December 11, 2025
SIU’s SouthernTECH Food Incubator receiving $197K federal grant
The Delta Regional Authority has awarded $197,000 to SIU through its States’ Economic Development Assistance Program for the purchase of specialized equipment for the university’s new SouthernTECH High-Tech Food Incubator, a state-of-the-art food processing and manufacturing incubator located at the Gower Translational Research Center on University Press Drive.
The grant will fund the purchase of modern equipment for the regulation-compliant facility and expand workforce training opportunities in food-related industries to support small-business owners in the region. SIU is among 12 grant projects receiving more than $3.1 million in funding, and the award complements a $1.6 million Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity grant received earlier this year to establish the incubator.