Employer Training Investment Program (ETIP)

Employer Training Investment Program (ETIP) is sponsored by Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce (administered by DCEO). This opportunity supports mission-aligned projects and measurable outcomes.

ETIP Overview & Frequently Asked Questions - Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce > Employer Training Investment Program > ETIP Overview & Frequently Asked Questions ETIP Overview & Frequently Asked Questions What companies are eligible for reimbursement through ETIP? Companies must have a physical location in the State of Illinois. Reimbursement is eligible for Illinois-based, full-time employees only.

ETIP is a program administered by the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. For information regarding membership, please contact membership@chicagolandchamber. org.

What are the dates for eligible training during the grant term? Training that occurs between July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026 may be eligible for training, pending additional eligibility factors outlined below. Please keep in mind, funding is distributed on a first come, first served basis until funding is depleted.

Who can provide training? You can work with a third-party trainer to provide your training or conduct training internally. Internal training is reimbursed at the actual hourly rate of the trainer on staff.

For more information about how to access reimbursement for third-party or internal training, please see Guidance for Company Led Training . What types of expenses are eligible or ineligible?

Eligible Expense Examples: Internal company-based instructor wages at the actual hourly wage rate Employee external training fee expenses Instructional training materials purchased or production expenses Ineligible Expense Examples : Trainee and trainer travel expenses Training Program Development/Preparation/Planning Conferences/Workshops/Seminars (unless certificate of completion is issued) Units of government, public schools, municipalities, park districts, forest preserves, libraries, water districts, and county/city/state government organizations are not eligible What types of trainings are eligible or ineligible?

Training should be directly associated with an employee’s day-to-day activities and must enhance the skills related to the job that the employee is performing.

Eligible Training Examples: Training programs required to respond to new or changing technologies, processes, product lines, machinery, or equipment being introduced in the workplace Training necessary to implement continuous improvement systems in the workplace, including quality certifications Training employees in skills necessary to establish, maintain, or expand into new export markets Compliance training required by law that results in certification upon completion (e.g., OSHA, HAZCOM, etc.) Basic and/or remedial training of employees ONLY as a prerequisite or pathway for other vocational or technical skills training Training to upgrade technical workplace skills Organizational Skills (customer service, professional English, team leader and team building) Basic Skills (workplace ELS, workplace reading) Quality Kills (problem solving, root cause analysis) Leadership and soft skills training Diversity, equity, and inclusion training Please see Sample Training Courses for an expanded list of eligible trainings.

Ineligible Training Examples: Tuition reimbursement for GED, College Credit/Degree Awareness Training (e.g., Harassment Training) Non-structured On-the-Job Training Employee Orientation Training One – on-one training may be eligible but require pre-approval from our Grantor, DCEO Additional Eligibility Factors: Structure : Trainings must be structured in order to be eligible. Non-structured on the job training is not eligible.

There must be dates and times associated with all classes and courses. Attendance : Courses must have 2 or more trainees in attendance to be eligible for reimbursement.

One-on-one trainings may be eligible, but require pre-approval by our funder (Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity) Billing Requirements : Invoices from training providers must be issued directly to the company seeking reimbursement and must reflect 100% of the training cost. Reimbursement cannot be processed for invoices paid by individuals. All invoices must clearly itemize training services and related expenses.

In addition, the invoice date, payment date, and completion of training must all occur within the same fiscal year in order for the expense to be eligible for reimbursement. How do I find out if the training I want to conduct is eligible or approved to begin? You must complete the ETIP Intake Form first.

Then, before conducting any training, you must submit a Training Pre‑Approval Request using the Pre‑Approval Template (Excel) , which includes details about the proposed training. If you are working with a trainer who is not currently pre‑approved, you must also submit the Trainer Pre‑Approval Template (Excel). This form may be completed by the company or directly by the trainer.

Once submitted, we will review the request to confirm that: The training is eligible under ETIP guidelines, and Sufficient grant funds remain to cover potential reimbursement. Submission of a pre‑approval request does not guarantee reimbursement. We will notify you within 5 days or next steps.

If approved, you will receive additional paperwork that must be completed and submitted in order to request reimbursement. When is the deadline to submit for reimbursement? The Chamber reimburses quarterly after timely submission of all required forms and information.

The remaining deadlines on the current grant are: October 15, 2025 (for trainings from July 1, 2025 – September 30, 2025) January 10, 2025 (for trainings from October 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025) April 10, 2026 (for trainings from January 1, 2026 to March 31, 2026) July 10, 2026 (for trainings from April 1, 2026 to June 30, 2026) Final deadline for the current grant. Late submissions will not be accepted.

How often does the Chamber process reimbursements? The Chamber reimburses for up to 50% of the cost of eligible training to companies on a quarterly basis, after receipt of all required paperwork by the deadline. Any incomplete documentation may be reimbursed the following quarter after submission of all required materials and if funding is still available.

What documentation is required? You must complete and submit all documentation listed below to be eligible for reimbursement (see list below). If you work with one of our Pre-Qualified Training Providers, they will work with you to complete and submit all required documentation on your behalf.

If you complete training via a third-party training provider or complete internal training, you must complete the forms below and submit all documentation. These forms were provided by our funder. You may submit documentation in a different format, but the documentation must include all required information.

All documentation must be completed in its entirety, collated, and submitted in . pdf format to etip@chicagolandchamber. org by the deadline in order to receive for reimbursement for this grant cycle.

2. Master Training Roster (cumulative) 3. Expenditure Summary (cumulative) 4.

Participating Employee Report (cumulative) 5. Course Expenditure Report