Lender Forums | Invest in Illinois

two people at work looking at a computer, text reads New Third-Party Administrator Starting June 2026
Overview
Ag Invest
Business Invest
Community Invest
SBDC Roadshow Summer 2026
Finally Home
Business Loan Guarantee

We’ll be at the SBDC Lender Forums in Summer 2026

SBA’s Illinois District Office and Illinois SBDC Network are holding a series of free Forums to update commercial lenders on agency programs and services. Topics will include SOP changes, updated Lender Match info, and upcoming SBA initiatives and training opportunities. Event presenters will include SBA staff, 504 corporations, SBDC representatives, Illinois Advantage representatives, State Treasurer’s Office, and microlenders.

To register or ask questions, contact Charlie White at cwhite@firstwomens.bank.

Lender Forums

Date City Venue Address Host Organization Contact Person Phone Email Website
May 13 Bloomington Illinois Wesleyan University, Minor Myers Welcome Center 1211 North Park Street, Bloomington, IL 61701 Illinois SBDC of McLean County, Illinois Wesleyan University Sarah Gliege, Director 309-556-3171 sbdc@iwu.edu McLean County SBDC
May 15 Edwardsville Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville, Morris University Center, International Room 60 Hairpin Drive, Edwardsville, IL 62025 Illinois SBDC for the Metro East at SIUE, Edwardsville and East St. Louis Offices Jo Ann Di Maggio May, Director 618-650-2929 or 618-482-8330 sbdcedw@gmail.com Illinois SBDC for the Metro East at SIUE
June 2 Springfield UIS Entrepreneurship Center, Innovate Springfield 1 Horace Mann Plaza, Suite 300A, Springfield, IL 62715 Illinois SBDC for Central Illinois, Hosted by GROWTH CORP Kevin Lust, Director 217-522-2772 sbdc@cisbdc.com Central Illinois SBDC
June 4 Carbondale Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center 1740 Innovation Drive, Rooms 150-151, Carbondale, IL 62903 Illinois SBDC at SIU Carbondale, Office of Innovation and Economic Development Michael Jessup, Director 618-536-2424 Michael.Jessup@SIU.edu Illinois Small Business Development Center at SIU
June 11 Galesburg Knox County Area Partnership (KCAP) for Economic Development 200 E Main St, Suite 200, Galesburg, IL 61401 Illinois SBDC at Western Illinois University, Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs R. Andrew Kerr, Ed.D., SBDC Business Advisor 309-298-3040 ra-kerr@wiu.edu IL SBDC WIU
June 23 Peoria Bradley University, Business & Engineering Convergence Center 1500 W Main St, Room BECC 1122, Peoria, IL 61606 Women’s Business Development Center Gayle Ballard 312-853-3477 gballard@wbdc.org Women's Business Development Center
July 14 Olney Olney Central College 305 North West Street, Olney, IL 62450 Illinois SBDC at Illinois Eastern Community Colleges Michelle Brooks, Director 618-562-3744 Brooksm1@iecc.edu The Illinois SBDC at IECC