Funding Source

Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich awarded $6 million to 13 community-based organizations and educational institutions in Cook County and statewide. These grant awards are meant to expand employment opportunities for minorities and other targeted populations in the building and construction trades. This funding comes from the Employment Opportunities Grant Program (EOGP), a new workforce initiative. This support comes as a part of Opportunity Returns, the Governor’s comprehensive economic development strategy to create even better jobs and greater employment opportunities across Illinois.

Administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), EOGP’s goal is to expand the number of people in historically underrepresented populations who enter and complete building trades apprenticeship programs and achieve journey-level status within building trades unions. This will assist with the progression of obtaining employment and better wages in this field. These populations often face significant barriers to entering the workforce and have not had access to the necessary skills training needed for entry into the wealth of jobs available within the construction trades. The Capital Development Board (CDB), the state’s primary construction management agency, is also a key partner in this initiative.