IGI - Equipment Upgrade Round 3
IGI - Equipment Upgrade Round 3 supports Illinois grocery stores with energy-efficient equipment purchases and installation to improve profitability, sustainability, and access to fresh food.
Funder: Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
Due Dates: June 30, 2027 (Rolling applications; closes earlier if funds are exhausted)
Funding Amounts: $25,000–$250,000 per award; $750,000 total; expected performance period Fall 2026–Spring 2028
Summary: Supports energy-efficient equipment purchases and installation at qualifying existing Illinois grocery stores.
Key Information: Grantees must continue grocery operations at the project location for at least three years after completion.
Description
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) administers this state-funded equipment-upgrade round through the Illinois Grocery Initiative. Grants reimburse qualifying grocery stores for purchasing and installing new energy-efficient equipment, helping improve store profitability and sustainability. Supported investments include refrigeration and freezers, HVAC, lighting, and point-of-sale upgrades needed for SNAP or WIC purchases.
The initiative prioritizes communities with limited access to fresh food, but this equipment program is not limited to food deserts. It supports existing independently owned for-profit, cooperative, and nonprofit grocery stores in Illinois, including stores in areas at risk of becoming food deserts or otherwise underserved. This is the program’s third round and its second offered on a rolling basis.
