AROUND THE DISTRICT
Please join us again this year as we partner to provide comfort to kids this Valentine’s Day! Cuddles with Kindness provides comfort to children facing traumatic situations through cuddly stuffed animals while amplifying our goal to inspire kindness and compassion, no matter your age! Help us provide comfort and inspire kindness this Valentine’s Day by donating a new cuddly friend for OSF Children’s Hospital of Illinois!
Bring a new stuffed animal to our District Offices in Pontiac, El Paso, or Metamora to bring joy to kids this Valentine’s Day. We will be collecting stuffed animals until February 6, 2025!
CHILD CARE
Over the past decade, Illinois has experienced a 33 percent decline in licensed child care providers, losing nearly 4,300 facilities and about 38,000 licensed slots for children. Here’s what’s driving this troubling decline.
Five big obstacles to opening child care facilities in rural Illinois | Capitol News Illinois
ETHICS
House Republicans have introduced numerous anti-corruption measures over the years, but the majority party refuses to make these necessary ethics reforms. We need action today to hold elected officials accountable and end corruption in Illinois.
Illinois pols talk ethics as Madigan corruption trial nears end | Illinois | thecentersquare.com
PROFESSIONAL LICENSING
Four additional professions are now available for licensure via IDFPR’s new online licensing system.
IDFPR | Comprehensive Online Regulatory Environment
HUMAN LIFE
This week, we recognized Sanctity of Human Life Day, where we reflected on the priceless value of human life and committed ourselves to continuing to fight to protect life from conception until life’s natural end. Let’s honor the dignity of life, advocate for the most vulnerable, and build a world where every life is valued.
AGRICULTURE
The soybean may soon become the official state bean of Illinois to highlight the crop’s importance to the Land of Lincoln. And congratulations to all Illinois farmers, who produced 688 million bushels of soybeans in 2024, surpassing the state’s previous record of 666.75 million set in 2018! The record-breaking data was provided to the Illinois Soybean Association by the National Agricultural Statistics Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Soybean named Illinois’ official state bean
SCHOLARSHIPS
Applications are now open for the 2025 Conservation Achievement Scholarship program. These $2,000 scholarships are awarded to outstanding high school seniors in Illinois who demonstrate effective, voluntary, long-term dedication to the preservation, protection or enhancement of Illinois’ natural resources.
Applications are due by March 1, 2025. Apply here: Illinois Conservation Foundation | ICF > What We Do > Scholarships
The Illinois Sheriffs’ Association announced it will be awarding more than $58,000 in college scholarships throughout Illinois to students wishing to pursue higher education during the 2025-26 academic year, including in Putnam County and Livingston County.
The scholarships are to be applied to tuition, books, and fees only. The students must be enrolled full-time at a certified institution of higher learning within Illinois. Online learning is acceptable.
Putnam County Sheriff Joshua Boedigheimer and Livingston County Sheriff Ryan Bohm will each be awarding one $500 scholarship. There will be no restriction on any applicant because of race, age, creed, color, sex, or national origin. The only limitations are as follows:
- Applicants must be permanent Illinois residents.
- Scholarships must be utilized at institutions of higher learning in Illinois, including those offering online learning.
- Students must be enrolled full-time during the 2025-26 school year (excluding summer session).
Applications are available at each Sheriff’s Office or online at ilsheriff.org/youth-2. Students must complete the application; answer the essay question and return all documentation to the sheriff’s office in their permanent county of residence by March 14 (must be postmarked by this date). A directory of sheriff’s offices is available at ilsheriff.org/sheriffs-directory.
GRANTS
The Illinois Arts Council has announced the Fiscal Year 2026 General Operating Support Grant, which includes optional application questions for IAC’s Youth Employment in the Arts (YEA) Grant. The FY ’26 GOS with optional YEA application deadline is Wednesday, March 19. For more information or to apply, visit this website: General Operating Support
The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is offering grants for small businesses, including the Small Business Capital and Infrastructure Grant Program and the Illinois Grocery Initiative – Equipment Upgrade Program.
The Small Business Capital and Infrastructure Grant Program supports small businesses with capital resources that can be used for infrastructure improvements, acquisition of essential equipment, or purchase of new property. Learn more here: CSFA
The Illinois Grocery Store Initiative – Equipment Upgrade Program supports grants to qualifying Illinois grocery stores for energy-efficient equipment upgrades. Learn more here: the Illinois Grocery Initiative – Equipment Upgrade Program (Round 2) (Notice of Funding Opportunity 3295-2956)
Links to other DCEO grant opportunities:
- Business Attraction Prime Sites CSFA
- Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Match Program CSFA
- CDBG Economic Development Program CSFA
- Illinois Reproductive Health Facilities Capital Grant Program CSFA
- Federal Grant Match Support Program CSFA
- Illinois Returning Residents Clean Jobs Program Illinois Returning Residents Clean Jobs Program (CEJA) (Notice of Funding Opportunity 3361-2715)
All DCEO funding opportunities can be found here Apply for Funding – Grant Opportunities