The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (the “Department” or “DCEO”) is issuing this Notice of Funding Opportunity (“NOFO”) to continue the Energy Transition Community Grant Program, which provides grants to support economic development in communities impacted by a closure or reduced operation of a fossil fuel power plant or coal mine.
Donor Name: Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
State: Illinois
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/15/2024
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 3 Years
Details:
The Energy Transition Community Grant Program will provide grants to promote economic development to communities that are in an area with a closure or reduced operation of a fossil fuel power plant, coal mine, or nuclear plant.
Grants must be used to plan for or address the economic and social impact on the community or region of plant or mine retirement or transition. Eligible uses of grant funds include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Workforce development, including upskilling and reskilling for high-demand/high-wage opportunities in regional industries, and investment in training facilities. This may include tuition assistance and wrap-around services for trainees, including stipends for housing, transportation, and childcare.
- Financial assistance for unemployed, underemployed, and/or low-income residents, including direct cash benefits, childcare, housing, transportation, and health care.
- Public infrastructure investment, including water/sewer, transportation, drainage, broadband, public facilities, and other.
- Site cleanup and environmental remediation.
- Grants to incentivize relocation or retention of companies.
- Marketing and other investment to boost tourism, recreation, and business development opportunities.
- Affordable housing.
- Public health initiatives and community health care facilities.
- Downtown/commercial redevelopment, including investment to enhance public space, improve energy efficiency/sustainability of facilities or infrastructure, and renovate/revitalize historic buildings.
- Planning, along with supporting research and analysis, for economic development, transportation, or other programs to address the impact of closure.
- Investment in local or regional operational capacity for economic development/business development/grantwriting/planning through local governments or nonprofits.
Funding Information
- Total amount of funding expected to be awarded through this NOFO is $40,000,000.
- Awards will be a minimum of $50,000.00.
Project Period
The period of performance is expected to be 1 to 3 years.
Eligibility Criteria
An entity must be registered in the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) Grantee Portal at the time of grant application. The portal will verify that the entity:
- Has a valid FEIN number
- Has a current SAM.gov registration, SAM.gov registrations must be marked as “public” to allow the GATA Grantee Portal to expedite the review of the federal information;
- Has a valid UEI number
- Is not on the Federal Excluded Parties List
- Is in Good Standing with the Illinois Secretary of State
- Is not on the Illinois Stop Payment list
- Is not on the Department of Healthcare and Family Services Provider Sanctions
Eligible Applicants include
Local units of government, including municipalities, counties, school districts, and other taxing
districts, within 30 miles of a closed or closing plant/mine.
- Communities eligible to receive these grants must meet one or more of the following:
The area contains a fossil fuel or nuclear power plant that was retired from service or has significantly reduced service within 6 years before the application for designation or will
be retired or have service significantly reduced within 6 years following the application for designation; - The area contains a coal mine that was closed or had operations significantly reduced within 6 years before the application for designation or is anticipated to be closed or have
operations significantly reduced within 6 years following the application for designation
For more information, visit DCEO.
