DCEO awards grants in area

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Springfield - The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity recently contacted State Sen. John Sullivan, D-Rushville, to announce the awarding of $2,750,000 in grants throughout his district. The grants are for improvements to public facilities awarded by the DCEO through their Community Development Assistance Program.

"These assistance grants are intended to provide funding to smaller communities with projects that are desperately needed," said Sullivan. "The DCEO recognized eight projects in my district that were well deserving of this grant money and I am very thankful. Projects like these are a big deal for small, downstate towns."

The Community Development Assistance Program is a federally funded grant program that helps Illinois communities by providing grants to local governments to assist them in financing economic development, public facilities and housing rehabilitation projects.

Area CDAP grants are:

- $350,000 to replace cast iron water mains in Bushnell

- $350,000 to construct a water tower and make revisions to the pump house in London Mills

- $350,000 to replace 13,000 linear feet of water main in a northeast section of Macomb

"Each of these grants will make a difference in the development of the communities they affect," added Sullivan. "Along with the upgrades to facilities, the projects will also create jobs in these areas."

DCEO is charged with enhancing Illinois' economic competitiveness by providing technical and financial assistance to businesses, local governments, workers and families.