COVID-19 Blog Posts

Financial Resources Available

State ARPA Economic Recovery Plan: $450M initial investment $300 million for Back to Business Grants, with 40 percent of the funds going to communities that were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic $10 million for Tourism promotion and Main Street festival grants $50 million for Workforce Recovery efforts $20 million for Community Navigators and targeted business […]

UPDATE: Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program

The U.S. Small Business Administration, in consultation with the U.S. Treasury Department, has re-opened the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for new borrowers and certain existing PPP borrowers.  This round of the PPP will continue to be processed through participating financial institutions and will be available through March 31, 2021.  This round will authorize up to $284 […]

North Suburban Region 9 Returns to Phase 4 in the Restore Illinois Plan

Effective today, North Suburban Region 9, which includes Lake and McHenry Counties, has met the criteria set by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to move from Tier 1 mitigations to Phase 4 under the State’s Restore Illinois Plan. “We’re excited to see the transmission of the virus declining to allow for additional loosening […]

North Suburban Region 9 Returns to Tier 1 Mitigation for COVID-19

Effective today, North Suburban Region 9, which includes Lake and McHenry Counties, has met the criteria set by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to move from Tier 2 to Tier 1 mitigations under the State’s Restore Illinois Resurgence Plan. Mitigation measures are strategies, such as restrictions on certain activities, put in place to […]

CARES Act Funded PPP Loan Program Resumes Application Acceptance

The PPP program is designed to help small businesses maintain payroll in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible businesses who enroll in the program will receive a forgivable loan to use for payroll purposes, in addition to helping pay for utilities, rent, mortgage interest payments, and more. New loans are capped at $2 million, compared […]

Second Round of PPP Loans

North Suburban Region 9 to Enter Mitigation for COVID-19

Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced that COVID-19 resurgence mitigations will be implemented in the North Suburban Region 9, which includes Lake and McHenry Counties, beginning 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, October 31, 2020. As of October 25, the region’s COVID-19 testing positivity rate is 8.4%. Region 9 has seen a 7-day […]

Business Interruption Grants Program (BIG)

The Business Interruption Grant (BIG) program is a $636 million program developed by Governor Pritzker and the Illinois General Assembly to provide economic relief for small businesses hit hardest by COVID-19. BIG leverages federal funding provided by the CARES Act to help offset COVID-19 related losses for Illinois small businesses. BIG is the largest program […]

Gov. Pritzker Announces $245 Million in Grants for Businesses and Communities Impacted by COVID-19 and Civil Unrest

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020 CONTACT Gov.Press@illinois.gov $220 Million Available for Business Owners through Second Round of the Business Interruption Grants; $25 Million Available for Communities through the Rebuild Distressed Communities Program.  CHICAGO — Governor JB Pritzker joined the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) today in the Bronzeville community to announce […]

Phase 4 Guidelines at a Glance