Know Your Grant → by state → Illinois
Illinois grants for nonprofits & individuals
Open federal and state grants Illinois organizations and individuals can apply for — with who qualifies, how much, the deadline, and exactly what each one requires.
State-specific Illinois grant programs are being added; federal opportunities below are open to Illinois applicants.
Which federal programs actually fund Illinois
Competitively awarded federal grant dollars that went to Illinois recipients in FY2025 — project grants and cooperative agreements only. Formula and block funding (Medicaid, highways) is excluded because it is allocated to state government, not won by applicants.
| Program | Assistance listing | Awarded in Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Transit Capital Investment Grants | 20.500 | $1.1B |
| Clean Energy Demonstrations | 81.255 | $502.4M |
| Head Start | 93.600 | $444.1M |
| Climate Pollution Reduction Grants | 66.046 | $430.3M |
| Airport Improvement Program, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Programs, and COVID-19 Airports Programs | 20.106 | $291.9M |
| Fossil Energy Research and Development | 81.089 | $254.6M |
| Health Center Program (Community Health Centers, Migrant Health Centers, Health Care for the Homeless, and Public Housing Primary Care) | 93.224 | $220.7M |
| Disaster Grants - Public Assistance (Presidentially Declared Disasters) | 97.036 | $164.5M |
Who won competitive federal grants in Illinois
The largest Illinois recipients of competitive federal grant awards in FY2025. Useful for two things: seeing who your likely co-applicants and partners are, and seeing which programs have a track record of paying out in this state.
| Recipient | Awarded |
|---|---|
| CHICAGO TRANSIT AUTHORITY | $1.1B |
| ILLINOIS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY | $549.9M |
| CENTURY ALUMINUM CO | $500.0M |
| NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY | $438.8M |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO | $392.9M |
| UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS | $327.4M |
| ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION | $284.3M |
| UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS | $251.7M |
Open federal grants for Illinois applicants
A sample of the 2,226 federal opportunities open now — each links to a full breakdown of eligibility, required documents, and deadlines. Listed first: the 12 whose program has a record of awarding money in Illinois.
Not sure which you qualify for?
Tell us what you are and we'll filter to the Illinois + federal grants you're actually eligible for.