News Flash

The Snow Emergency, including odd/even parking, is now canceled. 

The Snow Emergency, including odd/even parking, is now canceled. 

In an effort to support the growth of local businesses, the City of Rockford will soon launch the Business Advancement Program, a new economic development initiative designed to support businesses as they advance their operation.

The program offers five-year forgivable loans to qualifying for-profit businesses that operate from a commercial or industrial-zoned brick-and-mortar location within the city limits. The goal of the program is to promote business advancement, job creation and long-term investment in Rockford’s local economy.

"This program is about helping Rockford businesses grow, expand and innovate," said Mayor Tom McNamara. "We recognize the critical role that local business plays in our city’s economy and this program provides funding to scale their business as they take the next step in the growth of their company.”

To qualify for the Business Advancement Program, eligible projects can include a variety of costs associated with the growth of business offerings that are directly tied to the advancement of the business. These costs can include equipment upgrades, rent, salaries, marketing and other operational expenses. Applications will be reviewed on a competitive basis using the program criteria and scoring chart. Initial loans will be provided at a 1:1 match up to $25,000. Although a project’s total cost may be greater than $50,000, $25,000 is the maximum reward amount for this program. Each participant’s loans will be fully forgiven after a five-year period, provided the business sustains operations, remains in compliance with zoning and licensing, and maintains a continued presence in Rockford.

Program Highlights:

• 5-Year Forgivable Loans
• Available to for-profit businesses in commercial or industrial-zoned brick-and-mortar properties that are located within an eligible area
• Funds may not be used capital improvements or construction of any kind
• Loan forgiveness is tied to full compliance with the terms of the Development Agreement 

The City of Rockford Economic Development Department will administer the program and provide technical assistance to applicants throughout the process.

Applications for the Business Advancement Program will open on December 1, 2025 and closes December 31, 2025. Interested businesses are encourage to view the informational webinar on November 26, 2025 or attend office hours for more information. They may also visit the City of Rockford’s website for full eligibility requirements and application guidelines.

For more information, visit www.rockfordil.gov/businessadvancementloanprogram, email EconomicDevelopment@rockfordil.gov or call the City of Rockford Economic Development Department at (815) 387-7162.

The City of Rockford Commercial Corridor Property Revitalization Program is now open for applications!

Eligible Corridors: The program is open to commercial and industrial-zoned properties located within the following designated corridors:

• Harrison Avenue: Rock River to S Alpine Rd
• N Main Street: Brown Ave to Campus Hill Blvd
• Rockton Avenue: Van Wie Ave to W Riverside Blvd
• S Alpine Road: Larson Ave to Bypass 20
• S Main Street: Kent St to Marchesano Dr

Program Highlights:

• Forgivable loans covering up to 75% (up to $25,000) for project costs on exterior building improvements and interior improvements (for ADA improvements only) in eligible corridors. 
• First-come, first-served basis per corridor until all funds are exhausted. 

Program Application Link

The City of Rockford is proud to announce it has been awarded a 2025 Gold Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health by Mental Health America (MHA) for the second year in a row.

MHA is the nation’s leading community-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting mental health, well-being and illness prevention for all. MHA has spent decades researching mental health in the workplace and introduced in 2019 the Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health to recognize companies and organizations that understand the value of addressing mental health at work and implement policies and practices that support employee well-being.

The Bell Seal recognizes employer advances in workplace mental health by awarding Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum recognition levels. Only 2 in 5 employers meet the standards for Bell Seal certification. The City underwent a rigorous evaluation of its policies and practices in four areas: workplace culture, benefits, compliance, and wellness programs. 

“Supporting the mental health of our employees is not only the right thing to do—it’s a smart investment in the overall well-being and success of our organization,” says Mayor Tom McNamara. “Earning the Bell Seal certification reflects our continued dedication to fostering a workplace that prioritizes mental health and employee wellness.”

Learn more about MHA and the Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health at mhanational.org/bestemployers.

In 2018, the National Resource Network (NRN) and the City of Rockford partnered to develop a seven-year financial plan, which focused on improving the City’s fiscal sustainability and economic competitiveness. As part of this work, NRN and the City prepared a Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy. NRN is led, in part, by Enterprise Advisors.

“In 2017, our revenue projections were bleak for the future,” says Mayor Tom McNamara. “We knew we needed experts to come in and assess our community, our finances and our neighborhoods.”

Enterprise looked at the condition of physical property in each neighborhood, and used various data points, including vacant properties, foreclosures, code violations and homeownership rates, to describe the general conditions of the built environment and what tools/interventions could be used to address issues for each neighborhood. The City then used that data to prioritize funding for direct involvement in property improvement; for investing in key partnerships that would bring overall improvements; and for advocating for needed policy and funding changes that would help our community improve and maintain our properties. Enterprise also looked at different data points that would describe strong neighborhoods, middle neighborhoods and emerging neighborhoods to produce the original study.

