The Best Business Grants in Illinois
April 28, 2026
Updated:
Securing capital is often the biggest hurdle for any founder. While loans and credit cards are common, they come with the weight of repayment and interest. Grants are the ideal alternative because they generally don't have to be paid back. However, there is a catch: grants are highly competitive and can be very difficult to find. We've built this guide to help you understand the grant landscape in Illinois.
Illinois business owners have access to one of the most active state-level grant ecosystems in the Midwest, with funding programs spanning workforce development, capital investment, environmental sustainability, and small business growth. Whether you operate a Chicago storefront, a Cook County manufacturer, or a downstate startup, there are programs designed specifically for businesses based in or relocating to Illinois. Award sizes range from $5,000 for small entrepreneurship grants up to $50 million for large-scale community development projects, with both rolling and fixed deadlines depending on the program.
State-administered programs from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) anchor the funding landscape, complemented by significant city-led initiatives in Chicago and Evanston and Cook County programs supporting manufacturing and environmental impact reduction. The Chicago metro area accounts for the majority of program activity, though state-level DCEO grants are available to businesses across Illinois.
Illinois businesses are also eligible for hundreds of national grant programs through the federal government, non-profit foundations, and corporate grant programs. Those programs aren't covered in this guide, but you can search our complete grant database to see every state and national grant your business qualifies for. You can also join our free weekly newsletter to get new grants delivered to your inbox as soon as they are added.
ILLINOIS GRANTS
Chicago Commercial Corridor Storefront Activation
City of Chicago
The Commercial Corridor Storefront Activation (CCSA) program is helping to revitalize 12 South and West Side business corridors through targeted improvements to underutilized and vacant commercial spaces.
Led by the Department of Planning and Development (DPD), the $30.5 million program is offering grants that fund up to 75% of eligible project costs for qualifying small businesses and property owners.
In addition to funding for storefront improvements, each corridor has a partner agency and technical service providers to assist with business-related tasks such as marketing, accounting and business planning, as well as project-specific tasks that include design and permitting.
$ GRANT AMOUNT
$100,000
Chicago Workforce Solutions Grant
City of Chicago
The City of Chicago provides financial assistance for job training through the Workforce Solutions program. The program subsidizes training for incumbent workers and new hires for qualified Chicago businesses.
Reimbursement grants up to $250,000 may fund up to 100% of eligible expenses for businesses seeking to train current employees and/or new hires. Grants do not have to be repaid.
Workforce Solutions grants cover qualified trainings, including on-the-job (OJT) training, leadership development, technology skills, workplace safety and more. The primary funding source for the program is derived from qualifying Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts and/or proceeds from the City's Housing and Economic Development (HED) Bond.
$ GRANT AMOUNT
$250,000
Business Attraction Prime Sites Grant
IL DCEO
The intent of this program is to assist companies with large-scale capital investment projects that commit to significant job creation for Illinois residents as they relocate or expand operations within Illinois. Business Attraction Prime Sites grants can encompass a wide range of economic development projects and may include infrastructure and capital equipment purchases that will result in job creation in the state of Illinois.
$ GRANT AMOUNT
$25,000,000
Businesses Reducing Impact on the Environment (BRITE)
Cook County DES
The Cook County Department of Environment and Sustainability’s (DES) free Businesses Reducing Impact on the Environment (BRITE) program helps businesses reduce their environmental impact while creating a healthier environment for their employees, customers and community by offering on-site assessments to reduce pollution.
Once an assessment has been completed, eligible businesses will have the opportunity to apply for grant funding. This funding will go towards solutions that save money, reduce impact on the environment and modernize operations.
$ GRANT AMOUNT
$500,000
Chicago Community Development Grant - Large
City of Chicago
The City of Chicago helps support business and neighborhood vitality through Community Development Grant (CDG) awards. CDGs use proceeds from the 2024 Housing and Development Bond and other funding sources to support a variety of eligible, business-related investments in construction and real estate development.
Large grants exceeding $5 million are intended to support eligible commercial, cultural, industrial, institutional, social service and mixed-use projects. Grants are intended to support approximately 25% of total project costs involving new construction, rehabilitation or both.
Private and non-profit developers, tenants and property owners are eligible to apply individually or jointly during competitive, semi-annual funding rounds.
