JERSEYVILLE, Ill. (WAND)- On Wednesday, Governor JB Pritzker announced $31 million in funding from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for site readiness activities at 24 locations statewide, including Decatur, Springfield, Champaign, and other surrounding areas.
The program includes two competitive funding opportunities: Planning grants to support due diligence activities, studies and site plans, and Capital Ready grants to support capital infrastructure improvements.
This funding will support 13 Planning grantees and 11 Capital Ready grantees as they carry out projects to improve sites for future investments and job opportunities in Illinois' industrial sector.
“Readiness planning, assessments, infrastructure improvements – these things are all the fundamental work that must be done for businesses and investments to flourish and jobs to grow across the state,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “In every corner of Illinois, there are communities that are overflowing with untapped potential but do not have the resources and support they needed to fully realize it. Now, standing in front of you, I’m happy to say a whole lot has changed – we are investing in our sites, we are thinking about the future, and we are growing economic development across the state.”
The Regional Site Readiness Program, guided by Illinois' 2024 Economic Growth Plan, aims to assist municipalities, local economic development organizations, and landowners in gathering information and making improvements to attract industrial businesses to their communities.
“These site readiness grants are more than infrastructure projects—they're investments in people, potential, and the future of our communities,” said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. “When we invest strategically and locally, we create new opportunities, strengthen economies, and drive transformative growth."
DCEO is investing in industrial site readiness for sites over 50 acres across the state through competitive grants. A local match is required for each grant as part of the total project cost.
A full list of grant recipients are listed below:
Capital Ready Grants Program Recipients:
Grantee | Region
| Award | Project Description |
City of Decatur | Central
| $2,918,000 | Water main extension for 190-acre site |
City of Lockport | Northeast
| $3,000,000 | Water and sewer infrastructure for 140-acre STAR Innovation District |
Chicago Department of Transportation | Northeast | $3,000,000 | Road infrastructure on Burley Avenue for 66-acre site |
City of Marengo | Northeast
| $3,000,000 | Water and sewer infrastructure to 138-acre site |
City of Rockford
| Northern Stateline | $2,428,000 | Road and water infrastructure to 132-acre site |
City of Belvidere
| Northern Stateline | $2,974,912 | Sewer extension to 137-acre site |
Jo-Carroll Depot Local Redevelopment Authority | Northwest
| $3,000,000 | Energy infrastructure for 400-acre site at the Savanna Industrial Park |
City of Mattoon | Southeast
| $2,357,920 | Substation improvements for 74-acres at Mattoon Enterprise Park |
City of Effingham | Southeast
| $3,000,000 | Water, sewer and road extensions to 150-acre site |
City of Vandalia
| Southeast | $3,000,000 | Road and water improvements for 97-acres at Vandalia Industrial Park |
City of Red Bud | Southwest
| $929,046 | Road infrastructure for 50-acre site at the Red Bud Business Park |
Planning Grants Program Recipients:
Grantee | Region
| Award | Project Description |
Springfield Airport Authority | Central
| $147,600 | Mapping and drainage study for 116-acres at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport |
City of Decatur | Central
| $149,500 | Water infrastructure study for 80-acre site. |
Champaign County Economic Development Corporation | East Central
| $150,000 | Wastewater engineering study for 301-acres at Apollo Industrial Park |
Greater Livingston County Economic Development Council | North Central
| $35,168 | Environmental due diligence for 362-acres at MegaSite USA |
Village of Coal City
| Northeast | $120,000 | Environmental due diligence and site design for 635-acre site |
City of Harvard | Northeast
| $144,110 | Environmental due diligence and feasibility study for 218-acre site |
Greater Freeport Partnership | Northern Stateline
| $144,000 | Engineering, due diligence, and land use planning for 68-acre site |
City of Ottawa | Northwest
| $118,696 | Environmental due diligence and option preparation for 258-acres
|
City of East Moline | Northwest
| $128,000 | Environmental due diligence and hydrology study for 615-acres |
Crawford County Development Association | Southeast
| $143,978 | Environmental due diligence and site design for 123-acres |
City of Metropolis | Southern | $150,000 | Environmental due diligence and site design for 237-acres at Metropolis Industrial Park |
Jerseyville Economic Development Council, Inc | Southwest
| $100,000 | Preparation of option documents for 500 acres |
City of Greenville
| Southwest
| $150,000 | Environmental due diligence and site design for 484-acres at Kelsey Park
|
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