Manufacturing Reinvented (Cook County)

Geographic Scope: Suburban Cook County, Illinois

Total Program Funding: $5 million program

Award Amount: Up to $25,000 per qualifying suburban Cook County manufacturer for eligible expenses

Focus Areas:

• Post-COVID-19 recovery and rebuilding
• Operations improvement
• Automation adoption
• Supply chain resiliency
• Productivity enhancement
• Talent solutions identification
• Customer acquisition and market expansion
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) projects

Eligibility:

• Suburban Cook County manufacturers
• Companies of all sizes (woman-owned, minority-owned businesses eligible)

Benefits:

• Direct grant reimbursement for eligible expenses (up to $25,000)
• IMEC expert advising services to refine project design and scope

Funding Source: American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds

Program Background:
Designed based on survey of over 1,000 suburban Cook County manufacturers and the "Urgent Needs of Manufacturers" report published in March 2021. Program addresses identified needs for operations improvement, customer acquisition, talent solutions, automation, and supply chain resilience.

Success Examples:

• McKlein Company LLC (woman-owned leather goods manufacturer): Used funds for SEO project, already seeing increased SEO rankings
• Universal Instrument Company (small minority-woman owned glassware manufacturer): Used funds for SEO, completed major sale resulting from improved online visibility

Key Contacts:

• Cook County Board President: Toni Preckwinkle
• IMEC President: David Boulay
• Marketing Manager: Jaclyn Kolodziej, Phone: 608-201-5076, Email: jkolodziej@imec.org

Application Process

1. Register for Webinar: Attend informational webinar to understand application process (webinar held March 10, 2023, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., but dates may vary)
2. Review Program Requirements: Understand eligible expense categories and project scopes
3. Develop Project Plan: Work with IMEC expert advisors to refine project design and scope
4. Submit Application: Complete application with project details
5. Receive Approval: Upon approval, eligible expenses are reimbursed up to $25,000

Eligible Expense Categories

• Automation implementation
• Supply chain resiliency projects
• Productivity enhancement initiatives
• Talent solutions and recruitment efforts
• Customer acquisition and marketing (including SEO)
• Operations improvement projects
• Other strategic business improvements

Support Available

• IMEC expert advising services included
• Technical assistance with project design and scope refinement
• Guidance on eligible expense documentation