On the heels of a nearly $1 million grant awarded in January, Red Bud officials announced last Wednesday that its city was awarded a state grant in the amount of $932,041 to build infrastructure in the new Red Bud Business Park off Route 154 at the east end of town that just broke ground.

This new grant was awarded through Illinois’ RISE Research in Illinois to Spur Economic Development Program, administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

In January, the city received word they had been awarded $929,046 from the Regional Site Readiness Grant, another DCEO initiative. Additional funds of $86,776 and $68,466 came from Energy Transition Community Grants, and $473,575 from the American Rescue Plan Act rounds out the nearly $2.5 million awarded to Red Bud to fund infrastructure development in its new business park.

“These awards underscore the State of Illinois’ recognition that Red Bud is a community where businesses can grow and thrive,” Red Bud Mayor Susan Harbaugh said. “This achievement is also a testament to the dedication and effectiveness of our city’s leadership team, whose hard work has resulted in successful back to back grant applications. These resources will be instrumental in advancing infrastructure improvements at the Red Bud Business Park — a major step forward in our commitment to economic development and opportunity for our community.”

In 2017, Red Bud purchased 50.58 acres of farmland with the intent to develop light industrial/commercial property due to the lack of shovel-ready lots within city limits. After the initial land purchase, the city spent the next two and a half years working to establish initial infrastructure plans. 

Unfortunately, all progress was halted with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite this setback, the city continued to work to bring its vision of a new business park into fruition – although recent closures and layoffs have negatively impacted its economic landscape. 

In 2022, the Ruma Convent was removed from service, eliminating approximately 50 jobs it provided to the community. 

In 2023, the local nursing home closed its doors due to a new acquisition and change in ownership.  

Last year brought layoffs from one of the leading industries in town, Roeslein Modular Fabrication, a world-wide leader of prefabricated and pre-assembled systems. 

This, in addition to the retirement of a coal-fed power plant in neighboring Baldwin, has left the region void of nearly 300 jobs, forcing Red Bud citizens to commute out of the area for new employment opportunities.

Red Bud is reclaiming its workforce through grant funds made possible by local partnerships with leading economic development organizations such as SI Now, the Leadership Council of Southwestern Illinois, and Monroe County Economic Development Corporation. The MCEDC is a RISE Planning grantee who, thanks to RISE funds, developed the Regional Economic Recovery Plan published in March 2024. 

This plan identifies and includes the Red Bud Business Park as a priority project, allowing Red Bud’s eligibility to apply for RISE Implementation funding.