Hospitality Grants For Businesses Impacted By COVID-19 Close Tomorrow

Food and beverage businesses that generated less than $1M in revenue and hotels that generated less than $8M in revenue in 2019 are eligible to apply to Governor Pritzker's Illinois Emergency Business Assistance Initiative, which is awarding lottery grants on April 4.

The eligible uses for grant awards (dictated by the funding sources that are immediately available for this program) are the following:

Working Capital: Including payroll, accounts payable, rent, and other fixed costs of operation. Note: the program has a limited amount of grant funds to support working capital only.

Job Training: Any and all efforts to train and/or re-train workers, including wages paid while training activities occur, including the following purposes: training employees on skills needed for telecommuting; learning best practices to sanitize spaces, conducting training to on-board new employees or re-board recalled workers; and expanding business capacity to learn how to reach new customers in the wake of this disaster.

Technology: Including technology, including hardware, software, and IT services to improve communication with customers and employees and accommodate demand for delivery and pick-up operations. Grants funds can also support other non-technology costs related to evolved operations as a result of the technology, including equipment, sanitary supplies and packaging, signage, etc.