Skokie, IL (CHAMBANA TODAY) – Governor JB Pritzker announced nearly $10 million in new state funding Monday to support 47 small businesses across Illinois through the Small Business Capital and Infrastructure Grant Program. The announcement, made at Soul Good Coffee in Skokie alongside business owners, legislators, and community leaders, highlights the state’s ongoing effort to uplift very small businesses and those owned by historically underrepresented groups.

According to the Governor, the investment comes at a critical moment for small businesses facing financial pressure and rising costs. “From corner stores to cafes to burgeoning manufacturers, small businesses are the job creators at the heart of the Illinois economy and are the pride of our communities,” Pritzker said. “This round of grants will reach small businesses in communities across Illinois, supporting the hard work, creativity, and passion of entrepreneurs and their employees. Now is an especially important time for us to uplift small businesses, and Illinois remains laser-focused on an agenda that fights back against tariffs and helps grow our entrepreneurial environment.”

Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton emphasized the essential role that local businesses play in communities statewide. “People across Illinois have poured their hearts into the small businesses that line our main streets,” Stratton said. “They not only keep our local economies thriving, but they also create gathering places, strengthen community pride, and draw visitors. These grants recognize the vital role small businesses play in our state and represent an investment in their successes and in a bright future for communities across Illinois.”

The program, established by Pritzker in 2019, is designed to help small businesses overcome financial challenges and invest in long-term growth through capital improvements. This year’s funding will support projects that include land and building acquisition, site improvements, structural additions, durable equipment purchases, and operational upgrades.

The Governor linked the need for support to pressures facing small businesses at the national level. “This critical funding supports Illinois small businesses in a time of economic uncertainty, with the Trump Administration’s tariffs driving up costs, straining small businesses, and stifling economic growth,” the statement read. Officials also noted that prolonged federal disruptions, including the “longest government shutdown in American history,” delayed small business loans across the country.

DCEO Director Kristin Richards said the program provides crucial help to local employers. “The Small Business Capital and Infrastructure Grant Program is an essential part of DCEO’s efforts to bolster our state’s local economies,” Richards said. “This funding will ensure small businesses across the state have access to critical resources to improve operational efficiency, support infrastructure investment, and create jobs for hardworking Illinoisans.”

The businesses selected this cycle include those owned by Socially Economically Disadvantaged Individuals (SEDI) with up to 25 full-time employees and Very Small Businesses (VSBs) with fewer than 10 employees. Applications were evaluated through a competitive Notice of Funding Opportunity prioritizing businesses in Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Investment Areas and proposals focused on economic revitalization, job creation, or community engagement.

At the announcement, local lawmakers praised the program and highlighted the significance of choosing Soul Good Coffee as the host site. State Senator Laura Fine said, “Soul Good Coffee reflects the very best of Skokie and our state — entrepreneurs who pour their talent, culture, and creativity into a small business that serves their neighbors. I’m grateful to Governor Pritzker for uplifting entrepreneurs through the Small Business Capital and Infrastructure Grant Program—because when we help local businesses grow, we strengthen the heart of our communities. I’m proud to celebrate this opening and the investment in Skokie’s future.”

State Senator Ram Villivalam added, “I am excited to support small businesses in our communities through grants that uplift historically underrepresented groups and ensure opportunities continue to be available to our neighbors. I look forward to seeing the positive impact this funding has on our communities.”

State Representative Kevin Olickal emphasized the importance of supporting local entrepreneurs during uncertain economic times. “Small businesses like Soul Good Coffee are vital to our economy and community as places that not only provide jobs, good food and service, but places that also bring people together,” Olickal said. “At a time when the Trump administration destabilizes the economy with long shutdowns and tariffs, it is extremely important that small businesses get the boosts they need, and we’re really grateful for this grant program enacted by Governor Pritzker that will ensure businesses like these can continue to thrive.”

State Representative Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz also underscored the challenges created by federal policy decisions. “We’re here at Soul Good Coffee because this is exactly the kind of local business Illinois should be uplifting and helping to grow,” she said. “The tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration are bad policy — they inject uncertainty into the economy, drive up costs for small businesses, and make it harder for entrepreneurs to plan, invest, and succeed. Programs like this grant are smart, fiscally responsible investments that create stability, strengthen local economies, and build a stronger future for our state by supporting the businesses at the heart of our communities.”

47 projects to receive state grants aimed at strengthening operations, supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs, and revitalizing local economiesThe full list of grant recipients can be found here: Capital and Infrastructure Grant Recipients.xlsx.