Gov. Pritzker awards over $10M in IL grocery initiative grants
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) – Governor JB Pritzker announced some awards to assist with Illinois grocery stores, however, the closest town to the Tri-State that will currently benefit from this initiative is Marion, Illinois.
Governor JB Pritzker says he joined the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and 'local leaders' to announce awards through the Illinois Grocery Initiative 'New Stores in Food Deserts Program' and 'Equipment Upgrades Grant Program' to address food deserts and prevent grocery store closures in Illinois. Officials note grantees were selected through competitive Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) processes.
'When I signed the Illinois Grocery Initiative into law the vision we had in mind was reducing costs, fighting food insecurity, and boosting the local economy,' said Governor JB Pritzker. 'This $10 million investment will go directly toward construction and renovation of quality, affordable grocery options in neighborhoods across the state. From Champaign to Marion to Venice, we're fighting food insecurity while investing directly into the lifeblood of our economy, supporting farmers, small businesses, and working families.'
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New stores in food deserts program
Officials say the 'New Stores in Food Deserts Program' awards will support the establishment of new grocery stores in food deserts as defined by the Illinois Grocery Initiative Act. This funding will support construction and renovation costs for new stores, as well as many first-year operations costs, such as employee wages, utility costs and initial inventory of food.
AL RAAWI LLC of Marion, Illinois, received $2,399,975 for a new construction project.
'At Economic Security Illinois, we believe that families and communities should have the resources they need to live fulfilling lives, from access to banks, to good schools, to affordable food in grocery stores,' said Erion Malasi, Director of Policy and Advocacy, Economic Security Illinois. 'When major life staples are lacking in the market, we want to harness the power of community and government to come together and provide a public option. We are proud to have funded the feasibility study for this effort, and proud to see funds for a new municipal-owned grocery store come to Venice. We're grateful to Governor Pritzker, Deputy Governor Andy Manar, and leaders in the General Assembly for advancing this critical effort.'
Officials say after providing approximately $6.9 million through Round I of the Illinois Grocery Initiative New Stores Grants, DCEO opened Round II in October of 2024. Applicants were selected based on various requirements including:
Must be located in a food desert
Must earn less than 30% of revenue from alcohol and tobacco sales
Must accept SNAP and WIC
Must contribute to diversity of fresh foods available in community
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Equipment Upgrades Grant Program
Governor JB Pritzker's office says the Equipment Upgrades Grant Program awards will support energy-efficient equipment upgrades for existing grocery stores, with priority given to those located in food insecure communities across the state. This program is designed to strengthen existing grocery stores and preserve access to fresh food in food insecure communities, in an effort to stop the formation of new food deserts.
Willjo, Inc. of Marion, Illinois, received $132,234 for the complete replacement of walk-in freezer, HVAC system.
State officials say after providing $1 million through Round I of the Illinois Grocery Initiative Equipment Upgrades Grant Program, DCEO opened Round II in January of 2025. This is a rolling grant opportunity which will remain open until December 15, 2025, or until funding is exhausted. Applicant qualifications include independent grocers or cooperatives with fewer than 500 employees and no more than four grocery locations.
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Editorial: Streets close and wallets open for NASCAR next month
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6 days ago
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Gov. JB Pritzker signs budget amid federal funding uncertainty, unaddressed transit issues
Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday signed his seventh state budget, balanced as he promised with cuts, taxes and one-time revenue boosts but leaving for future months the battle over one major spending issue, an expected $771 million shortfall for Chicago-area transit systems. Legislators adjourned their spring session without passing a transit plan, and Pritzker on Monday did his best to deflect responsibility for the problem, saying transit is 'not a state budget issue… It's really a separate matter entirely.' 'The answer is not that the state is solely responsible for filling that gap. There are lots of sources,' Pritzker said, ticking off Cook County, the collar counties, the city of Chicago, riders and changes within the systems as players in solving the problem. 'Everybody's focusing only on the state when actually there's a whole lot to put together here.' 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Other prisons, including Sheridan, Pinckneyville and Menard correctional centers, as well as Logan women's correctional center, saw their budgets tick slightly up compared to the February proposal. The overall spending plan also cut back on various programs, including a politically polarizing initiative that provides Medicaid-style health insurance for noncitizens ages 42 to 64. That program was zeroed out, a savings the governor's office estimated at $330 million, though the budget includes $110 million to continue coverage for those 65 and older. Lawmakers also followed Pritzker's recommendation to pause one of his key priorities: a $75 million annual increase to boost the number of seats in state-funded preschool programs. The budget would keep the spending level with the current fiscal year that ends at the end of the month. Democrats also scaled back on the $350 million annual increase in school funding required under a 2017 state law, withholding $43 million that normally would go to a grant program designed to help school districts with high property tax rates and low real estate values. NASCAR's Chicago Street Race received a new $5 million allocation from the state's general revenue fund for 'costs associated with operating expenses.' The public expense to hold the race was a hot topic among Chicago aldermen after the city spent nearly $4 million on the inaugural 2023 race, but received just $620,000 in direct payments from the racing company. The current budget has two grants for the organization, a spokesperson for the state Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity said, covering $2 million for tire delivery, installation and removal of racecourse barriers, and other labor and staffing costs from the 2023 race. Another $5 million was set aside in 'bonded capital,' including $2.5 million in process with DCEO for purchase and installation of the racecourse barriers, DCEO said. The other $2.5 million is unreleased. A NASCAR spokesman said the association will submit expenses to DCEO for their review and approval after the end of this year's race, July 5-6. The state has also spent advertising dollars at the 'Enjoy Illinois 300' race in Madison and at NASCAR events at the Chicagoland race track in Joliet, NASCAR said. Pritzker said he couldn't speak to why $5 million was put in the budget for NASCAR but said the state's tourism budget has increased in his 6 1/2 years as governor. 'Specifically, the investment in tourism yields revenue for the state that is vastly more than the investment that gets made by our tourism office,' he said. 'So, I'm proud of the work that we've done. And we're going to continue to make investments (there).' Separately, Pritzker on Monday signed a one-year delay on the state's novel and controversial law banning certain credit card fees on taxes and tips, which financial institutions are currently challenging in federal court. The provision was part of last year's budget plan.
