Educational Series 2021
DCEO/IPHA are Coming to Litchfield to Discuss the B2B Grant Program--Fill Out Your Application While You're There!
The Litchfield Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with the City of Litchfield Economic Development Office, the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce, the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation, and the Hillsboro Economic Development Corporation, is excited to bring to town representatives from the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and the Illinois Public Health Association (IPHA) from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 2, 2021, at the Litchfield Community Center.

These experts will discuss the Illinois Back to Business (B2B) Grant Program, answer questions, and assist attendees in completing and scanning documents for their grant applications on-the-spot. If you plan to complete and submit your application at the meeting, please be sure to review the required documentation you will need to bring by clicking the link in the section below entitled, "B2B Grants Application and Required Documents." The B2B Grant is available to small businesses that experienced loss between 2019 and 2020.
Ms. Chitaia B. Stover, BSW, Program Coordinator Assistant with the Illinois Public Health Association, will lead the meeting.

Also, an outreach worker from the Illinois Migrant Council, who is helping small businesses in the area, will be in attendance.

IPHA is working with 18 organizations across the state of Illinois to provide technical assistance to small businesses and host outreach events like this one. Representatives from a number of these organizations will be present to talk with attendees.

The Litchfield Chamber of Commerce and its co-sponsors are also providing local agencies and institutions the opportunity to set up exhibit booths to provide information about their services and how they benefit small businesses.

Light snacks and beverages will be provided by the Litchfield Chamber of Commerce. Please take a moment to RSVP (no charge) below so we can plan accordingly.

B2B information is included in the links below. To better prepare yourself for this event, be sure to review this information to learn more about the B2B Grant Program. See you there!
Back to Business (B2B) Grant Program
• The Back to Business (B2B) Program builds on the success of
the Business Interruption Grant (BIG) program
• The B2B grant program includes:
  • $5,000-$150,000 grants totaling $250M made available by ARPA funds (up to $250,000 for hotels)
• User-friendly online application portal
• Expansive network of Community Navigators to assist
businesses in submitting applications
B2B Grants Eligibility Guidelines
Businesses must meet certain requirements to be eligible for funds available through the Back to Business Grant program. Note that this is a summary, and further terms that recipients must comply with are outlined in the Back to Business Grant Program Certifications and Requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is being made available, and when does DCEO anticipate exhausting the funds?  
• $250 million will be made available for grants of $5,000 to
$150,000 (Grants for hotels may be as high as $250,000).
• Applications will be open from now to October 13. 
• DCEO anticipates making awards on a rolling basis, based on
priority criteria, and exhausting all funds by shortly after the
application period.  
B2B Grants Application and Required Documents 
This round of the Back to Business (B2B) Grant Program will make $250 million available for businesses that experienced losses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

DCEO, through its grant administrator Allies for Community Business (A4CB), has begun accepting applications.
We Want You to Join Us!
Membership in the Litchfield Chamber of Commerce is a win/win situation for you and for the Chamber as well! You receive special benefits that are not available to non-members such as special training events, networking events, publicity, small business resources, and much more.

Our membership rates are lower than many other area chambers, making the value to you that much greater. Please take a moment to click the button below to download an application form and join our active organization!