Grantee Resources

What is a grant?  A grant is a way the government funds your ideas and projects to provide public services and stimulate the economy.  Grants support critical recovery initiatives, innovative research, and many other programs for the public good.

All organizations must be pre-qualified to receive a grant from the State of Illinois. The following graphic illustrates the pre-qualification steps to complete.  Visit grants.illinois.gov/portal to create an account for your organization and complete the pre-qualification steps.

More information on the pre-qualification can be found on the State Grantee Portal New User Guide.

Once pre-qualification steps are completed, you can visit the Apply for Funding page to learn about current grant opportunities at DCEO.

DCEO would like you to be a successful grantee by implementing an effective program. Grant requirements may seem complex, but each grantee has their own assigned grant manager to answer questions and more information on managing your grant is below.

The Department administers a wide range of economic and workforce development programs, services and initiatives designed to create and retain high quality jobs and build strong communities. The Department leads the Illinois economic development process in partnership with businesses, local governments, workers and families.

To ensure that your organization achieves your grant program’s goals and you stay in compliance with the grant terms, please be sure to review the entire grant agreement. State of Illinois grant programs follow guidance from the federal government, specifically 2 CFR 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards. Specific rules about grant requirements can be found in 44 IL Admin 7000.