Illinois grants
Grants for Illinois nonprofits, small businesses, schools and towns: state programs first, then national programs you can apply for from Illinois.
- 3 open
- 2 rolling
- 0 upcoming
- Next deadline December 3, 2026
Small business grants in Illinois
- Closes03 DEC
North Central SARE Farmer Rancher Grant
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education · Small businesses, Individuals
Grants for farmers and ranchers in the 12 North Central states to test sustainable practices on their own operations: up to $15,000 for one farmer, $30,000 for a team.
- Closes07 DEC
Small Business Digital Ready grants
Verizon · Small businesses
$10,000 grants for U.S. for-profit small businesses that take free courses or events on Verizon's Digital Ready platform. Ten businesses are picked each month.
- Closes09 DEC
Illinois Grocery Initiative: New Stores in Food Deserts
State of Illinois · Small businesses, Nonprofits, Local governments
Reimburses capital and startup costs for opening grocery stores in Illinois food deserts.
Grants for nonprofits in Illinois
- Closes31 OCT
New World Screwworm direct support grant
ASPCA · Nonprofits
Emergency ASPCA grants for preventing and treating screwworm in dogs, cats and horses, part of up to $500,000 in funding.
- Closes13 NOV
TD Charitable Foundation regional grants
TD Bank · Nonprofits
Grants of $5,000 and up for nonprofits in TD Bank's footprint, decided in rounds through the year.
- Closes29 NOV
Cities Deliver: AI Solutions for Public Services
Rockefeller Foundation · Nonprofits
Grants of $500,000 to $2 million for nonprofits working with a city government to pilot or expand an AI tool for public services, with the OpenAI Foundation.
Grants for teachers in Illinois
- Closes31 DEC
Spark Good Local Grants
Walmart · Nonprofits, Schools, Local governments, Churches
Cash grants from a local Walmart store, Sam's Club or distribution center for projects that serve the same community.
- ApplyANYTIME
ALDI Community Gift Card Program
ALDI · Nonprofits, Schools
ALDI gift cards for local 501(c)(3) nonprofits and schools working on children's education, arts, athletics or food insecurity. Its larger Impact Grants are by invitation.
- ApplyANYTIME
Beyond Words disaster relief for school libraries
Dollar General · Schools, Libraries
Help for K-12 public school libraries rebuilding after a natural disaster, fire or act of terrorism.
Illinois and regional programs
- Closes03 DEC
North Central SARE Farmer Rancher Grant
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education · Small businesses, Individuals
Grants for farmers and ranchers in the 12 North Central states to test sustainable practices on their own operations: up to $15,000 for one farmer, $30,000 for a team.
- Closes03 DEC
North Central SARE Research and Education Grant
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education · Colleges, Nonprofits
Up to $250,000 for research and outreach on sustainable agriculture in the North Central region; starts with a preproposal.
- Closes09 DEC
Illinois Grocery Initiative: New Stores in Food Deserts
State of Illinois · Small businesses, Nonprofits, Local governments
Reimburses capital and startup costs for opening grocery stores in Illinois food deserts.
- ApplyANYTIME
Illinois CDBG Economic Development Program
State of Illinois · Local governments
Rolling CDBG money for non-metro Illinois communities to help private businesses create or keep full-time jobs.
- ApplyANYTIME
Illinois Economic Empowerment Centers
State of Illinois · Nonprofits
Awards of $250,000 to $500,000 to organizations running centers that help small businesses grow in underserved Illinois communities.
- Closed30 SEP
Chicago Community Impact Grants
McDonald's · Nonprofits
Project grants of $50,000 to $200,000 for Chicago nonprofits on youth job readiness and food access; up to 25 grants.
National grants open in Illinois
Company, foundation and federal programs open to organizations in any state.
- Closes31 OCT
New World Screwworm direct support grant
ASPCA · Nonprofits
Emergency ASPCA grants for preventing and treating screwworm in dogs, cats and horses, part of up to $500,000 in funding.
- Closes13 NOV
TD Charitable Foundation regional grants
TD Bank · Nonprofits
Grants of $5,000 and up for nonprofits in TD Bank's footprint, decided in rounds through the year.
- Closes29 NOV
Cities Deliver: AI Solutions for Public Services
Rockefeller Foundation · Nonprofits
Grants of $500,000 to $2 million for nonprofits working with a city government to pilot or expand an AI tool for public services, with the OpenAI Foundation.
- Closes07 DEC
Small Business Digital Ready grants
Verizon · Small businesses
$10,000 grants for U.S. for-profit small businesses that take free courses or events on Verizon's Digital Ready platform. Ten businesses are picked each month.
- Closes31 DEC
Spark Good Local Grants
Walmart · Nonprofits, Schools, Local governments, Churches
Cash grants from a local Walmart store, Sam's Club or distribution center for projects that serve the same community.
- Closes05 FEB
GroMoreGood Grassroots Grant
KidsGardening · Nonprofits, Schools, Local governments, Colleges
Garden grants for nonprofits, school districts, colleges and public bodies whose garden serves at least 15 young people.
- ApplyANYTIME
ALDI Community Gift Card Program
ALDI · Nonprofits, Schools
ALDI gift cards for local 501(c)(3) nonprofits and schools working on children's education, arts, athletics or food insecurity. Its larger Impact Grants are by invitation.