From 2018 to 2023, the City invested in key initiatives to improve housing and reduce vacancies. The establishment of the Northern Illinois Land Bank and the transition of the Winnebago County Trustee to Region 1 Planning Council provided critical tools to address foreclosures and vacant properties. Creating a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) in partnership with Rockford Local Development Corporation (RLDC) and private financial institutions to help revitalize homes, boosting homeownership while reducing code violations. Additionally, the City funded emergency furnace, weatherization and home rehab programs, along with the Critical Home Repair Program, leading to significant property improvements and fewer code violations.

Late last year, Enterprise analyzed our neighborhoods again. This time, most neighborhoods ranked as strong, showing that in the last five years the City positioned our neighborhoods to be ready for new construction and growth in value. (https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/974adb9666084252a0b0cb4c24be7951)

Key results from the study include:

• Economic Growth: Property values increased by 56% since 2017 creating wealth for property owners, violent crime fell by 34%, and thousands of new jobs were created.
• Strategic Planning: Rockford partnered with the National Resource Network (NRN), Enterprise Advisors, and others to develop a data-driven multi-year financial plan and Neighborhood Revitalization Typology.
• Infrastructure & Investment: The city leveraged federal and state funds to execute major capital improvements and created financial incentives to attract new residents and businesses.
• Community Development: Initiatives like the Rockford Promise program provide free college tuition for eligible students, while housing programs encourage new development and home rehabilitation.
• Future Focus: Rockford plans to continue economic development, expand housing supply, and maintain affordability while ensuring sustained community engagement and safety improvements.

“I’m thrilled we are trending in the right direction based on strategic decisions and initiatives,” says Mayor McNamara. “The next step in the process is to implement our Housing Strategy Framework. It includes action items like building on the success of the Land Bank by advocating for more state resources, investing in new residential housing, increasing funding for the CDFI and using the vacant property ordinance to get more vacant commercial properties back on the tax roll.” 

Due to this historic turnaround, Enterprise recently wrote an article about the City’s “improbable turnaround.” (https://www.enterprisecommunity.org/blog/improbable-turnaround)

NEW WARD MAP: Every 10 years, the U.S. Census Bureau conducts a count designed to record each resident in the United States. The 2020 decennial Census revealed population shifts between the wards within the City of Rockford, and as such, state law required adjustments to the current ward boundaries prior to the next City election. A bipartisan Redistricting Committee created the new ward map, which was approved by City Council in 2022. This new map will be effective during the next aldermanic election, which will occur this year with a primary election in February and a consolidated election in April.  To see the current maps, as well as the maps that will take effect with the next election, visit https://www.rockfordil.gov/531/Ward-Redistricting.

The City of Rockford and the Rockford Mass Transit District announced that beginning February 1, 2025, any individual in the community enrolled in a local post-secondary education program or in a local adult General Educational Development (GED)/High School Equivalency (HSE) program will now be able to ride RMTD’s fixed route service for free.Individuals who have a valid student photo I.D. for the spring 2025 semester from any of the following local institutions: Rock Valley College (RVC), Rockford Career College (RCC), Rockford University, NIU Rockford, Judson, Rasmussen, U of I College of Medicine, OSF Nursing - can access the free ride program by simply showing their valid student photo I.D. when boarding a RMTD bus. For those individuals currently enrolled in adult GED/HSE programs offered by RVC, Rockford Public Schools (RPS) & Goodwill, as well as the Rockford Public Library Adult Online High School, RMTD will be coordinating with those providers to distribute free passes to their program participants.  The new free ride programs are being implemented in an effort to help reduce barriers to accessing educational and training opportunities in the community. In 2022, we implement Veteran and K-12 student free ride programs on the fixed route system.

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Beginning on March 1, 2025, the City of Rockford will implement a new vacant and foreclosing property registration platform provided by Tolemi. Currently registered property owners will have to re-register with this new platform. The Register a Vacant/Foreclosing Property page will contain a link to the new registry, the Vacant and Foreclosing Property Registry (VFPR) ordinance, and any relevant documents related to the VFPR. The new registry provides a step-by-step walkthrough during registration. Please be prepared to provide the name, street address, telephone number and email of each owner, authorized agent, and property manager. If you are unsure if your property needs to be registered, the definition of a vacant property, for the purposes of registration, are defined in the ordinance found in the provided link. If you have already made a payment for the 2025 semi-annual renewal, or have any questions or information on vacant properties, please email vacant and foreclosing property or call 779-348-7440.