The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is seeking applications for Business Resiliency program funded by the federal Community Development Block Grant-Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) Funds through the State of Illinois’ Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Office of Community Development.
Donor Name: Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
State: Illinois
County: Selected Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 12/31/2023
Size of the Grant: Up to $20,000
Details:
The objective of the Business Resiliency program is to reimburse businesses for the durable permanent or semi-permanent equipment purchased or rented to prevent, prepare for, or respond to COVID-19. Funds are available upon request and qualified application.
Performance Goals and Measures
- The Community Development Block Grant-Coronavirus program is federally funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and requires that all projects awarded must tie back to the to the prevention, preparation, and response to coronavirus.
- All grants must meet the National Objective of Low to Moderate Income for the benefiting business
- The number of grants will be determined based on the amounts requested. Based on the amount of funding available and the grant ceiling, the number of businesses assisted will be no fewer than 1,209.
The State of Illinois will offer three programs to meet this goal.
- Shelter Construction, Reconstruction, Rehabilitation
- Healthy Houses
- Business Resiliency
Funding Information
Total amount of funding expected to be awarded through this NOFO is $24,185,793. Awards will range up to $20,000 per business.
Eligible Activities/EXPENSES
The business may be reimbursed for permanent or semi-permanent equipment or depreciable property (as defined by IRS rules) purchased or rented to prevent, prepare for, or respond to COVID-19 in order to open or remain open. Examples include (but are not limited to) tents and other outdoor seating arrangements, plexiglass partitions, and cashless payment systems.
- Expenses must be incurred on or after March 21, 2020.
- Expenses must have been paid for prior to application and proper documentation included in the application
- No future expenses. Grant is only for reimbursement of previous paid expenses.
- The business is limited to a maximum of $20,000 in reimbursement. Lead Local Governments may, upon appropriate protocol, lower the reimbursement ceiling for their County
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible applicants include:
- All applications must be made through one unit of local government acting as the Lead Local Government (LLG) for all local governments in the County. The local government acting as the LLG must be recognized by the Illinois Constitution and able to support economic development activities on a sufficient scale. Grant funds will be granted to the LLG to be provided as financial assistance to an eligible business which must document the need for grant assistance. Businesses cannot apply directly to DCEO for assistance and grant awards will not be made directly to the business.
- A “Lead Local Government” must be established to act as a “clearinghouse” for all businesses within the county wishing to apply for CDBG-CV Business Resiliency grant funding. Local governments eligible to act as the Lead Local Government include counties, cities, and villages. Ideally, the Lead Local Government will have received and completed a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) within the past six years, thus making them familiar with the basic tenants of the federal program.
- The Department will only accept one application per county, which must contain all businesses that wish to receive grant funding. Secondary applications from the same Lead Local Government or other local governments in the County will not be accepted.
For more information, visit DCEO.