- ApplyANYTIME
Amber Grant
WomensNet · Small businesses
Monthly grants for women-owned businesses in the U.S. and Canada, with a larger year-end grant, from WomensNet. One short application covers every grant.
- ApplyANYTIME
Beyond Words disaster relief for school libraries
Dollar General · Schools, Libraries
Help for K-12 public school libraries rebuilding after a natural disaster, fire or act of terrorism.
- ApplyANYTIME
Community Possible grants
U.S. Bank · Nonprofits
U.S. Bank Foundation grants for work, home and play: workforce and small business programs, housing, and arts and recreation in its markets.
- ApplyANYTIME
Costco charitable giving
Costco · Nonprofits
Cash donations to 501(c)(3) organizations working on children, education, and health and human services where Costco does business.
- ApplyANYTIME
Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation grants
Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation · Local governments, Nonprofits
Lifesaving equipment and resources for fire departments, EMS, police and other public safety organizations, awarded every quarter.
- ApplyANYTIME
Good Sports equipment grants
Good Sports · Nonprofits, Schools
New sports equipment, apparel and footwear for organized youth sports programs in high-need communities; 501(c)(3) status isn't required.
- ApplyANYTIME
Google Ad Grants
Google · Nonprofits
Up to $10,000 a month in Google search ads for qualifying charities, used to promote their own mission, programs and donation pages.
- ApplyANYTIME
Inquiries and open calls
Mellon Foundation · Nonprofits, Colleges, Libraries
Mellon funds the arts, humanities and higher learning, mostly by invitation. Humanities in Place and the Monuments Project take inquiries on a rolling basis.
- ApplyANYTIME
KaBOOM! community-built playspaces
KaBOOM! · Nonprofits, Schools, Local governments
KaBOOM! helps communities plan, design and build a new playground, sports court or nature play area with funding partners, in the metro areas where it is currently taking applicants.
- ApplyANYTIME
Letter of inquiry
W.K. Kellogg Foundation · Nonprofits, Tribes, Schools, Local governments
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation takes letters of inquiry all year for work on children, families and communities, with no fixed cycles.
- ApplyANYTIME
Microsoft for Nonprofits grants
Microsoft · Nonprofits
Donated and discounted software for eligible nonprofits: Microsoft 365 Business Basic, discounted Business Premium, and a $2,000 yearly Azure credit.
- ApplyANYTIME
PetSmart Charities Disaster Response grants
PetSmart Charities · Nonprofits
Grants for animal welfare and human service groups with pet programs responding to state or federally declared disasters.
- ApplyANYTIME
PNC Foundation Grow Up Great grants
PNC · Nonprofits, Schools
Grants for early learning from birth to age five where most children come from low- to moderate-income families, in communities where PNC has a large presence.
Showing 20 of 35, soonest first. The grant finder lists the rest.
Federal grants that reached Illinois in 2025
Awards to Illinois nonprofits and small businesses from October 2024 to September 2025, from USAspending.gov.
| Program | Awarded |
|---|---|
| Head Start 93.600 | $335 million |
| Fossil Energy Research and Development 81.089 | $260 million |
| Health Center Program 93.224 | $91 million |
| Refugee and Entrant Assistance State/Replacement Designee Administered Programs 93.566 | $71 million |
| Aging Research 93.866 | $43 million |
| VA Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program 64.033 | $27 million |
| Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Projects of Regional and National Significance 93.243 | $21 million |
| Innovative Approaches to Literacy; Promise Neighborhoods; Full-Service Community Schools; and Congressionally Directed Spending for Elementary and Secondary Education Community Projects 84.215 | $21 million |
| Recipient | Awarded |
|---|---|
| Institute of Gas Technology | $249 million |
| Rush University Medical Center | $60 million |
| Heartland Human Care Services, INC. | $52 million |
| Start Early | $51 million |
| Ann & Robert H Lurie Childrens Hospital of Chicago | $39 million |
| Metropolitan Family Services | $34 million |
| Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago, INC. | $33 million |
| Chicago Commons Association | $29 million |
| Program | Awarded |
|---|---|
| Office of Science Financial Assistance Program 81.049 | $4.8 million |
| Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships 47.084 | $4.5 million |
| Aging Research 93.866 | $4 million |
| Cardiovascular Diseases Research 93.837 | $4 million |
| Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders 93.853 | $3.5 million |
| Assistance Programs for Chronic Disease Prevention and Control 93.945 | $2.5 million |
| Cancer Treatment Research 93.395 | $2.3 million |
| Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research 93.847 | $2.2 million |
Questions
Are there Illinois grants to start a business?
Grants to start a business are rare in every state. Illinois's programs below mostly help existing businesses (training, exports, expansion) or go through local partners and towns. For startup money, look at the loan programs listed and free advising at a Small Business Development Center.
Where do Illinois nonprofits find state grants?
State agencies post their own grant programs, and the Illinois programs below link to each one. Federal money often reaches Illinois nonprofits through state agencies too: the table of fiscal 2025 awards shows which programs paid out the most.
Do I have to pay to apply for a grant?
No. Real grant programs never charge to apply or to receive an award. Anyone asking for a fee before you get grant money is running a scam.