JOLIET – On Wednesday, Oct. 7, State Senator Rachel Ventura co-hosted an event with the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Agency (ICJIA) and the African American Business Association of Will County designed to help local organizations become familiar with the process of becoming eligible for state grants.
“This workshop provided local governments and community organizations the resources and skills to apply for competitive state grants and ensure we continue to invest in our communities,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “I want to extend my appreciation to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Agency and the African American Business Association of Will County for their partnership and support of local organizations through the GATA certification process and I am looking forward to hosting similar events again in the future.”
The workshop, led by representatives from ICJIA, featured informational videos and hands-on assistance from ICJIA staff to help participants through the steps necessary to become GATA certified. ICJIA staff was available to answer any questions as participants moved through the process of obtaining their certification.
Over 40 community members were in attendance. Whether one were hoping to learn more about the process or needed guidance on how to finish an application, ICJIA was available and ready to assist.
Bruno Garcia is new to the grant process, and attended the workshop in hopes of getting more information about the process.
“Although I am not currently exploring grant funding, I found the workshop extremely informative,” said Garcia. “Having no prior knowledge about the grant process, this workshop was helpful in learning where to start and how to feel confident in my application.”
Alma Montero attended Wednesday’s workshop already having GATA certification.
“Although I had already gone through the application, I wanted to learn more about the grant process, especially the approval process,” said Montero. “Now that I am applying for grants, I wanted to make sure I truly knew the process so I can better help my community.”
Larry Crawford has never applied for grants himself, but oversees a team of individuals who seek out additional funding sources.
“This workshop provided a roadmap that informed interested service providers on how to access resources from the government and other entities,” said Crawford. “I want to thank Senator Ventura for hosting this timely and useful event.”
Those interested in becoming GATA certified can find the steps outlined here. Current grants and registration for Ventura’s grants newsletter is also available here, providing a monthly list of grants delivered directly to subscribers’ inboxes.
