The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is offering a grant under the Clean Energy Career and Technical Education Pilot Program to support electric vehicle career and technical education in Normal, Illinois. This funding opportunity, officially titled the Electric Vehicle Career and Technical Education Program for Normal Illinois (NOFO 3460-2974), aligns with the state’s commitment to promoting clean energy workforce development and supporting career pathways within emerging industries like electric vehicles. DCEO, the state’s primary economic development agency, is responsible for fostering business growth, workforce development, and community investments in Illinois.

The purpose of this grant is to fund a pilot program dedicated to creating or enhancing career and technical education programs that specifically focus on electric vehicle technology. The program aims to build workforce capacity in this growing sector by providing educational programming, technical training, and hands-on learning experiences related to electric vehicle manufacturing, repair, maintenance, and related technologies. The program’s ultimate goal is to increase access to high-demand clean energy jobs and prepare students and workers for successful employment in the electric vehicle industry.

The funding opportunity has an estimated total program funding of $5,000,000, with a plan to make a single award. There is no required cost-sharing or matching contribution from the applicant, and indirect costs are allowed without any restrictions on the rate. The funding source is entirely from the State of Illinois. The grant is intended to cover expenses related to the development and implementation of educational programming, curriculum development, equipment procurement, instructional costs, and other expenses necessary to establish a robust career and technical education program focused on electric vehicles.

Eligible applicants include entities that are pre-qualified under the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA). Pre-qualification requires registration in the Illinois GATA Grantee Portal and completion of a range of disclosures, including conflict of interest and mandatory disclosures. Although the NOFO does not explicitly list eligible organization types, educational institutions and other training entities with the capacity to deliver technical education programs in Normal, Illinois, are the logical target applicants based on the program’s stated focus.

Applications will be accepted beginning February 11, 2025, and the deadline for submission is June 1, 2025, at 11:59 PM. No technical assistance sessions are scheduled for this grant opportunity. All application documents, including the NOFO Supplement, Uniform Grant Application, Uniform Budget Template, Mandatory Disclosure, and Conflict of Interest Disclosure, must be completed and submitted as part of the application package. Pre-qualification under GATA is required prior to submission.

The primary point of contact for this grant is John Barr, who can be reached via email at john.w.barr@illinois.gov. No phone number was provided in the announcement. Applicants are encouraged to review all materials and application requirements through the DCEO grant opportunities portal and the official grant announcement link.