IVCC awarded $3.5 million grant for ag education facility

OGLESBY – Illinois Valley Community College has secured a large grant to construct a new agriculture education facility. The $3.5 million grant awarded from the U.S. Secretary of Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration will be matched with $1.1 million in local funds and generate $500,000 in private investment. This grant will allow IVCC to train and upskill agriculture workers, aid in the development of new technology, and develop sustainable practices. The EDA investment is expected to create 100 jobs and retain 15 jobs.
“Illinois Valley Community College solidifies that status by operating as a pipeline for skilled agriculture workers in and around LaSalle County. By investing in new facilities, the creation of new technology, and the implementation of sustainable methods, we can build on our state’s proud agricultural tradition while creating good paying jobs” said Governor JB Pritzker.
This project is being funded under EDA’s Assistance to Nuclear Closure Communities program. Closures of nuclear power plants throughout the United States have had a significant impact on the economic foundations of surrounding communities through sudden job losses and a reduction to the local tax base. EDA has a strong history of working with communities facing structural economic adjustments, including those impacted by nuclear power plant closures. In FY 2020, EDA is deploying $15 million appropriated to the agency to support communities impacted by nuclear plant closures.