ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
Downstate Small Business Stabilization Program
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To support small businesses in downstate and rural counties across Illinois, DCEO is repurposing $20 million in CDBG funds to stand up the Downstate Small Business Stabilization Program. This Fund will offer small businesses of up to 50 employees the opportunity to partner with their local governments to obtain grants of up to $25,000 in working capital. These grants will be offered on a rolling basis.
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Who is eligible?
Local governments can apply on behalf of businesses with 50 employees or less. Only units of local government recognized by the Illinois Constitution and able to support economic development activities on a sufficient scale are eligible to apply for Economic Development grant funding. This includes cities, villages, and counties. Municipalities must not be a HUD direct Entitlement community or be located in an urban county that receives "entitlement" funds. A map of eligible areas of the state can be accessed here, see “Staff Contact Information.”
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INELIGIBLE COMMUNITIES
Communities receiving an annual allocation directly from HUD on an entitlement (formula) basis are not eligible to apply for the State’s CDBG funding. In 2019, Illinois had 33 metropolitan cities and eight urban counties named as Entitlements. They are:
Urban Counties
Cook County Madison County
DuPage County McHenry County
Kane County St. Clair County
Lake County Will County
Metropolitan Cities
Arlington Heights DeKalb Mount Prospect Rantoul
Aurora Des Plaines Naperville Rockford
Berwyn Elgin Normal Rock Island
Bloomington Evanston Oak Lawn Schaumburg
Champaign Hoffman Estates Oak Park Skokie
Chicago Joliet Palatine Springfield
Cicero Kankakee Pekin Urbana
Danville Moline Peoria Waukegan
​ Decatur
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What can grants be used for?
Grants can be used to support working capital.
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How do businesses apply?
Businesses in the eligible areas should work with their local governments to submit applications. Application materials will be posted to the DCEO website on Friday, March 27, 2020.
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How much money is available?
Grants of up to $25,000 per business will be available.
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How soon will businesses receive funds?
DCEO’s goal is to execute grants within 30 days of application receipt, after which funds will be accessible.
The Village of Neponset will be waiving the late fees or penalties for non-payment or late payment of Water/Sewer/Garbage bills for the April 2020 payment due 4/15/2020.
We understand that COVID-19 has impacted many of our customers financially, and we are doing our part to ease that burden. Those who are working and able to pay their utility fees are asked to please do in order to help the Village meet our obligations, which include managing operations, paying employees, paying bills and all of the other working parts that go into operating the utility systems we provide.
Since we have no way to know which households are impacted and which one aren’t, we are working on the honor system. If you can make your payment you may do so via the drop box at the Village office. If you are unable to make your payment, please contact the Village off 309-594-2201, Before 4/15/2020 to set up a payment schedule.