DCEOArchive for the ‘’ Category

Pritzker Administration Awards 50 BIG Grants for Businesses in CU Area

First Wave of Business Interruption Grants Released to 2,655 Small Businesses, Including More Than 50 Percent Minority-Owned and Businesses Hit Hardest by COVID-19 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday August 13, 2020

CHAMPAIGN-URBANA – Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) today visited the Champaign-Urbana area to announce $46 million in small business grants have been released to 2,655 small businesses throughout the state – with 50 grants totaling $910,000 for businesses in the Champaign-Urbana area. These grants represent the first round of the Business Interruption Grant (BIG) program – with grants provided to over 400 individual cities and spread across 78 counties. Grant recipients represent a diversity of businesses, as well as business communities hit hardest by COVID-19 related closures.

To ensure ongoing support for Illinois small businesses, the State of Illinois has planned future rounds of funding. BIG represents the largest state-run economic support program in response to the economic hardship caused by coronavirus.

“I’m proud to announce the first $46 million of our $636 million Business Interruption Grant program has been deployed to help nearly 2,700 small businesses in over 400 cities and towns in Illinois. That’s 78 of our 102 counties. The initial focus of these grants has been on businesses that have been most severely impacted by COVID-19 — those that were completely shut down during the pandemic and those that are in COVID-impacted areas that experienced property damage amidst the looting and civil unrest in June,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Overall, the BIG program will offer at least $270 million in grants to small businesses who have suffered losses due to the COVID pandemic, with a separate $270 million set aside specifically for childcare providers – an essential underpinning of our workforce for countless working families. The federal PPP program seems to have overlooked too many entrepreneurs and small shops, and it was important to me and to the General Assembly to ensure that small businesses – which employ the largest number of people – get the help they need. That’s why we focused on the smallest local businesses, with annual revenues of $3 million or less in this initial round of funding.”

“Under Governor Pritzker’s leadership, BIG is our latest tool in helping businesses with the support they need to maintain operations, support their staff and focus their efforts on a safe reopening in the wake of the crisis,” said Acting Director of DCEO, Michael Negron. “While the first round of BIG will provide a much-needed boost for thousands of businesses around the state, we know there is much more we must do. Through a number of programs launched in recent weeks, and with another round of BIG on the horizon, we will continue to respond to the needs facing our business community and work to provide assistance where it’s needed most.”

First round grants range from $10,000-$20,000 and may be used to help businesses with working capital expenses, including: payroll costs; rent; utilities; and equipment as well as other unexpected costs to mitigate the impact of the pandemic, such as PPE, training, and new technology. Business categories identified in the first round include small businesses in industries that continue to experience economic hardship due to public concerns for health and safety and in areas that sustained setbacks due to property damage and closures as a result of recent civil unrest.

BIG Round 1 grants span a diverse geography, as well as business type – with more than 50 percent of grant recipients reporting they are minority-owned. This breakdown includes 14 percent Black business owners, 25 percent Asian-owned, and 11 percent Latinx-owned. Additionally, more than 600 grants totaling $10 million for downstate businesses. To ensure small businesses were given a priority, grantees were required to prove annual revenues of $3 million or lower.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has placed an immense burden on businesses across our state, and right here in Champaign County,” said Carly McCrory-McKay, Executive Director of the Champaign County Economic Development Corporation. “We’re extremely grateful to Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for the creation of the Business Interruption Grants Program, supporting 50 small businesses in the Champaign-Urbana area in the first round. These funds will be crucial in helping businesses offset some of the negative impacts of the pandemic, especially the industries heavily restricted or completely shut down.”

From the Champaign-Urbana area, 50 businesses received BIG grants in the first round of funding. Businesses receiving grants include a wide range of industries, including restaurants, retail, personal care services and more. Portions of Champaign County lie within a severe DIA, including the area where both locations of the Wood N Hog BBQ restaurant sit.

“Growing up in the projects, life wasn’t easy for my sister and I so we wanted to build something so that our future generations wouldn’t experience the same struggle,” said Michael McDonald, co-owner of Wood N Hog BBQ in Champaign-Urbana. “When COVID-19 hit, I didn’t feel like I could depend on the banks to save me so I’m thankful to the State for seeing potential in our business, and for dedicating these funds that will allow us to get back to where we were before the crisis.”

