Opportunity Overview
Open now. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) has opened IGI – Equipment Upgrade Round 3, Funding Opportunity Number FY27-2, under CSFA 420-35-3295. DCEO describes the current announcement as open for a period of time with no specific due dates; its current grant index labels the deadline Rolling.
Funding
DCEO lists $750,000 in estimated total program funding, approximately six anticipated awards, and an award range of $25,000 to $250,000. The program uses State funding. The FY27-2 NOFO Supplement requires an applicant contribution equal to 25% of total project costs, described as a 1:3 match. Match must come from documented non-State sources, be identified in the Uniform Budget, and be verified as available; in-kind contributions and costs incurred before receipt and acceptance of the Notice of State Award do not count. The current DCEO web page says indirect costs are allowed with restrictions, but the controlling FY27-2 NOFO PDF summary marks indirect costs as not allowed and its detailed funding section states the grant will not compensate indirect costs, overhead, or administrative expenses. Atlas therefore treats indirect costs as not reimbursable unless DCEO issues a written clarification or amendment.
Purpose and Eligibility
DCEO states that the program will reimburse eligible existing independently owned for-profit grocery stores, cooperative grocery stores, and nonprofit grocery stores for purchase and installation of new energy-efficient equipment. GATA prequalification is required. Eligible applicants are existing independently owned Illinois brick-and-mortar grocery stores or cooperatives with fewer than 500 employees and no more than four grocery-store locations, through qualifying legal structures identified in the NOFO. The program reimburses purchase and installation of new energy-efficient refrigeration, HVAC, and lighting. Solar generation equipment and remodeling are ineligible. The NOFO contains a narrower point-of-sale exception: its allowable-cost section permits point-of-sale system upgrades necessary to accommodate SNAP and/or WIC purchases, even though the earlier program-description paragraph broadly lists point-of-sale systems as ineligible. Atlas therefore limits any POS treatment to that explicit SNAP/WIC exception. The opportunity is not limited to food deserts, although limited fresh-food access is a funding priority.
Application Requirements
DCEO lists the NOFO Supplement, Program Application, Uniform Application, Uniform Budget, Mandatory Disclosure, and Conflict of Interest Disclosure among the application materials. Submission is through DCEO’s SmartSheet application form. DCEO also lists a non-mandatory technical-assistance session for September 17, 2026 at 2:00 PM.
Atlas Analysis
Atlas Opportunity Score: 74/100. This is a useful Illinois food-access infrastructure opportunity with a rolling intake, but the controlling FY27-2 supplement now resolves the core applicant, match, and equipment rules. Applicant-specific fit still requires a qualifying Illinois store/operator, documented 25% match, GATA status, eligible energy-efficiency scope, and project readiness.
N9+ Fit Score: 0/100. This funding is for grocery-store energy-efficient equipment. Atlas will not force a clinical or telehealth use case into the opportunity.
Next Action
Identify qualifying Illinois grocery stores and operators, confirm the 25% total-project-cost match, GATA status, eligible refrigeration/HVAC/lighting scope, recipient history, and Email Opt-Out status before any outreach.
Official source: Illinois DCEO – IGI Equipment Upgrade Round 3.