DuPage County accepts $66.1 million in DCEO workforce grants and approves related training payments

DuPage County board members voted to accept and appropriate multiple grant awards from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) for workforce development and related programs.

Vice Chair Cahill moved to accept FIR 0141‑25, an intergovernmental agreement with DCEO for program year '25 in the amount of $66,140,333 for workforce development; the motion was seconded by Mayor Galassi and carried by voice vote. The board then approved related items including issuance of payments to training providers and youth contracts (FIR 0142‑25) in the amount of $3,425,380 and acceptance of an additional $150,000 for workforce programs (FIR 0143‑25).

The board also approved an Apprenticeship Expansion Grant (FIR 0145‑25) in the amount of $95,000 and related payments to training providers under that grant (FIR 0146‑25) totaling $33,000. Each item was moved and seconded as shown in the meeting record and approved by voice vote.

Why it matters: the combined DCEO awards fund workforce training, youth contracts and apprenticeship expansion in DuPage County, supporting training providers and program operations across the workforce development division.

Process notes: the committee moved to discharge several items from the economic development committee because the funds become effective July 1 and timetables required prompt appropriation. Lisa (staff) explained that the county received the DCEO allocations late and needed to appropriate the dollars as soon as access was obtained.

Next steps: the grants are appropriated to the workforce development division for provider payments and program operations; staff will administer payments to providers and youth contractors according to the grant agreements.