More than 5,000 businesses applied for funding, with grantees selected via random lottery.

“In the face of this pandemic, I am proud that over $800,000 will be going to businesses across Urbana-Champaign due to the BIG program,” said State Representative Carol Ammons (D-Champaign). “Local businesses are the soul of our community and when this crisis hit, store and restaurant owners came up with creative solutions to safely stay open and serve their customers. So, when the General Assembly convened in May, I made a promise to my district that I would fight for bold COVID-19 response. This grant program is just that.”

This first round of BIG grants will be followed by future rounds of the program, each offering consideration to business sectors facing the most extreme economic hardship as a result of COVID-19-related closures or diminished operating capacity. Separately, an additional $270 million of the BIG program is set aside for childcare providers, with funding administered by the Illinois Department of Human Services. Childcare providers may apply for these funds until August 14th at this link.

Illinois businesses can learn more about BIG future rounds by following DCEO on social media @IllinoisDCEO or visiting their website. A full list of round 1 business grant recipients is available on DCEO’s website at: https://www2.illinois.gov/dceo/SmallBizAssistance/Documents/BIG-Round1Awardees_08.12.20.pdf

View the full press release here.

Press:

Pritzker visits Urbana restaurant to tout grants for businesses, The News-Gazette

50 businesses awarded Interruption Grants in Champaign-Urbana, WAND 17

Pritzker Visits Urbana To Promote Grants For COVID-Stricken Businesses, Illinois Newsroom

Champaign-Urbana business owners react to BIG funds, FOX Illinois

Gov. Pritzker joins local leaders to announce the first round of Business Interruption Grants, WCIA 3 News

2018 Illinois Manufacturing Day / Month

Huge thanks to all of our local companies who opened up their doors for tours in celebration of Manufacturing Day and Illinois Manufacturing Month! More than 175 attendees joined us for tours at local companies, including several area high school students.

Advanced Filtration Systems Inc.
Champaign, IL
Established in June 1986, Advanced Filtration Systems Inc. (AFSI), manufactures liquid filters using automated, computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) techniques. Highly automated production techniques enable AFSI to manufacture filters of the highest quality at competitive prices. The filters are used in lube, fuel, and hydraulic applications. Learn more at http://www.afsifilters.com/.

Litania Sports Group 
Champaign, IL 
Litania Sports Group is the parent company of two market-leading brands in the sports facility market, Gill Athletics and Porter Athletic. Learn more at http://www.litaniasports.com/.

ShapeMaster, Inc. 
Ogden, IL 
In January 1990, ShapeMaster was formed because they saw a need to provide buyers, engineers, inventors, and designers with the ability to order small or large quantities of solutions in plastics and other materials for the manufacturing of their products; regardless of their size, they receive the same high level quality of service. Learn more at https://www.shape-master.com/.

Illinois MakerLab 
Champaign, IL 
The Illinois MakerLab is the world’s first Business School 3D Printing Lab. The lab was co-founded by Dr. Aric Rindfleisch (Executive Director) and Dr. Vishal Sachdev (Director) and opened in Spring 2013. Learn more at https://makerlab.illinois.edu/.

Riggs Beer Company
Urbana, IL
Riggs Beer Company, opened in June 2016, is a family-owned production brewery and tap room in Urbana, Illinois that features Lagers and other German and American beer styles. Learn more at http://www.riggsbeer.com/.

The Product Manufactory
Urbana, IL 
The Product Manufactory (TPM) is a product design and R&D firm composed of highly skilled engineers, designers, coders, and fabricators. The products they’ve developed have ranged from research instrumentation to consumer electronics to railroad power supplies. Learn more at https://www.theproductmanufactory.com/.

Inprentus, Inc. 
Champaign, IL 
Inprentus manufactures the most efficient high line density diffraction gratings in the world. Inprentus was founded in June 2012 by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign physics professor Peter Abbamonte to commercialize an innovative nano-scale scribing technology, which is a technique for carrying out precision lithography via mechanical deformation of metallic surfaces. Learn more at https://www.inprentus.com/.

