Grants

*December 19, 2024 Update*

Crosswalk has advised that after the holidays, they will begin to set up walk in application times. The walk in applications are expected to begin sometime in February. 

*April 24, 2024 Update*

Governor Pritzker announced on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, that the City of Mt. Vernon is one of fourteen communities that has been awarded funding for housing rehab. Because of your help completing the income surveys, The City of Mt. Vernon was awarded $650,000. Crosswalk Community Action Agency, which is administering this grant on behalf of the City of Mt. Vernon, will begin accepting applications in the Fall. Once a date for accepting applications has been set, it will be announced on our FB page and website.

*January 2024 Update*

Crosswalk has submitted the application on behalf of the City of Mt. Vernon. Funding will not be announced until later this year. Applications for improvements will not be accepted until funding is approved and all grant conditions have been met.

On behalf of the City of Mt. Vernon, Crosswalk Community Action Agency is requesting homeowners complete the Community Development Block Grant Income Survey for use in applying for Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s Community Development Assistance Program 2024 grant funding. These surveys are part of the City’s application for grant funding and do not guarantee assistance.

 If grant funding is awarded to the City, Crosswalk will be taking applications from homeowners in the Summer/Fall of 2024. Applicants will be able to apply for assistance in repairing roofs, plumbing, electrical, foundations and other home repairs.

 To be considered for grant funding, we need a minimum of 33 qualifying households to complete this survey. The more surveys completed, the better the chance of receiving grant funding. Please complete the quick survey and return to the water billing department at City Hall, 1100 Main Street, Mt. Vernon, IL.

**March 27, 2024 Update**

The City of Mt. Vernon successfully secured the EPA Community Investment Grant. This grant, totaling $2,411,896.00, supports a crucial three-phase project aimed at improving the infrastructure of sanitary sewer mains. This initiative underscores the city's commitment to enhancing public health and environmental sustainability through targeted infrastructure investments.

The city has applied for the EPA Community Project Funding Grant to help cover the cost of investigating, repair, replacement and lining of approximately 67,770 feet of sanitary sewer mains. These lines are all located in an area in the southeast part of the city.

**September 2024 Update**

The city has submitted the application for the downtown streetscape improvements. Funding is expected to be announced in the spring of 2025.

The city is working on an application that is due in the spring for downtown streetscape improvements. These improvements includes the downtown areas of Broadway, 10th Street, 11th Street, 12th Street, Jordan Street and Main Street. 

The City of Mt. Vernon has applied for the 2024 Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) grant to fund the construction of a multi-use path connecting Veterans Memorial Drive and Veterans Memorial Park. This project will create a safe, accessible route for pedestrians and cyclists by extending the existing shared-use path from 30th Street to 28th Street. The path will enhance connectivity between key recreational and healthcare facilities, including the water park, sports complex, and hospital, while providing safer crossings and improved accessibility for residents. This project supports the recently completed 2024 Bicycle Master Plan. Funding is expected to be announced in the spring of 2025.

The city learned late spring that we were not awarded this grant. Terracon will be reapplying this fall on behalf of the city.

On behalf of the City of Mt. Vernon, Terracon wrote and applied for a Brownfields Assessment Grant with up to $500,000.00 of funding to pay for phase 1 and phase 2 environmental studies of brownfields sites. (Brownfields sites are pieces of land that are abandoned due to concerns of possible pollution or contamination from industrial use.)

The sites included in the grant application have been empty for years and are located in the area around south 10th street. 

Congressman Mike Bost’s office provided the City with an opportunity to apply for funds in the Fiscal Year 2025 Community Project Funding season. The City has asked for $2.8 million in funding to comply with the EPA mandated Lead Service Line Replacement Program. The City is estimating that it will be Fall before the City finds out if it will be awarded the grant or not. 

On behalf of the City of Mt. Vernon, Terracon is working on and applying for a Brownfields Assessment Grant with up to $500,000.00 of funding to pay for phase 1 and phase 2 environmental studies of brownfields sites. (Brownfields sites are pieces of land that are abandoned due to concerns of possible pollution or contamination from industrial use.)

The sites included in the grant application have been empty for years and are located in the area around south 10th street.