State Arts Grants

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is offering the Manufacturing Retention Grant Program. This program is designed to help manufacturing companies maintain their operational presence within Illinois. Its core mission is to encourage businesses to invest in their workforce, facilities, equipment, technologies, and infrastructure, thereby securing existing jobs and fostering economic stability in the state. The program is supported through the Enterprise Fund, administered by DCEO, which typically funds a broad range of economic development projects. The primary beneficiaries of this grant are private for-profit business entities that operate a major manufacturing complex in Bushnell, Illinois, specifically within McDonough County. These companies must have less than 1,000 employees and extensive experience in tool manufacturing. A key eligibility criterion is the requirement to have acquired a tool manufacturing firm in McDonough County with a minimum of 100 full-time equivalent employees. The grant's impact goal is to retain these companies' manufacturing campuses at operating production levels that support at least 100 employees at the Bushnell site. The program prioritizes job retention in Illinois through various investments. Eligible expenses encompass employee payroll for existing employees (including backpay incurred from May 14, 2024), invoices for services, training expenses for existing employees, and significant capital improvements. These improvements include refurbishment or replacement of machinery, equipment, and tooling (e.g., forging hammers, Swiss lathes), facility repairs (e.g., roof repair, electrical upgrades), productivity and innovation initiatives (e.g., robotics reprogramming, induction heat furnaces), and the replenishment of inventory to maintain standard stocking levels for daily production. The expected outcome of the Manufacturing Retention Grant Program is the successful retention of manufacturing operations and a minimum employment level of 100 employees at the Bushnell site. Measurable results will be directly tied to the utilization of the $5,000,000 total funding, with a performance period spanning from September 1, 2024, through August 31, 2026. The DCEO's strategic priority, as evidenced by this program, is to safeguard manufacturing jobs and foster a robust economic environment within Illinois, aligning with a theory of change that posits direct investment in established manufacturing entities will lead to sustained employment and economic growth.

This funding opportunity supports K-12 arts education programs in Georgia, providing financial assistance to schools, nonprofits, libraries, and government agencies to enhance student learning through creative initiatives.

This program provides financial support to individuals, businesses, and organizations in Montana to develop new agricultural products and processes through grants and loans for various project activities.

This program provides financial assistance to Iowa cities for the redevelopment or rehabilitation of underutilized buildings to promote economic growth and community revitalization.

This funding opportunity supports arts and cultural organizations in Ohio that create accessible programming for historically underrepresented communities, including various racial and ethnic groups, with a focus on fostering long-term inclusivity and engagement.

This program provides financial support for artistic events and projects that engage the North Dakota community, targeting individual artists and local nonprofit organizations.

This grant provides financial support to professional artists living in Mississippi, allowing them to further their artistic practice without the constraints of specific project requirements.

This grant provides financial support to place professional artists in community-based after-school and summer programs across Arkansas, enriching the lives of K–12 students through arts education.

This grant provides funding for Wyoming-based master artists to mentor apprentices in traditional art forms, ensuring the preservation and continuation of cultural heritage through hands-on learning experiences.

This program provides operational funding to established nonprofit arts organizations in Kentucky that deliver year-round arts programming to enhance community engagement and cultural enrichment.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to arts organizations in Maine to help cover essential operational costs and strengthen their infrastructure and creative workforce.

This grant provides funding to support intermediate-level artists in New Jersey who wish to deepen their skills in folk and traditional art forms through mentorship and structured learning opportunities.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations in Rhode Island for arts and culture projects that engage and benefit local communities, particularly underserved populations.

This program provides funding to small cultural nonprofit organizations in Oregon to enhance their leadership and operational capacity through targeted development activities.

This funding opportunity supports emerging nonprofit arts organizations in Idaho that provide public arts programming and seek to enhance community engagement and access to the arts.

This program provides funding to designated local arts organizations in North Carolina to expand access to diverse and high-quality arts experiences across all counties in the state.

This grant provides funding for Mississippi-based nonprofit organizations to create public art installations and host free outdoor concerts, fostering community engagement and cultural vibrancy in rural areas.

This grant provides financial support and mentorship to emerging artists in South Carolina to help them develop their artistic practice and advance their careers.

This grant provides financial support to local governments, universities, and nonprofit organizations for preservation projects related to historic properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places in Indiana.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations, tribal governments, and local governments in Oregon for projects that preserve and interpret the state's cultural heritage, particularly those that highlight underrepresented voices and enhance public access to heritage resources.