Illinois SBDC for Central Illinois

10/19/2026

🛒 Know a grocery store owner? Share this!

The State of Illinois has more than $26 million available through the Illinois Grocery Initiative:

New Stores in Food Deserts ($20.8 million): deadline Dec. 9
NEW Grocery Rescue Program ($4.5 million): helps reopen stores that closed in the past year
Equipment Upgrades ($750,000): energy-efficient upgrades for existing stores

You’ve heard us say it: grants exist, but they’re targeted. This one might be a perfect fit for a business in your community. Details 👉 https://dceo.illinois.gov/aboutdceo/grantopportunities/3295-4240.html

Thinking about applying? An SBDC advisor can help you get application-ready, at no cost.

10/16/2026

💵 “Is there grant money to start my business?”

It’s one of the questions we hear most. The honest answer: sometimes, but not as often as people hope. Here’s what we shared at our grants class:

✅ Grants exist, but they’re targeted. Most go to governments, municipalities and nonprofits, or to a specific purpose, place or industry.
✅ Read the fine print. Some pay out as a reimbursement after you’ve already spent the money.
✅ Watch out for scams. Legitimate grants never charge a fee to apply.
✅ Have a Plan B (and C). Starting small and growing step by step is often the smartest path, and SBA-guaranteed loans, microloans and local lenders are often faster and more reliable.

Want to talk through your options? Book a no-cost advising session 👉

We are here to help find the answers to all of your business questions. Make an appointment with any of our impressive roster of advisors.

10/14/2026

📍 Three places to meet with an SBDC advisor in Springfield:

1️⃣ Illinois SBDC for Central Illinois (Growth Corp Building), 2401 West White Oaks Drive
2️⃣ CAP1908 (The Springfield Project), 1100 South Grand Avenue East
3️⃣ Innovate Springfield (Horace Mann Building, Suite 300A), 1 Horace Mann Plaza

Can’t make it in person? We’ll meet over Zoom or by phone.

We serve 12 counties in Central Illinois: Sangamon, Menard, Logan, Macon, Shelby, Christian, Montgomery, Macoupin, Greene, Scott, Morgan, and Cass.

10/08/2026

🚀 Thinking about starting a business? Start here.

Join us online for Starting Your Business in Illinois, a live session that walks you through the first steps of turning an idea into a real business.

📅 Tuesday, October 13
⏰ 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
💻 Online (live)

Bring your questions. There's no cost to attend. Register here 👉 https://ilsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/41852

10/06/2026

🧸 Meet one of Springfield's quiet success stories: Little Lincoln's Toy Shop.

When Ryan Leake opened the shop in 2018, his goal was simple: bring high-quality, imagination-driven toys to Springfield and let kids try them before taking them home. Today, families drive in from Bloomington, Peoria and beyond just to visit, and the shop just expanded into a 5,400-square-foot space on West White Oaks Drive.

Inside you'll find an expanded children's book section, a "kidult" area for teens and adults, 3D-printed toys and free gift-wrapping. Walk in unsure what to buy, and walk out the birthday party hero. 🎁

Want to help a local business grow? Give them a follow, share their posts and tell your friends. It costs nothing and makes a real difference.

10/05/2026

🔒 Cybersecurity: let's talk before you're a headline.

Small businesses get targeted more often than most owners realize. It's not because each one is a big prize. It's because they're easy targets. One hacked email account or out-of-date point-of-sale system can cost you customer trust, money, and weeks of downtime.

Cybersecurity is officially part of what our advisors can walk through with you. There's no outside vendor and no sales pitch, just a conversation about where your business is exposed and what to fix first.

5 things worth doing this month:

1️⃣ Turn on multi-factor authentication everywhere it's offered, including email, banking, and your POS system. It's the single biggest thing you can do.

2️⃣ Keep software and devices updated. Turn on automatic updates for your POS, computers, and phones.

3️⃣ Use a password manager, and never reuse passwords. One reused password is often all it takes.

4️⃣ Back up your data regularly, and keep one copy offline. If ransomware ever hits, that backup is what gets you back open.

5️⃣ Train your team to spot phishing. Most breaches start with a click on a link that looked legitimate.

Want to know where your business stands? Our advisors can walk you through it at no cost. We're here to help.

10/02/2026

Here's a great way to support local businesses and have a great time!

10/02/2026

📱 What if you could run your business from your phone?

With today's AI tools, you're closer than you think. Answering customer questions, writing a social post, sending an invoice, drafting a quote, checking your schedule. A lot of the work that used to keep you tied to a desk can now happen in a few taps, wherever you are.

You don't need to be a tech expert to get started. You just need to know which tools fit the way you work.

Not sure where to begin? We're here to help. SBDC advisors work with owners to find practical tools that fit their business, at no cost.

10/01/2026

Wondering if a meeting with an SBDC advisor is worth your time? Here are 5 reasons it is 👇

1️⃣ It's free and confidential. There's no cost to meet with an advisor, and what you share stays between the two of you.

2️⃣ The advice is unbiased. We're not selling anything. Every recommendation is about what's right for your business.

3️⃣ You get a direct line to lenders. We work with banks, credit unions, and SBA-approved lenders across the region and can point you to the financing that fits your business, not just one option.

4️⃣ You get clarity on grants and funding. Find out what's open, what you qualify for, and how to move fast when the right opportunity comes up.

5️⃣ You get cybersecurity guidance. Protect your business, your customers' data, and your reputation.

Ready to talk it through? Book your free advisor meeting 👉 https://www.cisbdc.com/appointments/

09/30/2026

🛍️ Small Business Saturday is, November 28 — and now's the time to get ready!

The day after Black Friday is one of the biggest shopping days of the year for independent businesses. A little prep goes a long way:

✅ Get on the map. Search "Amex Shop Small" to register your business on the Shop Small map and order free signage, window decals, and social graphics.

✅ Stock up and staff up. Make sure your inventory, staffing, and payment options are ready for a bigger crowd.

✅ Team up with your neighbors. A shared "passport" promo or coordinated event draws more foot traffic than going it alone. Local holiday markets that weekend are another great way to reach shoppers.

✅ Call your local media and chamber. They're often looking for Small Business Saturday stories.

✅ Collect contact info at checkout. Use the day to build your customer list for the rest of the holiday season.

Want help building your Small Business Saturday plan? Book a free advisor meeting with us this month. 👉 https://www.cisbdc.com/appointments/