The State of Illinois has been handing out Business Interuption Grants to state businesses since early September. The first round of grants were released on September 8th totaling $46 million going to 2,655 businesses around the state. The first round issued grants in the size of either $10,000 or $20,000 to help businesses with rent, utilities and making payroll. In the first round of grants, more than 5,000 businesses applied for grants and the awards were based on an alleged random lottery by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The money for the grant program comes from the state’s portion of the federal CARES Act.
The second round of BIG grants were issued earlier this month, totaling $220 million that were issued on October 29th to 1,238 businesses. Awards in this round ranged from $5,000 to $150,000 with the majority of awards going to disproportionately impacted areas determined by DCEO or minority-owned businesses.
BIG has also issued childcare grants totaling $150 million through the Illinois Department of Human Services and DCEO on September 22nd to over 4,600 individual family child care homes, group child care homes, and child care centers across the state.
Businesses in the listening area receiving the BIG grants have been minimal. 16 businesses received a total of $280,000 in the first round of grants, and 5 received $110,000 in the second round. Childcare entities fared much better with 45 entities receiving a little over $628,000.
| Round 1 BIG Grants | City | County | Amount |
| 88 Bar & Grill “The Nook” | Beardstown | Cass | $20,000 |
| Tysons Diner | Beardstown | Cass | $20,000 |
| Sportsman’s | Mt. Sterling | Brown | $20,000 |
| Lone Oak Golf Course | Carrollton | Greene | $20,000 |
| 3rd Base | Greenfield | Greene | $20,000 |
| Sonneborn’s Old No. 7 | Palmyra | Macoupin | $10,000 |
| AMVETS Post 100 | Jacksonville | Morgan | $20,000 |
| Fitness World | Jacksonville | Morgan | $20,000 |
| Inner Harmony | Jacksonville | Morgan | $10,000 |
| Anytime Fitness | Jacksonville | Morgan | $20,000 |
| Bob Freesen YMCA | Jacksonville | Morgan | $20,000 |
| Riverbank | Pittsfield | Pike | $20,000 |
| Benderz | Auburn | Sangamon | $10,000 |
| Turasky’s Catering | New Berling | Sangamon | $20,000 |
| Toad Stool, Inc. | Rushville | Schuyler | $20,000 |
| Donohoo Diversified Enterprises | Winchester | Scott | $10,000 |
| Round 2 BIG Grants | City | County | Amount |
| Round House Center | Beardstown | Cass | $15,000 |
| Cagle’s Depot | Virginia | Cass | $25,000 |
| Sportabouts Tumbling & Trampoline | Virden | Macoupin | $5,000 |
| Cors Lighting | Jacksonville | Morgan | $60,000 |
| Taking the Leap | Rushville | Schuyler | $5,000 |
| BIG Childcare Grants | City | County | Amount |
| Jessica A. Ham | Mt. Sterling | Brown | $2,426 |
| Lora M. Llewellyn | Mt. Sterling | Brown | $2,715 |
| Jennifer R. Ratliff | Ashland | Cass | $3,696 |
| Jenna M. Schnitker | Arenzville | Cass | $3,696 |
| Virginia Community Daycare Center | Virginia | Cass | $21,780 |
| Country Day Preschool III | Carrollton | Greene | $17,820 |
| Early Beginnings | White Hall | Greene | $22,275 |
| Heather McEvers | Greenfield | Greene | $3,696 |
| Cynthia Terfertiller | Carrollton | Greene | $3,696 |
| Stephanie Barham | Girard | Macoupin | $3,696 |
| Care-O-Sel | Virden | Macoupin | $42,301 |
| Sharon M. Pierson | Girard | Macoupin | $3,696 |
| Kristi L. Smith | Girard | Macoupin | $3,696 |
| Bright Beginnings Child Care | South Jacksonville | Morgan | $36,135 |
| Educational Day Care Center | Jacksonville | Morgan | $36,630 |
| Pamela L. Elliott | Jacksonville | Morgan | $3,696 |
| Jennifer L. Lindgren | Franklin | Morgan | $3,696 |
| Melissa A. Naeve | Jacksonville | Morgan | $3,696 |
| Pamela S. Nichols | Jacksonville | Morgan | $3,696 |
| Our Redeemer Daycare Center | Jacksonville | Morgan | $59,895 |
| Jennifer Pierson | Jacksonville | Morgan | $3,696 |
| Presbyterian Church Daycare | Jacksonville | Morgan | $67,650 |
| Jaime Teel | Waverly | Morgan | $3,696 |
| Melissa J. Zoerner | South Jacksonville | Morgan | $3,696 |
| Hannah E. Capps | Pittsfield | Pike | $3,696 |
| Christina D. Collins | Pittsfield | Pike | $3,696 |
| Debra L. Graham | Pittsfield | Pike | $3,696 |
| Johnann Snyder | Barry | Pike | $3,581 |
| Sharon E. Springer | Pittsfield | Pike | $5,891 |
| Shaun T. Taylor | Pittsfield | Pike | $3,696 |
| Morgan M. White | Pleasant Hill | Pike | $3,696 |
| Auburn Child Care | Auburn | Sangamon | $49,857 |
| Monica D. Garrett | Auburn | Sangamon | $3,960 |
| Kountry Kids Learning Center | New Berlin | Sangamon | $76,500 |
| Constancee Price | Auburn | Sangamon | $3,960 |
| Purple Puppy Nursery School | Auburn | Sangamon | $25,675 |
| Sheila M. Rothert | Auburn | Sangamon | $3,960 |
| Jessica L. Waterkotte | Auburn | Sangamon | $3,960 |
| Amanda L. Boyd | Rushville | Schuyler | $4,068 |
| Elizabeth E. Boyd | Rushville | Schuyler | $4,068 |
| Kountry Kids Learning Center | Rushville | Schuyler | $48,279 |
| Renda R. & Scott T. Wallace | Rushville | Schuyler | $4,473 |
| Jayla L. Pennell | Winchester | Scott | $3,696 |
| Amy J. Smith | Winchester | Scott | $3,696 |
| Tamera S. Welch | Bluffs | Scott | $3,696 |
The state is currently accepting another round of BIG applicants for approximately $175 million that remains in the program. In this round, DCEO says it is prioritizing hardest hit industries such as performing arts and entertainment venues, event spaces as well as restaurants and taverns; industries effected by mitigations; downstate communities; the 176 disproportionately impacted areas determined by DCEO; minority-owned businesses; and licensed child care service providers. Information and the application link can be found here.