On Friday, August 30, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (“DCEO”) announced $25.5 million in a Notice of Funding Opportunity (“NOFO”) for the Equitable Energy Future Grant Program. This grant funding will provide seed funding and pre-development funding opportunities to Equity Eligible Contractors (“EECs”) to work on renewable energy projects in low-income and historically disadvantaged communities. Grantees will be selected through a competitive NOFO process. Through a competitive NOFO qualified entities can apply for grants from $250,000 to $1 million. Applications will be accepted until December 31, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. To view and apply for the grant, please visit the DCEO website. Interested parties are encouraged to reach out to [email protected] for application assistance. To help applicants prepare to apply for funding, DCEO will be holding a technical assistance webinar from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. on September 19, 2024.