Greater Wabash Regional Planning Commission
Serving Crawford, Edwards, Lawrence, Richland, Wabash, Wayne, and White Counties in Southeastern Illinois
GWRPC Office is Currently Closed
In light of everything that is happening, the GWRPC office is currently working from home. If you are in need of assistance please email us at:
Olivia Baumgardner, Executive Director, [email protected]
Heather Neuman, Community Development Coordinator, [email protected]
Mike Gill, Grant Administrator, [email protected]
Small Business Grants and Loans Assistance
Hospitality Emergency Grant Program
Who can apply? Bars and restaurants who generated revenues of less than $1M in 2019. Hotels who generated revenues of less than $8M in 2019. Grant applications will be accepted until April 1st at 5:00 p.m.
What can the grant funds be used for? The funds can be used to support working capital, job training, and technology enabling new operations as well as other costs to implement that technology.
How much money is available? Bars and restaurants that generated less than $500,000 in annual revenue last year will be eligible for up to $10,000. Bars and restaurants that generated between $500,000 and $1M in annual revenue last year will be eligible for up to $25,000. Hotels that generated less than $8M in annual revenue last year will be eligible for up to $50,000.
If you or someone you know is interested in applying, click here .
IL Small Business Emergency Loan Fund
Who can apply? Small businesses with fewer than 50 workers and less than $3M in revenue in 2019.
What can the loan funds be used for? Loans can be used to support working capital.
How much money is available? Businesses can receive up to a low interest loan of up to $50,000 with a 5 year repayment period with no payments due for the first six months.
If you or someone you know is interested in applying, click here.
Downstate Small Business Stabilization Program
Who can apply? Local governments can apply on behalf of businesses with 50 employees or less.
What can the grants be used for? Grants can be used to support working capitol. How much money is available? Up to $25,000 per business.
If you or someone you know is interested in applying, click here.
CDBG Grant Applications 2020
GWRPC is currently preparing Community Development Block Grants for the upcoming grant year. The CDBG application deadline is Thursday, July 30, 2020. The grant ceiling is $550,00.00 and the grant minimum is $250,000.00. 

This year the activity delivery fee can be included in the grant up to $30,000.00. The community is responsible for paying the engineering fee. The community also needs to be registered with GATA and have have their ICQ completed before submitting the grant. If you need assistance, our Community Development Coordinator, Heather Neuman, can assist you. Heather's email is [email protected].

The objective of the CDBG grant is to improve the public infrastructure and eliminate conditions which are detrimental to health, safety and public welfare. The project area must have a 51% or more of low-to-moderate income population. The applicant must also demonstrate that the applicable water and sewer rates currently meets or exceeds 1 percent of the Median Household Income (MHI) per 5,000 gallons. The minimum allowable utility rates for Illinois municipalities can be found on the DCEO website .
The project must be a health and safety concern and would need to be documented. The documentation needs to be within the past two years.

Documentation to show a health and safety concern would include, but not limited to:
  • Well water tests
  • Pressure tests (PSI <20 is considered a threat).
  • Photographs showing line breaks or other damage
  • Boil orders, map of line breaks with dates, and IEPA reference documentation
  • Surface water tests with map
  • IEPA or US EPA violation letters or documentation
  • Newspaper articles
  • Current resident complaint letters
  • Water and/or sewer break log with map.

If you have a project you feel could qualify or you have questions about CDBG grants, please email Heather Neuman at [email protected] .
Rebuild IL Public Infrastructure
The Rebuild IL Public Infrastructure Grant is due Tuesday, June 30, 2020. The grant ceiling is $5 million and the grant minimum is $250,000.00.

Eligible applicants:
Only units local governments
All projects must be bondable , eligible projects include:
  • Waste disposal system
  • Water and sewer line extensions
  • Water distribution and purification facilities
  • Flood and drainage
  • Dredging of waterways
  • Water tower maintenance and painting
  • Rail or air or water port improvements
  • Gas and electric utility extensions
  • Publicly owned industrial and commercial sites
  • Other public infrastructure capital improvements

If your community has a project in mind that is not on the list, email our office the project idea and we will check to see if it is eligible.

If you have a project you feel could qualify for the Public Infrastructure or you have questions about Rebuild IL grants, please email Olivia Baumgardner at [email protected].
Rebuild IL Shovel Ready Sites
The Rebuild IL Shovel Ready Sites (RISRS) Grant has no deadline, funds will be used until all funds have been exhausted. The grant ceiling is $2 million per project and grant minimum of $250,000.00.

Eligible Applicants:
  • Units of general local government recognized by the Illinois Constitution (i.e., cities, villages, townships and counties). 
  • Local Economic Development Organizations
  • Local Non-Profits able to support project activities on a sufficient scale 
  • Private Company demonstrating the ability to coordinate the project and comply with all requirements. 

All projects must be bondable, eligible projects include:
  •    Site acquisition
  • Environmental site assessment (identification of potential remediation needs)
  • Architectural planning and engineering design
  • Site preparation and improvement (if not part of Remediation)
  •    Clearance
  • Demolition and removal of buildings (as part of larger project and not part of Remediation)
  •   Rehabilitation, reconstruction or improvement of existing buildings
  • Utility work
  • Other bondable activities that ready the site for reuse that are not specifically disallowed.

If you have a project you feel could qualify for the Shovel Ready Sites or you have questions about Rebuild IL grants, please email Olivia Baumgardner at [email protected].
Rebuild IL Regional Economic Development
The Rebuild IL Regional Economic Development Grant has no deadline, funds will be used until all funds have been exhausted. The grant ceiling is $2 million per project and the grant minimum is $250,000.00.

Eligible Applicants:
  • Units of general local government 
  • Local Economic Development Organizations
  • Local Non-Profits able to support project activities on a sufficient scale 
  • Private Company demonstrating the ability to coordinate the project and comply with all requirements. 

Eligible projects are capital infrastructure projects which will foster economic development, increase employment, and the wellbeing of Illinois citizens through community development.

Eligible project expenses are:
  • not reoccurring; can be characterized as durable or not readily consumed in use;
  • reflect an extended useful life or longevity which effect confers long-term (non-transitory) benefits to the citizens of the State of Illinois;
  •  are not subject to inherent risk of failure, rapid technological obsolescence, or primarily intended to fulfill temporary requirements or needs;
  •  appreciably increases, improves, or enhances the equitable interests of the State of Illinois in capital facilities, land, permanent improvements, and related assets;
  •  are considered as internal components of a project, which if considered separately may not reflect extended useful life, but will be bondable provided that such components are initially required and appreciably contribute to effective functioning, or are otherwise incapable of separation from a more complex unit which in itself is bondable.
Examples:
  •  architectural planning and engineering design;
  •  land and building acquisition;
  •  costs related to site selection, preparation and improvement;
  •  utility work;
  •  new construction of buildings and structures; reconstruction or improvement of existing buildings or structure; original furnishings and durable equipment;
  •  replacement of currently utilized assets by a better asset; expansion of existing buildings or facilities;

If you have a project you feel could qualify for the Regional Economic Development or you have questions about Rebuild IL grants, please email Olivia Baumgardner at [email protected].