SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The state of Illinois is set to grant another round of funding to help small businesses get off the ground.
Governor JB Pritzker announced the state will allocate $4.2 million to Small Business Development Centers.
SBDCs purport to provide information, guidance, training and other resources to small businesses and to aspiring entrepreneurs.
The state defines a small business as any entity that employs under 500 people.
“We’ve been extremely successful [with the SBDC program],” said Kristi Dula, Deputy Director of the Office of Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology.
Dula said there are 35 centers across the state. Universities, community colleges, chambers of commerce, and business-focused not-for-profit organizations can apply for funding, though funding is not guaranteed to be granted.
“We take the lay of the landscape throughout the state and see what funding would be available so we can have coverage.
“It’s a competitive grant process.”
Dula said Bradley University is Peoria’s resident SBDC.
Applicants can receive anywhere from $80,000 to $500,000.
Oct. 25 was set as the deadline to apply.
Applications can be filed here:
https://www2.illinois.gov/dceo/AboutDCEO/GATA/Pages/83-1249.aspx
