VAA Secures Largest 2025 BUILD Grant in Illinois

City of Galesburg, IL, to receive $25 million for new grain export facility. 

Plymouth, Minn. (March 24, 2025) – Following the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) announcement of its Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) – formerly known as RAISE – grant recipients for 2025, VAA is excited to share its success in helping to secure $25 million for the City of Galesburg, IL. The city will use the funds to construct an intermodal grain export facility within its Galesburg Business Park. The project will also install rail infrastructure into the business park.

The competitive and popular BUILD program supports a broad selection of communities and projects of local and regional significance. Funding is split equally between urban and rural areas, and a large percentage of grants support urban and rural regions defined as historically disadvantaged or areas of persistent poverty. This year, BUILD grants totaling $1.32 million were awarded to 109 recipients nationwide, with $25 million being the largest amount given to any single applicant.

With this new funding, the City of Galesburg has contracted with The DeLong Company based in Clinton, WI to build its new grain export facility, which will utilize solar energy and also lower the vehicle miles traveled by increasing rail freight use. These plans align with the U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization.

“Our Port and River Terminal Design team is proud to have helped secure the funding for this critical infrastructure project,” said Kevin Full, Partner/Senior Structural Engineer, VAA. “We congratulate the City of Galesburg and look forward to seeing their plans come to fruition to benefit their community.”

VAA’s Port and River Terminal Design team harnesses years of grant funding assistance expertise along with its depth of experience in the maritime industry to strategize, develop and execute funding opportunities for local, state and federal grant programs. The VAA team also supports clients through the life of a grant funding process by offering skilled advocacy, detailed tracking and reporting, and timely reimbursement management.

With its notable track record in securing state and federal funding, VAA’s Port and River Terminal Design team invites new applications. Learn more about this service or contact a VAA representative for Maritime Grant Funding Assistance here.