CURRENT/UPCOMING PROJECTS:
Downtown Digital Sign:
Great news for downtown! The Village has been working hard to secure funding for a new digital sign, and those efforts are paying off. We are thrilled to have received a $5,000 Community Needs grant from the DeKalb County Community Foundation on April 28, 2026, to help bring this project to life. Stay tuned as we work to keep our community connected and informed!
Purdy Park:
DeKalb County Community Foundation awarded the Village of Shabbona a $20,000 economic development grant in 2018. In 2024, the Village Board of Trustees voted to use this grant for a shade structure in Purdy Park. In the Fall of 2025, the Village Board of Trustees approved the shade structure design that Building Shabbona Together NFP proposed to put in Purdy Park. The shade structure will be installed in the Spring of 2026.
Lions Park:
In 2025, DeKalb County Community Foundation awarded the Village of Shabbona a $12,500 Compeer Financial Rural Vitality Grant. The Village Board of Trustees approved using this grant to replace the Pavilion floor and uprights as well as add a climbing wall to the playground. The Pavilion was completed in November 2025, the climbing wall will be installed by Spring of 2026.
Purdy Park:
The Village of Shabbona applied for an OSLAD grant in September of 2024 for improvements including pickleball court, basketball goals, utilities (including electric, water, and sewer), lighting, restrooms, pavilion, landscaping, and other amenities in Purdy Park. We were award an OSLAD matching grant for $224,040. These additions are designed to foster a sense of community, encourage physical activity, and provide a welcoming space for residents to gather and connect. The Village of Shabbona applied for this grant on behalf of Building Shabbona Together NFP. While we are all grateful for the grant award, the OSLAD program requires a matching contribution from the community. This means that in order to secure the full $224,040 grant, Building Shabbona Together needs to raise an additional $224,000.
Stay tuned for more details on upcoming fundraising efforts and how you can contribute to this exciting project. Together we can make Purdy Park a place for all generations to enjoy! For more information or to donate, please contact Jen Morrison at 815-501-0696, email BST at buildingshabbonatogether [at] gmail.com (buildingshabbonatogether[at]gmail[dot]com) or visit their Facebook page Building Shabbona Together.
COMPLETED PROJECTS:
ITEP Grant: In July of 2021 the Village of Shabbona was awarded $1,337,450 ITEP grant for the downtown streetscape improvements, including parking, ADA accessibility, improved pedestrian crossings, and aesthetics and landscaping. This grant is funded with Federal grant dollars through the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Project.
- Fall 2022: Required ADA sidewalk improvements done at all crosswalks by IDOT while repaving US Route 30
- Downtown Streetscape improvement construction began in April 2024 and completed in Fall 2024.