Invest in Cook — Transportation Grant Program
Annual $8.5M grant program from Cook County DOTH funding planning, engineering, ROW, and construction for transportation projects. Private organizations may participate as partners to a public sponsor. 10th round closed March 2026.
Check an Address — Free Snapshot
Compare the geocoded point for a Chicago address with the boundary used to screen Invest in Cook — Transportation Grant Program. A match is a location signal; review the current program source for the boundary's role and remaining criteria.
Published criteria — confirm with Cook County DOTH
- Transportation project in Cook County
- Public infrastructure or sponsored private project
Invest in Cook — Transportation Grant Program is administered at the county 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 · Grant award sized to project (program total $8.5M/year)
Most recently published round offered Grant award sized to project (program total $8.5M/year). (No round currently open as of 2026-08-09.)
- +$8.5M annual program total
- +Funds planning, feasibility, engineering, ROW, and construction
- +Covers transit, bike/ped, freight, roadway, and bridge work
- +Aligns projects with Connecting Cook County long-range plan
- 1Watch for the annual call (typically opens January)
- 2Identify a public sponsor if a private organization
- 3Submit application demonstrating alignment with Connecting Cook County priorities
- 4Awards announced after committee review
Visit cookcountyil.gov/investincook for next call schedule
- Project description and scope
- Budget and matching funds (if any)
- Public sponsor letter (for private applicants)
- Plan-consistency documentation
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.
- Phone
- (312) 603-1601
- Web
- Visit site ↗
Last verified 2026-08-09
Cook County reduces property tax assessments for small commercial projects to encourage new construction, substantial rehabilitation, or reoccupancy of abandoned commercial buildings.
The Catalyst Grant provides up to $100,000 to established small businesses in Cook County for equipment, facilities, and hiring — funded through ARPA dollars.
C-PACE provides up to 100% upfront financing from private capital for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and water conservation improvements to commercial buildings, repaid through property tax bills.
Free one-on-one business advising through 13 Business Support Organizations and 30+ referral partners. No cost, no eligibility requirements beyond being in Cook County.