Springfield Sangamon Growth Alliance

10/21/2026

Eligible entities can now apply for grants to develop and improve tourism attractions through the Tourism Attraction Grant Program and grants to support events and festivals through the Tourism Private Sector Grant Program. 🎡

Learn more and apply today - http://prez.ly/Jsne

10/21/2026

😎 Put your business in DRIVE. 😎

Applications will open soon for the new, expanded 2026 Isringhausen DRIVE Grant.

If you or someone you know is interested in the opportunity, please share and follow.❤️

10/21/2026

🚀 How can Main Street communities better support small businesses without having to build everything themselves?

Join Gustavo Ustariz at the Annual Conference 2026 in , November 18–20, for “From Platform to Community: Early Lessons from the Small Business Hub.”

Gustavo will share early findings, lessons, and opportunities from the Main Street America Small Business Hub including what small business owners are telling us, what’s working, and what it takes to create meaningful engagement beyond simply providing content.

Participants will also discover how Main Street directors can connect local businesses to custom courses, networking forums, practical resources, and specialized support through the Hub.

📍 Springfield, Illinois hosted by Downtown Springfield, Inc.
📅 November 18–20, 2026
🎟️ Don’t miss this opportunity to learn, connect, and bring new resources to your Main Street community.
👉 Get your tickets today!: ilmainstreet.org/2026conference

Landmarks Illinois

10/20/2026

Illinois' Advancing Innovative Manufacturing (AIM Illinois) tax credit provides a credit against corporate income tax tied to capital investments of at least $10 million over five years. Eligible companies include, but are not limited to, clean energy, life sciences, food manufacturing, automotive and aerospace, machinery, fabricated metal, chemical manufacturing, robotics and advanced materials manufacturing. If your company is planning a major capital investment in Illinois, this credit is worth a look.

10/13/2026

Building Trades Career Day is coming up! This is a can’t-miss opportunity to learn more about rewarding, high-demand careers in the trades.

📍 Bank of Springfield Center
📅 Wednesday, November 18 | ⏰ 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Area high school, vocational, trade school and junior college students are invited to explore career opportunities in the building trades. They'll get hands-on demonstrations and meet reps from 13 different trades, including:

Plumbers / Fitters / HVACR | Teamsters | Ironworkers | Carpenters | Operating Engineers | Cement Masons | Electricians | Painters | Insulators | Boilermakers | Bricklayers | Roofers | Sheet Metal Workers

For more info, contact Chris Moss at [email protected].

10/08/2026

Strong business corridors grow through strong community connections! ☕

SSGA Director of Business Development, Abby Powell, attended this morning’s MacArthur Boulevard Association meeting, featuring an update from City of Springfield-Office of Planning and Economic Development City Planner, Suraksha Bhandari.

We’re glad to be part of conversations that support local businesses and a vibrant MacArthur Boulevard for residents and visitors alike. Thank you to the association for bringing people together.

10/08/2026

🚀 Thinking about starting a business? Start here.

Join us online for Starting Your Business in Illinois, a live session that walks you through the first steps of turning an idea into a real business.

📅 Tuesday, October 13
⏰ 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
💻 Online (live)

Bring your questions. There's no cost to attend. Register here 👉 https://ilsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/41852

10/07/2026

10/07/2026

A grocery store downtown?

🛒 Grant opportunity: Bringing fresh food closer to home

Every Springfield neighborhood deserves easy access to fresh, healthy food. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is now accepting applications for Round 3 of its New Stores in Food Deserts program, part of the Illinois Grocery Initiative.

The program will award a total of $20.8 million, with individual grants of $500,000 to $5.2 million. Grants help open new grocery stores in eligible food desert areas and can cover:
✅ Property purchase, construction, and renovation
✅ Equipment and fixtures
✅ Up to two years of startup operating costs, including wages and initial food inventory

Who can apply: units of local government, and independent grocers or co-ops with fewer than 500 employees and no more than four locations.

📅 Applications are due December 9, 2026 at 5:00 PM. Applicants who submit by November 25 can get an early eligibility review.

Free application assistance is available through Western Illinois University's Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs.

👉 Full details: https://dceo.illinois.gov/aboutdceo/grantopportunities/3295-4240.html

Photo Credit - https://www.facebook.com/SpringfieldRewind/photos/osco-drug-510-east-adams-on-the-square-downtown-1979/10157006053768558/