The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic is to support the design and construction of a square foot facility, within the campus existing footprint, for the creation of a Manufacturing Training Academy (MTA) to provide workforce training programs.
Donor Name: Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic development
State: Illinois
County: Will County (IL)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 06/26/2026
Size of the Grant: More than $1 million
Grant Duration: 2 Years
Details:
The goal of this program is to support the design and construction of a 22,225 square foot, higher education facility for the creation of a Manufacturing Training Academy, within the campus’ existing footprint. This grant will support a community college, located in Will County, Illinois, using capital funds to design and construct an MTA. The MTA will provide a flexible, district-wide training hub to support multiple employers, significantly expanding capacity in high-demand fields, including advanced manufacturing, welding, HVAC, electrical systems, and industrial maintenance, areas where employer demand continues to outpace available talent.
This Manufacturing Training Academy will represent a transformational investment in workforce development, economic growth, and educational access for Will County and the State of Illinois. Through community partnership, the MTA will deliver scalable, industry-driven training that meets immediate employer needs while building long-term career pathways for students.
Funding Information
$20,000,000
Grant Period
August 01, 2026 through December 31, 2028.
Eligibility Criteria
- Entities on the Illinois Stop Payment List and/or the Federal Excluded Parties List at time of application submission will not be considered for an award.
- An automated email notification to the entity alerts them of “qualified” status or informs how to remediate a negative verification (e.g., not in good standing with the Secretary of State). A federal Debarred and Suspended status cannot be remediated.
- At this time, federal memo M-21-20 allows entities to apply for grant awards without a valid UEI number. The UEI number must be obtained prior to grant execution. The State of Illinois has adopted this guidance for the issuance of state awards also. Pursuant to the policy of the Illinois Office of the Comptroller, to receive grant funds from the State of Illinois, a grantee must be considered a regarded entity by the IRS for federal income tax purposes. Disregarded entities will not be eligible to receive grant funds.
- Eligible Applicants include:
- A community college
- Located within Will County, Illinois
- Serving approximately 27,000 students annually
For more information, visit IDCED.
