Illinois grants

Illinois Small Business Grants 2026

Browse open Illinois grant programs for small businesses, nonprofits, and founders in 2026, sorted by award size with deadlines and eligibility.

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Forrest Grants

Funding is hiding in plain sight.

From Chicago, Springfield, and Peoria to rural Illinois, Forrest Grants tracks state, county, city, and foundation programs so you can shortlist the ones worth a real application.

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Forrest Grant keeps the list clean, relevant, and pointed at programs worth a real application.

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Grants in IL

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Browse open Illinois grant programs for small businesses, nonprofits, and founders in 2026, sorted by award size with deadlines and eligibility. Use this page as your shortlist, then jump into the intake wizard so Forrest can narrow the list to the programs you are most likely to win.

ILRolling

Gear2Give Sports Equipment Donations

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Gear2Give

Award Amount

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chicagoschools

Illinois Small Business Grants 2026

Funding is hiding in plain sight.

High-intent funding opportunities

Where to focus first

Gear2Give Sports Equipment Donations

IDHS Mental Health Grants — FY2025

Advantage Illinois — State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI)

Native American Chamber of Commerce of Illinois Business Support

Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs Veterans Entrepreneurship Resources

Illinois 4-H Entrepreneurship Programming

Business Enterprise Program (BEP) Certification — Food Service Businesses

IDFPR Adult Use Cannabis Dispensary Licensing

Illinois STEP (ISTEP) Program

Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) — Nonprofit Assistance

High Impact Business Program Manufacturing Incentives

Illinois Business Enterprise Program Certification for Businesses Owned by Persons with Disabilities

Illinois APEX Accelerator — Government Contracting for Transportation Businesses

IDOT Rail Freight Loan Program

Cook County Small Business Source Capital Referral Layer

Community Solar Energy Sovereignty Grant Program (CEJA)

Illinois Small Business Development Centers (SBDC)

Illinois Assistive Technology Program Device Loan Program

Sports For All Equipment Access Program

ExporTech

SCORE Small Business Mentoring for Encore Entrepreneurs

Blue Collar Jobs Act Tax Credit

Fortivus Foundation Youth Sports Support

WBDC Access to Capital and Direct Lending

Advancing the Development of Minority Entrepreneurship

EDGE Tax Credit — Clean Energy and Growing Economy

Restore, Reinvest, Renew (R3) Program — Service Delivery Grants

Small Business Set-Aside Program

Cook County Manufacturing Reinvented

Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council MBE Certification

Indianpreneurship

Illinois Local Food Infrastructure Grant Program

Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce SBDC

USO Illinois Transitions

Chicago Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF)

Northwestern Garage Jumpstart Pre-Accelerator

Illinois State Black Chamber of Commerce Business Support

Illinois Veterans Business Program Certification

Energy Transition Community / Zion Grant Program (CEJA)

Illinois Arts Council Agency — Creative Learning Grants for Schools

Illinois Department of Agriculture Marketing and Promotion Grants

Business Enterprise Program (BEP) Certification — Transportation Firms

SBA Office of Native American Affairs Entrepreneurial Support

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