CHICAGO – State Senator Patricia Van Pelt (D-Chicago) joined Gov. Pritzker and members of the Black, Latino and Asian Caucuses to announce new grants that will help businesses that have faced extreme hardship due to COVID-19-related closures.

“Many business owners fear that they have suffered past the point of recovery because they have done the right thing and closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” Van Pelt said. “But I am hopeful that these grants will help alleviate that damage and ensure these local businesses can look forward to a day when this crisis is behind us.”

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is directing the Business Interruption Grants (BIG) program, which allocates $636 million toward new grant initiatives. The first round of BIG grants is valued at $60 million and aims to offset the costs that businesses acquired during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as recent civil unrest. Grants are broken down by type of business as follows:

• Businesses in Disproportionately Impacted Areas (DIAs) with Recent Significant Property Damage
  • 1,000 grants of $20,000.
• Bars and Restaurants
  • 1,000 grants of $20,000.
  • 50% of grants will go to businesses in DIAs.
• Barbershops and Salons
  • 1,000 grants of $10,000.
  • 50% of grants will go to businesses in DIAs.
• Fitness Centers
  • 500 grants of $20,000.
  • 30% of grants will go to businesses in DIAs.

Applications for these programs will open Monday, June 22 on the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) website and will remain open for 7-14 days. One week after the application period closes, grant administration partners will begin reaching out to recipients.