$ GRANT AMOUNT
$50,000,000
Chicago Community Development Grant - Medium
City of Chicago
The City of Chicago helps support business and neighborhood vitality through Community Development Grant (CDG) awards. CDGs use proceeds from the 2024 Housing and Development Bond and other funding sources to support a variety of eligible, business-related investments in construction and real estate development.
Medium grants from $300,001 to $5 million are intended to support eligible commercial, cultural, industrial, institutional, social service and mixed-use projects. Grants are intended to support up to 50% of total project costs involving new construction, rehabilitation or both.
Private and non-profit developers, tenants and property owners are eligible to apply individually or jointly during competitive, semi-annual funding rounds.
$ GRANT AMOUNT
$5,000,000
Chicago Community Development Grant - Small
City of Chicago
The City of Chicago helps support business and neighborhood vitality through Community Development Grant (CDG) awards. CDGs use proceeds from the 2024 Housing and Development Bond and other funding sources to support a variety of eligible, business-related investments in construction and real estate development.
Small grants up to $250,000 are intended to support eligible commercial, mixed-use and light manufacturing projects. Grants provide funding for up to 75% of total eligible project costs involving new construction, rehabilitation or both.
Priority is given to projects with strong local impacts that leverage local talents, capacities and institutions and contribute to community vitality. Private and non-profit developers, property owners and businesses are eligible to apply.
$ GRANT AMOUNT
$250,000
Chicago Small Business Improvement Fund
Chicago Department of Planning and Development
The Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF) provides reimbursement grant funding for permanent building improvements and repairs across the city.
Offered by the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) to tenants and owners of industrial and commercial properties, SBIF grants are funded by Tax Increment Financing (TIF) revenues in designated TIF districts citywide.
Program participants can receive grants to cover between 30 percent and 90 percent of the cost of remodeling work, with a maximum grant of $150,000 for commercial properties and $250,000 for industrial properties. The grant, which is administered by SomerCor on the City’s behalf, does not have to be repaid.
$ GRANT AMOUNT
$150,000
Chicagoland Chamber Employer Training Investment Program
Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce
A skilled workforce is essential to accelerating our economic recovery. The Chicagoland Chamber is committed to helping the region’s companies equip their employees with the skills needed to grow, thrive, and succeed. Since 2019, more than 93 companies have participated in this program, resulting in 3,325 employees expanding their skill sets.
Whether you work with one of our training providers, have an existing trainer you like to work with, or conduct internal training using company staff, you may be eligible to receive a 50% reimbursement through this program.
$ GRANT AMOUNT
$10,000
Cook County Illinois Manufacturing Reinvented Grant
Cook County Burueau of Economic Development
The Manufacturing Reinvented grant is a fully-funded opportunity tailored for Cook County manufacturers to enhance their production and sales, develop leadership, and train their workforce. It offers reimbursement for projects that focus on operational improvements, leadership and strategy development, sales and marketing growth, and workforce training.
$ GRANT AMOUNT
$25,000
Illinois Reproductive Health Facilities Capital Grant Program
IL DCEO
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is issuing this Notice of Funding Opportunity (“NOFO”) to implement a capital grant program to support reproductive health care facilities in Illinois that are experiencing increased demand for their services.
Following the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v Wade in 2022, Illinois clinics have seen an influx of out-of-state patients, resulting in limited capacity and stress to reproductive health care service providers. To address the need to maintain and expand access to care, the Illinois Reproductive Health Facilities Capital Grant Program will help abortion providers in Illinois address their needs for capital investment. Grant funds may be used to invest in facility construction or durable equipment.
$ GRANT AMOUNT
$500,000
SBIR/STTR Match Program
IL DCEO
This program will provide a state match to companies that have received a Phase I award through a federal SBIR or STTR grant program. The maximum award under this program may not exceed $50,000. Seventy-five percent (75%) of the total grant shall be remitted to the business upon receipt of the SBIR/STTR Phase I award and application for funds. The remaining twenty-five percent (25%) of the total grant shall be remitted to the business upon submission by the business of the Phase II application to the federal funding agency and acceptance of the Phase I report by the federal funding agency. This program is utilizing state funds appropriated by the Illinois General Assembly to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
$ GRANT AMOUNT
$50,000
Don't stop at state-level funding
Most business grants aren't geographic, they're tied to your industry, your stage, or your team. Our database tracks 500+ programs across every category, and our free newsletter delivers new grants to your inbox each week.