygov.us 618-842-4802 https://www.fairfield-il.com/contact[1]us Effingham County Effingham Regional Growth Alliance Courtney Yockey 903 N Keller Drive Effingham 62401 cyockey@groweffinghamcountyil. com 217-342-4214 www.groweffinghamcountyil.com Wayne County City of Fairfield- Economic Department Flo Simpson 109 NE 2nd Street Fairfield 62837 fadc@fairfieldilcitygov.us 618-842-4802 https://www.fairfield-il.com/contact[1]us White County Carmi Southeastern Illinois College (SIC) – Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Arla Murphy 3575 College Road, Suite G126, Building G Harrisburg 62946 arla.murphy@sic.edu 618-252-5400 Ext: 2312 https://www.sic.edu/audience/busine ss-industry/small-business[1]development-center Spanish Interview On Monday, DCEO Deputy Director of the Office of Minority Economic Empowerment, Vanessa Uribe, shared how Hispanic-owned businesses can apply for the #Back2Business grant program in an interview with Univision Chicago |
| Shuttered Venue Operators Grant – Deadline this Weekend |
| Time is running out for NEW applications for the US Small Business Administration’s Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG)program. Eligible live venue operators, museums, movie theatres and more may submit new applications until 11:59 am CST, August 20, with funds available to cover operational costs incurred due to COVID-19. The SVOG program has so far awarded $8.4 billion in grants to more than 10,800 businesses to assist in getting the nation’s cultural institutions, which are critical to the economy and were among the first to shutter, back on track. Apply now! |
| Local Governments: Deadline to apply is September 30th. |
| $40M Going to Your Neighboring Communities Claim Your Share of the $742M Illinois NEU Allocations from the American Rescue Plan Act |
| Last week, the State of Illinois announced the first wave of$40 million in payments to eligible towns, cities, and villages under the $742 million Illinois NEU Allocations from ARPA. Eligible non-entitlement units (NEUs) of local government (populations <50K) can now claim their share of these critical relief funds. Funds can be used to support households, small businesses, impacted industries, essential workers, as well as investments in building, maintaining, or upgrading water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure. Don’t be left out. The support is easy to access through ILDCEO’s NEU portal with initial payments made in about 30 days. Learn more about NEU funding and take the initial steps to claim your allocation, or to transfer your allocation to the State if your local government chooses not to claim an allocation. |
| $10M Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program – Applications due October 4, 2021 at 5:00 pm |
| Calling all community organizations and qualified workforce providers! The Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program, Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is open. A key deliverable of Illinois Works Jobs Program Act, this program will expand access to career training in the construction and building trades, while ensuring diverse representation in the jobs coming online. Grants of $200,000 to $500,000 will be awarded to expand the talent pipeline for this rapidly growing industry. For details on the program design, funding information, upcoming webinars, FAQs, and to view the NOFO, visit DCEO’s website. Sign up for “Introduction to Illinois Works & Its Programs,” 8/19 10am-12pm |