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State economic development rep outlines grants, loans and local workforce supports
Summary
Kayla Lambert of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity gave a regional overview of grants, loan programs, tax credits and workforce partnerships available to Effingham County businesses and local governments, and pointed to CEFS and a new local small-business satellite office as immediate resources.
Kayla Lambert, a regional economic development representative with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, told the Administrative Committee of the Whole that DCEO maintains regional offices and a range of programs to help communities, employers and entrepreneurs access grants, technical assistance and financing. “I’m part of the regional economic development team within DCEO,” Lambert said, describing local contacts and a satellite office that serves Effingham County.
Lambert highlighted grant opportunities including community development and housing-rehab funds, tourism grants, a new revitalization grant, and the grocery initiative aimed at upgrades for smaller stores in food deserts. She said the grocery program is competitive and generally limited to owners with four or fewer stores and that funds are most commonly used for upgrades such as lighting or cooler replacements rather than to purchase an existing business.
She also reviewed loan and incentive tools — including Advantage Illinois lending programs, a loan-guarantee option and the Invent program, which provides venture-type investment — and described tax-credit programs that target manufacturers, renewable-energy companies and semiconductor-related projects (EDGE, REV and MICRO). Lambert noted workforce programs are coordinated locally through CEFS and local workforce partners and pointed committee members to small-business development center services available through a Mattoon office and a local Effingham satellite.
Lambert closed by offering to meet with local officials and business leaders to discuss applications and program fits. The committee did not take formal action on the presentation; members asked about eligibility details for the grocery initiative and other grants.