What is Manufacturing Day?
Manufacturing Day® is a celebration of modern manufacturing meant to inspire the next generation of manufacturers and occurs on the first Friday in October. Manufacturing Day addresses common misperceptions about manufacturing by giving manufacturers an opportunity to open their doors and show, in a coordinated effort, what manufacturing is – and what it isn’t. Learn more at http://www.mfgday.com/.
Illinois Manufacturing Highlights:
* Manufacturing is the third largest industry in Illinois by employment with more than 580,000 workers.
* Illinois is the fourth largest manufacturing state in the nation by output.
* Manufacturing makes up 93.6% of all Illinois goods exported.

Special thanks to The Atkins Group, our official sponsor of Illinois Manufacturing Day / Month in Champaign County.

2018 Manufacturing Day & Illinois Manufacturing Month

With the State of Illinois recognizing October as Manufacturing Month and Manufacturing Day on Friday, October 5, we’re celebrating in a big way by partnering with local companies to open up their doors for presentations and tours.
 
What is Manufacturing Day?
Manufacturing Day® is a celebration of modern manufacturing meant to inspire the next generation of manufacturers and occurs on the first Friday in October. Manufacturing Day addresses common misperceptions about manufacturing by giving manufacturers an opportunity to open their doors and show, in a coordinated effort, what manufacturing is – and what it isn’t. Learn more at http://www.mfgday.com/.
Illinois Manufacturing Highlights:
* Manufacturing is the third largest industry in Illinois by employment with more than 580,000 workers.
* Illinois is the fourth largest manufacturing state in the nation by output.
* Manufacturing makes up 93.6% of all Illinois goods exported.
You are invited to join us for these events on Friday, October 5 – all open to the public:
Advanced Filtration Systems Inc. Tour – 8:30 – 10:30 AM
Champaign, IL 
Established in June 1986, Advanced Filtration Systems Inc. (AFSI), manufactures liquid filters using automated, computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) techniques. Highly automated production techniques enable AFSI to manufacture filters of the highest quality at competitive prices. The filters are used in lube, fuel, and hydraulic applications.
One tour will be provided – and is two hours in total (start to finish, with time for Q&A). Learn more + RSVP here.
Litania Sports Group Tours – 9:30 – 11:30 AM 
Champaign, IL
Litania Sports Group is the parent company of two market-leading brands in the sports facility market, Gill Athletics and Porter Athletic.
Tours will be offered every half hour from 9:30 – 11:30 AM. Learn more + RSVP here.
ShapeMaster, Inc. Tours – 10 AM – 3 PM 
Ogden, IL
In January 1990, ShapeMaster was formed because they saw a need to provide buyers, engineers, inventors, and designers with the ability to order small or large quantities of solutions in plastics and other materials for the manufacturing of their products; regardless of their size, they receive the same high level quality of service.
Tours will be offered every hour from 10 AM – 3 PM, except 12 – 1 PM. Learn more + RSVP here.
Illinois MakerLab Tours – 10 AM – 2 PM 

Champaign, IL 

The Illinois MakerLab is the world’s first Business School 3D Printing Lab. The lab was co-founded by Dr. Aric Rindfleisch (Executive Director) and Dr. Vishal Sachdev (Director) and opened in Spring 2013.
Tours will be offered every half hour from 10 AM – 2 PM. Learn more + RSVP here.
Riggs Beer Company Tours – 3 – 7:30 PM
Urbana, IL
Riggs Beer Company, opened in June 2016, is a family-owned production brewery and tap room in Urbana, Illinois that features Lagers and other German and American beer styles.
Two tours will be offered – one at 3 PM and one at 5:30 PM. A one-hour technical tour is followed by a tasting of all beers with the brewmaster (plan up to two hours total). $10/person, includes beer tasting. Learn more + RSVP here.
 
Join us later in the month (October 23 & 25) for tours at The Product Manufactory and Inpretnus – all open to the public:
 
The Product Manufactory Tours – 2 – 3 PM 
Urbana, IL 
The Product Manufactory (TPM) is a product design and R&D firm composed of highly skilled engineers, designers, coders, and fabricators. The products they’ve developed have ranged from research instrumentation to consumer electronics to railroad power supplies.
One tour will be provided each day. Learn more + RSVP here (October 23) or here (October 25).
Inprentus Tours – 2 – 4 PM
Champaign, IL 
Inprentus manufactures the most efficient high line density diffraction gratings in the world. Inprentus was founded in June 2012 by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign physics professor Peter Abbamonte to commercialize an innovative nano-scale scribing technology, which is a technique for carrying out precision lithography via mechanical deformation of metallic surfaces.
Tours will be offered every half hour from 2 – 4 PM. Learn more + RSVP here (October 23) or here (October 25).
Thank you to The Atkins Group for their support as our official sponsor of Manufacturing Day in Champaign County.
View all Manufacturing Day / Illinois Manufacturing Month events in Champaign County here.

