JJC Receives Funding Secured by Sen. Duckworth for Entrepreneur and Business Center

U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today visited Joliet Junior College (JJC) to discuss the $353,404 she secured through a Fiscal Year 2023 Congressionally Directed Spending Request for the creation of an Entrepreneur and Business Center at JJC. The funding Duckworth, along with U.S. Representative Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14), requested will help foster economic development within Joliet and the Illinois Community College District 525. This project will work directly with new and existing entrepreneurs from the conceptual stage of a business to formal businesses enterprises, assisting entrepreneurs with education, training and resource identification. Photos from today’s visit are available here.

“Our state and our nation are stronger when we invest in our communities and families—and that’s one of the things Congressionally Directed Spending allows us to do,” said Duckworth. “I’m so proud I was able to secure this critical support for Joliet Junior College to help create an Entrepreneur and Business Center. This support will help entrepreneurs grow and create jobs in Illinois communities and train a future generation of business leaders, especially those from nontraditional backgrounds.”

“It was an honor to host Sen. Tammy Duckworth and her team at Joliet Junior College,” said JJC President Dr. Clyne Namuo. “With support from Congressional members like Sen. Duckworth, JJC can continue to inspire learning, transform lives and strengthen communities. JJC’s Entrepreneur and Business Center will invest the $353,404 received from Sen. Duckworth’s congressionally directed spending into the community by providing entrepreneurs with vital support and education for their businesses. These services empower entrepreneurs to forge new pathways to prosperity.”

Duckworth today met with JJC President Clyne Namuo, JJC Executive Director of Strategic Engagement Kelly Rohder-Tonelli and Entrepreneur and Business Center Advisor Brian Kincaid.

In FY22, Duckworth and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) secured $211 million through Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) for Illinois and another $182 million for Illinois in FY23. The CDS process does not represent new spending, rather it enables Members of Congress to allocate existing funding for specific local projects by units of government, nonprofit organizations and other organizations that meet strict eligibility requirements.