OTTAWA, Ill. – Select community colleges around Illinois are eligible to apply for a new grant highlighted by state Rep. Amy “Murri” Briel, D-Ottawa, that will fund advanced workforce training facilities to equip local students for high-demand jobs like manufacturing and clean energy production.
“Community colleges offer academic lifelines for students seeking affordable, quality education. It’s exciting that these local schools now have an opportunity to build out modern workforce facilities that meet the moment for today’s in-demand jobs,” said Briel. “This type of investment will open doors for the intellectually curious who can’t or don’t want to travel far for college. I hope that the community colleges in our local area take advantage of this wonderful opportunity and apply.”
A total of $24 million is available through the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) for community colleges outside of the Chicago area to establish six Manufacturing Training Academies (MTAs). The new facilities aim to foster development and expand training for high-demand jobs in priority industries—advanced manufacturing, quantum computing and microelectronics, Ag Tech, food processing, and life sciences.
“With technology ever changing, it’s more important than ever that we give our next workforce the tools they need to succeed,” said Briel. “When we invest in our community colleges here at
home, we’re directly investing in the success of that next generation.”
Individual community colleges can receive grants ranging from $3 million to $6 million. Community colleges located in Cook and the collar counties are not eligible for funding. Interested applicants can attend a technical assistance session on Jan. 28 at 2 p.m. for any assistance or questions. To learn more or apply for the grant, visit this site or reach out to
CEO.GrantHelp@illinois.gov.
Rep. Amy Briel 
76th District
Springfield Office:
Springfield, IL 62706
District Office: