Illinois Office of Tourism Grants

Route 66 Centennial Grant

Supports iconic route tourism marketing by certified local bureaus promoting long-form travel itineraries.

⚠ This may reflect a past cycle — verify the current call on the funder's site.

The Route 66 Centennial Grant is a 2026 tourism marketing grant administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) through the Illinois Office of Tourism. It is specifically tied to the centennial anniversary of US Route 66, the historic highway that runs from Chicago to Santa Monica and whose 100th anniversary falls in 2026. The grant supports marketing campaigns by certified Illinois convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs) that promote Route 66 corridor travel and drive visitor traffic to Route 66 destinations in Illinois. The 2026 application deadline is 11 June 2026. Illinois's broader tourism grant portfolio has delivered approximately $4.85 million or more across 60-plus grantees in recent award cycles, providing context for the overall scale of DCEO's tourism grant activity under which this programme sits.

Eligibility is strictly limited to certified convention and visitors bureaus — the programme is not open to private companies, individuals, nonprofits outside the bureau structure, or local governments applying independently. Bureaus must hold current Illinois certification to qualify. Award amounts for individual recipients are not published in current source materials. The programme is classified under the Local Tourism and Convention Bureau Program (CSFA 1606) framework, which encompasses DCEO's full suite of tourism marketing grants. The Route 66 Centennial Grant is one of four active 2026 tourism grant opportunities, alongside the International Tourism Grant, Tourism Marketing — Balance, and Tourism Marketing — Cook County.

Applications are submitted through the DCEO grants portal by the 11 June 2026 deadline. Strong proposals will document specific Route 66 centennial marketing activities, projected visitor numbers and economic impact, and how planned campaigns build on Illinois's established Route 66 tourism corridor. Bureau applicants should confirm their certification status before filing and review CSFA 1606 programme requirements for documentation standards.