HANCOCK COUNTY, IL ~ In June 2020, several Hancock County businesses applied for the Downstate Small Business Stabilization (DSBS) Grant to assist with lost revenue due to COVID-19.  The applications required a governmental entity to serve as the fiscal agent, and Hancock County agreed to accept that role.  The DSBS grant was awarded to twelve of those businesses that applied.  After a year’s wait, the funding has finally arrived at the Hancock County Treasurer’s office.  The DSBS funding gives a total of $238,750.00 to these local businesses. 

A partnership among the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity, the Hancock County Board of Directors, the Hancock County Treasurer, Hancock County Economic Development, Carthage Community Development, the Small Business Development Center, and the business owners made this funding possible.  To acknowledge this partnership and recognize the hard work that accompanied a year’s worth of effort, representatives from these organizations and the business owners will gather at the Hancock County Courthouse, 500 Main Street, Carthage, Illinois, on Tuesday, July 6 at 3 PM for presentation of the checks and press conference.