Illinois Grant News | March 2023

Notices of Funding Opportunities and Awards

Featured Funding Opportunity

Chicago, Ill. | March 28 2023 | Gov. Pritzker Announces Innovate Illinois: A Public-Private Partnership to Secure Federal Funding for Illinois | Coalition to launch coordinated and robust efforts to bring home federal investment in science, technology, and climate initiatives

Seizing the opportunity to capture the billions of dollars of federal and private investment in science, technology and climate initiatives, Governor JB Pritzker, in partnership with P33,the Civic Committee, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the University of Chicago and Northwestern University, is launching Innovate Illinois, a diverse coalition of business leaders, higher education institutions, and elected officials to coordinate the state’s efforts to secure funding through the CHIPS and Science Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

“With the formation of Innovate Illinois, we are launching a first of its kind effort to bring federal dollars to Illinois and strengthen the state’s long-term economic vitality for generations to come,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “We are uniquely positioned to leverage our innovation hubs, public and private universities, and national laboratories to provide 21st century opportunities for our state’s workers, scientists, and businesses. With this effort, Illinois will accelerate an innovation-driven economic development plan and usher in a new era of scientific and technological progress.” Read more at Illinois.gov…

Funding Opportunities

Washington, D.C. | March 27 2023 | BJA FY 23 Second Chance Act Community-Based Reentry Program (O-BJA-2023-171683), Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) | Second Chance Act (SCA) grant funding is designed to help communities develop and implement comprehensive and collaborative strategies that address the challenges posed by reentry and recidivism reduction. “Reentry” is not a specific program but rather a process that starts from the moment an individual is incarcerated and continues throughout that individual’s transition from incarceration and reintegration into the community.

Washington, D.C. | March 23 2023 | Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program Phase I (2023-NIST-SBIR-01), Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology | The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) invites small businesses to submit Phase I research applications under this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Science and technology-based firms with strong research capabilities in any of the areas listed in Section 9.0 of this NOFO are encouraged to participate. Applications must sufficiently identify and clearly address a specific NIST technical program area that falls within one of the research areas described in Section 9.0 (see Section 3.02.02(1)) or a NIST-patented technology available for licensing.

Washington, D.C. | March 21 2023 | Historically Black Colleges and Universities – Undergraduate Program (23-563), National Science Foundation | HBCU-UP provides awardsto strengthen STEM undergraduate education and research at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Support is available through the following tracks: Targeted Infusion Projects (TIP)…Research on Broadening Participation in STEMprojects (BPR)…Research Initiation Awards (RIA)…Implementation Projects (IMP)…Broadening Participation Research Centers (BPRC)…Other Funding Opportunities include EArly-Concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER), Rapid Response Research (RAPID), conference, and planning grants.

Springfield, Ill. | March 21 2023 | Gov. Pritzker Announces $175 Million Available in B2B Grants for Restaurants, Hotels and Creative Arts Businesses | Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) today announced $175 million in available grant funding through the Back to Business (B2B) program.

Washington, D.C. | March 20 2023 | FY22 and FY23 Distressed Cities Technical Assistance (DCTA) Program (FR-6700-N-54), Department of Housing and Urban Development | Through this NOFO, HUD is announcing the availability of at least one award for the $5 million in FY 2022 funding and one award of up to $5 million in FY 2023 funding to provide technical assistance (TA) to units of general local government (UGLGs) and their non-profit partners serving communities experiencing economic hardship.

Washington, D.C. | March 17 2023 | Open Textbooks Pilot Program (ED-GRANTS-031723-001) Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) |  The Open Textbooks Pilot program supports projects at eligible institutions of higher education (IHEs) or State higher education agencies that create new open textbooks (as defined in this notice) and expand the use of open textbooks and course materials in courses that are part of a degree-granting program, particularly those with high enrollments. Applicants are encouraged to develop projects that demonstrate the greatest potential to achieve the highest level of savings for students through sustainable, expanded use of open educational resources in high-enrollment courses (as defined in this notice) or in programs that prepare individuals for in-demand fields.

