Cook County Property Tax Bridge Fund

Service Information

Property Tax Bridge Fund

To help local governments manage the resulting cash-flow gap, Cook County is reopening and expanding its Property Tax Bridge Fund Program, making up to $300 million in no-interest loans available to eligible taxing districts.

The application portal is now open. Each local taxing district interested in receiving a loan will need to complete an application and upload the required supporting documents for review by the County.

In response to feedback from taxing districts and community partners, the County is expanding eligibility from the previous year, allowing institutions heavily reliant on property tax revenue better access to the assistance. In addition, the County is moving to reopen the program sooner this year so taxing districts can plan ahead, evaluate their cash-flow needs and begin preparing applications before a funding gap occurs.

Applications

The County's streamlined and secure application portal is now open and available at https://apps.cookcountyil.gov/BridgeFund. This portal allows local taxing jurisdictions to submit applications and supporting documents for the Bridge Fund Program. A helpful webinar on how to apply and step-by-step guide for submitting applications are also now available.

To apply quickly and take advantage of this opportunity while funds remain available, we highly recommend reviewing the 2026 Bridge Fund Application Required Documents Guide and collecting materials as soon as possible. Below is a list of the documents needed to complete an application:

  • Most Recent Annual Financial Statements
  • Certification Letter for Unaudited Financial Statements
  • 2025 Property Tax Levy Package
  • 2025 Executed Levy Edit Report
  • Bond and Interest Levy/Intercept Documentation

Eligibility Requirements

Local taxing districts meeting all the following eligibility requirements are encouraged to apply for a loan:

  • 50% Reliance on Property Taxes: Only local taxing jurisdictions (LTJ) that are reliant on property taxes for 50% or more of their total Governmental revenues (excluding enterprise funds) are eligible​
  • Disinvested Communities that do not meet the first criteria will be offered additional consideration. The County will approve those loans according to availability and need on a rolling basis using the County’s Equitable Allocation Model
  • Suburban Cook County: Only local taxing jurisdictions wholly within Suburban Cook County are eligible for the loans​
  • Paper Districts are Excluded: All local taxing jurisdictions that pass-through property tax collections to a third party for the provision of services are ineligible 

Technical Assistance

The Cook County Bureau of Finance will provide technical assistance and support for Cook County local taxing jurisdictions applying for these funds. As part of this technical assistance, the County will hold Open Office Hours which will be announced at a later date and create an informational newsletter with helpful updates. 

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