II-VI Incorporated Opens New Facility for Epitaxial Wafer Manufacturing

As part of the II-VI Epiworks event, a Proclamation was read by Council Member Angie Brix (on behalf of Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen) declaring May 15, 2018 as II-VI EpiWorks Day in the City of Champaign.

From the press release:

PITTSBURGH, May 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – II‐VI Incorporated (NASDAQ:IIVI), a leading provider of compound semiconductor epitaxial wafers, today announced the opening of its new high tech compound semiconductor material center of excellence in Champaign, Illinois.

This represents a significant milestone in II-VI’s ongoing investment in its manufacturing footprint to ramp up production capacity of high performance compound semiconductor epitaxial wafers. These products serve growing markets and are at the core of 3D sensing, optical networking, wireless communications and power electronics. Since the groundbreaking for this expansion, in November 2016, II-VI continues to actively recruit managers, engineers and technicians to join its experienced team.

Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner was present at the inauguration’s ribbon cutting ceremony.

“On behalf of II-VI, I would like to express my thanks to the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity for its ongoing support and unwavering commitment to our success,” said Quesnell Hartmann, General Manager and co-founder of II-VI EpiWorks. “The completion of this phase in our expansion provides us with the critical infrastructure to scale our production, advance our technology, and enable us to serve the rapidly growing demand from our global customer base.”

“II-VI and the State of Illinois have formed a strong partnership, sharing a vision that businesses with leading edge technology and advanced manufacturing capabilities are the most competitive over the long-term,” said Dr. Chuck Mattera, President and CEO, II-VI Incorporated. “With support from Illinois, we expect to continue to invest in this Champaign facility, by adding state-of-the-art manufacturing capacity, improving process capabilities, broadening the product portfolio and recruiting and developing a lot of talent to fill the anticipated growth in jobs and opportunities for career growth.”

“It’s a thrill to participate in the opening of a manufacturing facility that will develop key technology enabling some of the most exciting new consumer electronics in the world.” Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner said. “It showcases how local industry, strong university systems and state government can partner to realize a bold vision for a globally competitive semiconductor manufacturing center of excellence that’s built right here, in the heart of our wonderful State of Illinois.”

II-VI develops and manufactures compound semiconductor epitaxial wafers that enable devices to achieve high bandwidth, power efficiency and reliability.  II-VI’s global compound semiconductor production capabilities include multi-purposed 6 inch wafer fabs with both epitaxy and device fabrication capabilities for GaAs, SiC and InP compound semiconductors.

View event photos here.

 

Employer Training Investment Program (ETIP)

The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA) recently announced receipt of an Employer Training Investment Program grant (ETIP) for fiscal year 2018 through the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO). The grant term will be July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018. All training that occurs during this time period may qualify for reimbursement based on eligibility requirements.

Participating companies must have a physical location in the state of Illinois and agree to train only their full-time Illinois based employees. Each participating company must complete a company profile identifying the company location from which their employees will be participating and schedules detailing all training each company has completed. The schedules must include number of participants, dates of training, and cost of training. These reports for the first two quarters (July 1 to December 31, 2017) must be forwarded by email only to Janie Stanley, Revenue & Grant Administrator at jstanley@ima-net.org, no later than Monday, February 19, 2018.

Grant funds may be used to cover no more than 50% of actual approved expenses related to the training for a company’s full-time employees. Participating companies are required to fund a match amount of the remaining 50 percent. Eligible expenditures must fall within the following budget categories:

  • Internal (employee) trainer costs (wages)
  • External vendor/trainer or tuition expense (copies of paid invoices must also be submitted)

A few important notes:

  • The IMA will work with companies to collect and submit the proper forms. DCEO has the sole discretion in determining the final approved funding level for ETIP grants.
  • New for this grant, leadership training is included as an eligible expenditure.

For more information, visit: http://ima-net.org/ima-member-benefit-programs/.

1 2 3 4 5 6