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Business Invest SCALE UP.

SCALE UP works through approved financial institutions to expand financing for qualifying diverse Illinois construction contractors.

Offered byOffice of the Illinois State Treasurerverified 2026-07-10

Overview

What it does.

The program is designed for eligible women-, minority-, veteran-, or disability-owned construction businesses with qualifying contracts. The financial institution underwrites and makes the loan.

Best for: A qualifying Chester-area construction contractor that needs working capital or capacity to perform a larger contract.

Eligibility

Who and what may qualify.

Eligible applicants

  • Qualifying small diverse construction contractors with contracts involving government entities or major Illinois real-estate developers

Eligible uses

  • Financing that helps an eligible construction contractor grow and perform larger contracts

Application

How to start.

  1. Confirm business ownership and contract eligibility.
  2. Contact the Treasurer's Invest in Illinois team or a participating institution.
  3. Complete lender underwriting and program documentation.

Timing: Availability depends on participating institutions and current program capacity.

Planning notes

Limits to account for.

  • The business must meet ownership, size, construction-industry, and contract requirements.
  • This is lender financing, not a grant.

BEP certification may support procurement positioning but does not itself establish SCALE UP eligibility.

Evidence

Official sources.

  • Business InvestOffice of the Illinois State Treasurer · accessed 2026-07-10