Invest In Cook Grant Program – Illinois - fundsforNGOs

The Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways (DoTH) has announced the 10th round of Invest in Cook, an $8.5 million grant program to help local governments and agency partners further their transportation projects by covering some of the cost of planning and feasibility studies, engineering, right-of-way acquisition and construction associated with transportation improvements.

Donor Name: Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways (DoTH)

State: Illinois

County: Cook County (IL)

Type of Grant: Grant

Deadline: 03/20/2026

Size of the Grant: Not Available

Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned

Details:

This program seeks projects consistent with the five priorities of Connecting Cook County, the County’s first long range transportation plan in 75 years, as well as the recommendations of more specialized Cook County transportation plans.

Invest in Cook prioritizes proposals that support transit and other transportation alternatives, support the region’s role as North America’s freight capital, promote equal access to opportunities, maintain and modernize what already exists and increase investments in transportation.

The plan identifies five priorities

Prioritize Transit and Other Transportation Alternative

Support the Region’s Role as North America’s Freight Capital
Promote Equal Access to Opportunities
Maintain and Modernize What Already Exists
Increase Investments in Transportation

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible sponsors include local governments, regional transportation authorities, transit agencies, natural resource or public land agencies, and any other local or regional governmental entity with responsibility for transportation or recreational trails within Cook County. For projects that involve multiple jurisdictions, the application should identify a lead applicant and provide letters of support from partner entities. Private for-profit or non-profit organizations can submit project proposals as a lead applicant, but they are required to partner with a public sponsor that meets the above criteria. Proposals for multimodal projects in any phase of development will be considered. Municipal and Township applicants are limited to a single project application. Staff salaries are not an eligible expense under this program. Also, the purchase and/or maintenance of diesel based rolling stock (rail cars, buses, vans, etc.) and stand-alone lighting projects are not eligible under the Invest in Cook program. Due to limitations in the use of Motor Fuel Tax, Invest in Cook cannot fund electric vehicle infrastructure at this time.

Eligible project proposals should be consistent with the priorities set forth in Connecting Cook County. The following is a representative, but not exhaustive, list of the types of projects eligible for funding under the Invest in Cook Program: