Informational meeting for small business recovery grant program set for Wednesday

MACOMB, Ill. — The Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs at Western Illinois University has been designated as a business hub for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Back 2 Business small business recovery grant program to assist rural Illinois businesses. An informational meeting about the program is scheduled for 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday at John Wood Community College Workforce Development Center in Quincy. 

The IIRA has been awarded $186,698 through the DCEO grant and will work with six sub-grant recipients — the Macomb Area Economic Development Corporation, Knox County Area Partnership for Economic Development, Western Illinois Works, John Wood Community College, Two Rivers Regional Council of Public Officials and Pike County Economic Development Corporation. The IIRA and the sub-grantees will provide technical assistance to small business owners who are racial or ethnic minorities, veterans, immigrants, women or with disabilities in McDonough, Henderson, Warren, Knox, Hancock, Schuyler, Brown, Adams, and Pike counties. 

The program is funded by the federal American Rescue Plan Act signed by President Joe Biden, and it includes specific set-aside amounts for certain uses. Those include $100 million for businesses in areas disproportionately impacted by the pandemic; $30 million for arts and entertainment businesses that haven’t received previous aid; $25 million for restaurants and taverns that didn’t receive money from the Restaurant Revitalization Fund; $25 million for hotels; and another $25 million for businesses that didn’t receive Business Interruption Grant funding.

DCEO deputy director Jonathan McGee will be present at Wednesday’s event, along with IIRA staff and sub-grantee representatives, to assist small business owners who meet the criteria to apply for a Back 2 Business grant. Additional informational sessions will be held on dates and at locations to be determined. 

For assistance, contact a B2B community navigator:

• Sandy Wittig or Greg Kalnes, IIRA, (309) 298-2637.
• Gordon Forbes, John Wood Community College, (217) 641-4929
• Chad Frederick, Two Rivers Regional Council, (309) 221-7846
• Brenda Middendorf, Two Rivers RC&D & Pike County Economic Development Corporation, (217) 491-2401
• Blanche Shoup, Western Illinois Works, (309) 344-1575
• Kim Pierce, Macomb Area Economic Development Corporation, (309) 837-4684
• Ken Springer, Knox County Area Partnership for Economic Development, (309) 343-1194