Kane County Reporter

Senator Don DeWitte announced a "$30 Million Grant Opportunity for Community Revitalization." He clarified that the funding is designated for the "Rebuild Illinois Downtowns and Main Streets Capital and Research in Illinois to Spur Economic Recovery Program."

"$30 Million Grant Opportunity for Community Revitalization," said Donald Dewitte, State Senator, according to Facebook. "The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is offering grant funding to boost economic growth in downtown areas throughout the state. $30 million in grant funding was announced for the Rebuild Illinois Downtowns and Main Streets Capital and Research in Illinois to Spur Economic Recovery programs."

According to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) funding opportunity announcement, an estimated 20 grants are available with total funding amounting to $20 million. The award range spans from $250,000 to $2 million, with cost sharing or matching funds requirements for awardees. The application process commenced on April 22, 2024, and will remain open until 5 p.m. on July 22,2024.

Screenshot Sen. Don DeWitte's May 10 Facebook post | Sen. Don DeWitte's Facebook page

The DCEO has outlined pre-qualification requirements, which include registration on the Grant Availability Transparency Act (GATA) portal. This pre-qualification process necessitates a federal EIN number, a SAM.gov account, and checks of several lists including the Illinois Stop Payment list, the Federal Excluded Parties list, and the Illinois DHFS Sanction list. Applicants are also vetted using information from the Illinois Secretary of State regarding their Certificate of Good Standing status, existence as a business entity, and permission to conduct business in the state. This was stated in a slide deck from DCEO titled "GATA, Pre-Qualification, and Other Requirements" from the Office of Accountability.

The DCEO's grant process begins with pre-qualification followed by application submission and review. Subsequently comes the grant agreement stage which includes NOAS and development of the grant agreement document outlining all expectations for grant winners. The third step involves periodic reporting including annual audit reports, financial performance reports, and implementation of project objectives. The grant concludes when the grant period ends.

DeWitte has been serving as representative for Illinois’ 33rd senate district since his appointment in 2018. Prior to this role he was mayor of St. Charles from 2005 to 2013, and an alderman between 1993 and 2005. He also served on the Regional Transportation Authority Board between 2013 and 2018, representing Kane County, as per his official senate biography.