Resources for Local Municipalities:
USDA Rural Development Programs (For a full listing, click HERE.)
Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant:
This program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial or business undertakings. Click HERE for more.
Community Facilities Guaranteed Loan Program:
This program provides loan guarantees to eligible private lenders to help build essential community facilities in rural areas.
An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial or business undertakings. Click HERE for more.
Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants:
This program helps eligible communities prepare, or recover from, an emergency that threatens the availability of safe, reliable drinking water. Click HERE for more.
Telecom Programs:
Access to broadband has become essential for the social and economic benefits it provides to American residents, businesses, governments and communities. Broadband is crucial for increased health, educational and economic opportunities, as well as for job and business creation and growth. Broadband can help close the digital divide between rural and urban communities. Click HERE for more.
Illinois Housing Development Authority: Revitalization and Repair Programs
IHDA understands that investing in homes and communities across the state is an effective way to combat the ongoing effects of the housing crisis and assist with revitalization efforts. We work with local governments and non-profit organizations to offer programs that address vacant residential properties and the blight that usually follows to benefit communities. We also fund programs that allow homeowners to make necessary repairs and accessibility improvements, allowing residents stay in their homes while improving the quality of single-family housing and helping to create vibrancy in neighborhoods throughout Illinois. Click HERE for more.
Illinois Municipal League
The Illinois Municipal League (IML) was created to ensure the same thing that we still strive for today – uniting local governments to make one strong, common voice. From 1878 through 1908, various mayoral groups met and held conventions, and in June of 1908 over 30 cities gathered together for a conference in Chicago. Two years later in 1910, the Illinois Mayors Association was meeting annually and beginning to organize activities. From those meetings, a voice began to grow, and with that, recognition for the local voice did as well. By June of 1913, at the same convention, it was decided that a committee of 12 members would draft a constitution for a new organization. This new organization would strive to encourage and represent all municipal officials to the very best of its ability. This new organization would be called the Illinois Municipal League. Click HERE for more.