Economic Empowerment Centers (EEC) Grant Program
DCEO grants for organizations providing business training, advising and related services to underserved Illinois entrepreneurs. FY26-1 (NOFO 3226-4281) accepts applications through November 6, 2026 at 5 p.m. Chicago time.
Check an Address — Free Snapshot
Explore location-based incentives alongside Economic Empowerment Centers (EEC) Grant Program. This program requires a separate review of its business or project requirements.
Published criteria — confirm with Illinois DCEO Office of Economic Equity & Empowerment
- Applicant must operate in Illinois and serve eligible Illinois businesses or entrepreneurs
- Applicant must be a career education agency or nonprofit organization delivering business-support services
Economic Empowerment Centers (EEC) Grant Program is administered at the state level. Depending on the program, eligibility may depend on the specific location, property type, or business activity rather than a single drawn boundary.
Boundaries are precise and change over time, so whether a specific address falls inside a mapped zone always depends on that exact address. The fastest way to check is to run a free snapshot for the parcel you have in mind — mapped coverage is a location signal, not an eligibility determination.
Range on file · $250,000-$500,000
Current published terms as of 2026-10-09
- +$250,000-$500,000 grant awards
- +Supports business advising, cohort training, mentorship, outreach, and other enterprise-building services
- +Designed to strengthen inclusive business ecosystems in communities facing systemic barriers to entry and growth
Application timing can change. Verify current availability and instructions with the administering agency before relying on this program.
Verify current status on the official source- Mission statement
- Articles of incorporation
- Organizational chart
- Project location photo and CDFI Map Area documentation, if applicable
- Uniform application and uniform budget
- Mandatory disclosure and conflict of interest disclosure
This page is a starting point, not eligibility, legal, or tax advice. Verify current requirements, deadlines, and boundaries with the administering agency before applying or spending money — program rules and funding change over time.
- State grant pre-qualification — Illinois DCEO / GATA
DCEO notes that entities must be pre-qualified for the application to be considered.
- Phone
- (217) 782-7500
- Web
- Visit site ↗
Last verified 2026-10-09
Federal Opportunity Zone incentive: investors who reinvest capital gains through a Qualified Opportunity Fund into a designated zone receive tax reductions scaled to how long the investment is held. Illinois' current zones remain active for investment; a new round of IL-nominated zones takes effect January 1, 2027 under OZ 2.0.
Illinois Enterprise Zones offer state and local tax incentives to stimulate economic growth in economically depressed areas, including sales tax exemptions on building materials, utility tax exemptions, and investment tax credits.
The Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) program provides Illinois income tax credits against state withholding for businesses that create or retain jobs. Amended by HB2755 / P.A. 104-0006 (June 2025) to expand withholding-credit elections and require 10-day public posting of EDGE agreement terms.
REV Illinois (Reimagining Electric Vehicles in Illinois) provides project-by-project tax credits for businesses in the electric vehicle and renewable energy supply chain. Negotiated with DCEO across four investment/job tiers.