Grant Opportunities for Local Governments
This section provides information about funding or other incentives for local or regional projects. If your community is interested in pursuing funds from any of the following programs, or any program that is not listed, please feel free to contact our office.
Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO)
- Improve public infrastructure and eliminate conditions detrimental to public health, safety, and public welfare
- Maximum of $550,000.00 with an emphasis on low to moderate-income populations.
- Learn about Public Infrastructure in the The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program
- Improve housing by rehabilitating and retrofitting homes.
- Maximum grant funds of $550,000 with a limit of $50,000 per household for low-to-moderate income residents of single-family owner-occupied housing units.
- Provides residents with safe and sanitary living conditions and helps stabilize neighborhoods and affordable housing in the community.
- Click here for more information about the Housing Rehabilitation Program.
- Maximum of $1,000,000.00 for gap financing to assist businesses locating or expanding in the community.
- Funds may be used for machinery and equipment, working capital, building construction and renovation, or improvements to public infrastructure that creates and/or retains jobs in the community.
- Click here to learn more about Economic Development.
- Maximum of $500,000.00 reimbursement for municipalities following a Governor declared disaster.
- Click here for more details on Disaster Response.
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA)
- Financial help for brownfield site investigations and cleanups.
- Learn more about Brownfields Financial Help
- Assistance to tank owners and operators to help pay for cleaning up leaks from petroleum underground storage tanks.
- Learn more about the Underground Storage Tank Fund
- Offers two grant programs to assist communities with no wastewater collection and treatment facilities.
- Learn more about Unsewered Communities
- Provides funding opportunities for projects to construct green infrastructure best management practices (BMPs) that prevent, eliminate, or reduce water quality impairments by decreasing stormwater runoff into Illinois’ rivers, streams, and lakes. BMPs may be located on both public or private land.
- Learn more about Green Infrastructure Grant Opportunities
- Available to local units of government and other organizations to protect water quality in Illinois. Projects must address water quality issues relating directly to nonpoint source pollution.
- Learn more about Nonpoint Source Grants
- Provides low interest loans through the State Revolving Fund (SRF), which includes two loan programs:
- The Water Pollution Control Loan Program for wastewater and stormwater projects
- The Public Water Supply Loan Program for drinking water projects.
- Learn more about Wastewater/Stormwater and Drinking Water Loans
- Distribute funding for various types of diesel emission reduction projects involving on-road vehicles, off-road equipment, and electric charging.
- Learn more about Driving a Cleaner Illinois
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) – Rural Development (RD)
- Offers direct loans, loan guarantees, and grants to develop or improve essential public services and facilities in communities across rural America.
- Funds can be used to construct, expand or improve facilities that provide health care, education, public safety, and public services. Projects include fire and rescue stations, village and town halls, health care clinics, hospitals, adult and child care centers, assisted living facilities, rehabilitation centers, public buildings, schools, libraries, and many other community-based initiatives.
- Learn more about Community Facilities Grant and Loan Program
- Provides funding for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage to households and businesses in towns with populations less than 10,000.
- Learn more about Water & Waste Disposal Loans and Grants
Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT)
- SRTS uses a multidisciplinary approach to improve conditions for students who walk or bike to school. SRTS funds infrastructure and non-infrastructure improvements. Projects are funded at 80 percent with a 20 percent local match required.
- Learn more about Safe Routes to Schools Program (SRTS)
- Additional state funding is being set-aside for projects in the categories of bike and pedestrian facilities as well as the conversion of abandoned railroad corridors to trails.
- Local agencies may be eligible for state funds to be used towards their match of federal funds.
- An Interactive GIS map will be used to determine the My Community Map score.
- Learn more about Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP)
United States Department of Justice
- To reimburse states, counties, federally recognized tribes, cities, and local jurisdictions up to 50% of the cost of body armor vests purchased for law enforcement officers
- Learn more about Bulletproof Vests Program (BPV)
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Assistance for Firefighters Grants Programs
- Supports projects that enhance the safety of the public and firefighters from fire and related hazards.
- Learn more about Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) Grants
- Help firefighters and other first responders obtain critically needed resources necessary for protecting the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards.
- Learn more about Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG)
- Funds fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations directly to help them increase capacity in their communities.
- Learn more about Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grants (SAFER)
Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA)/(FEMA)
Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grants (HMA)
- Available grants to state and local governments and eligible private, non-profit organizations to implement cost-effective and long-term mitigation measures following a major disaster declaration.
- Learn more about Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP)
- Support states, local communities, tribes and territories as they undertake hazard mitigation projects, reducing the risks they face from disasters and natural hazards.
- Learn more about Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC)
- A cost-share program (75% federal, 25% local match) through which communities can receive grants for the development of a comprehensive flood mitigation plan and the implementation of flood mitigation projects.
- Learn more about Flood Mitigation Assistance Program (FMA)
Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)
- State-financed grant program that provides funding assistance to local government agencies for acquisition and/or development of land for public parks and open space.
- Learn more about Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Program (OSLAD)
- Grant program that provides up to 50% funding assistance to eligible, local units of government to acquire land for public outdoor recreation areas
- Learn more about Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)
- Funding assistance to local units of government for the acquisition and/or construction/renovation of approved public boat, including canoe, access areas in Illinois.
- Learn more about Boat Access Area Development Program (BAAD)
- Provides grants to eligible local governments for projects that develop or rehabilitate bike paths and/or acquire land for bike path development.
- Learn more about Illinois Bicycle Path Program
- Program for any unit of local government located in a region of Illinois with sufficient snow cover and having statutory authority to acquire and develop lands for public park and recreation purposes.
- Learn more about Snowmobile Grant Program
- Financial aid to government agencies, not-for-profit organizations, and other eligible groups or individuals to develop, operate, maintain, and acquire land for off-highway vehicle parks and trails. Facilities must be open and accessible to the public. Can also help restore areas damaged by unauthorized OHV use.
- Learn more about Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Grant Program
- Provides funding assistance for acquisition, development, rehabilitation and maintenance of both motorized and non-motorized recreation trails.
- Learn more about Recreational Trails Grant Program (RTP)
Public Library Construction Grant Program Illinois State Library
- Funded by an annual state legislative appropriation, assists public libraries with construction costs in their facilities.
- Awarded based on recommendations from a statewide committee following a review process. Local money is matched by state grants, except for Mini-Grants.
- Learn more about Live and Learn Construction Grant Program
- Funded by the sale of state bonds, assists public libraries with construction costs in their facilities.
- Learn more about Public Library Construction Act Grant Program