Springfield, Ill. | March 17 2023 | Illinois Climate Bank Announces over $250 Million in Climate Finance Achieved in First Year | Community input meetings ongoing for up $1.3 billion in federal grant opportunities. The Illinois Finance Authority (IFA), in its role as the State Climate Bank, today announced a landmark year of deploying over $250 million in private capital to further clean and sustainable development projects. Additionally, the IFA Climate Bank is holding public hearings and stakeholder meetings as it crafts applications for up to $1.3 billion in federal funds to advance clean energy, climate, and equity goals as outlined by Illinois’ Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) through climate finance and program deployment.

Washington, D.C. | March 10 2023 | Cybersecurity for Small Business Pilot Program (OED-2023-01), Small Business Administration | In 2021, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received 847,376 complaints regarding cyberattacks and malicious cyber activity with nearly $7 billion in losses, the majority of which targeted small businesses. Small businesses are attractive targets because they have information that cybercriminals want, and they typically lack the security infrastructure of larger businesses. According to a recent SBA survey, 88% of small business owners felt their business was vulnerable to a cyber-attack. Yet many businesses can’t afford professional IT solutions, have limited time to devote to cybersecurity, or they don’t know where to begin. The Consolidated Appropriations Acts, 2022 and 2023, authorized the U.S. Small Business Administration to make grants to States, and the equivalent thereof, to carry out projects that help new small business concerns with tools to combat cybersecurity threats during their formative and most vulnerable years. 

Springfield, Ill. | March 3 2023 | Illinois EPA Announces Second Notice of Funding Opportunity for Lead Service Line Inventory Grant Program | $5 Million Available to Local Governments for Development of Complete Lead Service Line Inventories. Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) Director John J. Kim today announced a second funding opportunity to assist communities in meeting the requirements outlined in the Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act (LSLRN Act). The Lead Service Line Inventory (LSLI) Grant Program offers grants to local government units ranging from $20,000 – $50,000 to fund the creation of a complete lead service line inventory.

Washington, D.C. | March 2 2023 | Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program ( VA-FOX-SP-FY2023), Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention | The Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program (SSG Fox SPGP) enables VA to provide resources toward community-based suicide prevention efforts to meet the needs of Veterans and their families through outreach, suicide prevention services, and connection to VA and community resources.

Grant Awards

Springfield, Ill. | March 30 2023 | Gov. Pritzker Announces $200 Million Investment in Projects That Improve Freight Mobility Throughout Illinois | Governor JB Pritzker joined state and local leaders along with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) today to announce a nearly $200 million investment in 22 projects that will improve the movement of freight throughout the state, creating jobs and economic opportunity while enhancing safety and local quality of life. Administered by IDOT using federal funds, the Illinois Competitive Freight Program is designed to implement the goals of the Illinois State Freight Plan. 

Springfield, Ill. | March 27 2023 | $4.5M payment to Illinois Assoc. of Free and Charitable Clinics announced | Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza announced a $4.5 million payment to the Illinois Association of Free and Charitable Clinics Saturday. The state grant money was approved by the General Assembly and signed by Governor Pritzker last year. It will provide support to IAFCC’s member clinics to help uninsured and underinsured people living with acute and chronic health issues by providing medical care, health education, screening and testing, oral health care and behavioral health services.

Springfield, Ill. | March 24 2023 | Gov. Pritzker Announces 116 Non-profit Organizations Awarded $20 Million for Enhanced Security Across Illinois | Today, Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) announced $20 million in grants have been awarded to 116 non-profit organizations across the state through the 2023 Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP).

Washington, D.C. | March 17 2023 | DOE announces $590 million to increase bioenergy research | Funding to four bioenergy research centers [including the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation, led by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign} will help strengthen diversity of domestic clean energy sources, enhance our energy security, and revitalize rural economies.

Springfield, Ill. | March 11 2023 | Pritzker announces $60 million park grants, declines to endorse Chicago mayor candidate | Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday, March 1, announced the release of nearly $60 million in grant funding to help local governments develop public parks and open spaces, over 20 percent of which will go to “distressed” communities.

Springfield, Ill. | March 7 2023 | More than 50 Recipients Selected to Receive Energy Transition Community Grants | Governor JB Pritzker and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) today announced more than 50 localities and municipal entities will receive Energy Transition Community Grants – an initiative under the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) that provides funding for communities that have been impacted by fossil fuel plant or coal mine closures or significant reductions. Communities in 22 areas impacted by recent or impending plant or mine closures or reductions were eligible to apply for the program.

Last Updated: June 7, 2023.