Frankfort Mayor Keith Ogle and Top Donor Received 50%+ of Grant Money

In 2022, businesses owned by Frankfort Mayor Keith Ogle and owned or managed by one of his top campaign donors, John Cosgrove, received the majority of all Illinois "Back to Business" (B2B) state grant funds awarded within the Village of Frankfort. Of the $485,000 allocated to Frankfort businesses through this COVID-19 recovery program, three businesses owned by Ogle and Cosgrove alone were awarded a combined $250,000—representing more than 51% of all grant funds disbursed in the village.
Mayor Ogle’s company, Plus One A/V, received $150,000—the largest single grant awarded to any Frankfort business and the maximum amount allotted to any Will County business under the B2B program. Meanwhile, Cosgrove’s Aberdeen VI LLC and Trail’s Edge Brewing Co. received $60,000 and $40,000, respectively. Notably, Cosgrove is one of Ogle’s top campaign contributors to the Committee to Elect Keith Ogle.

The "Back to Business" grant program was funded through the federal American Rescue Plan Act, aimed at helping small businesses recover from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Grants were designed to assist businesses in rehiring staff, covering operating expenses, implementing additional safety measures, and managing other pandemic-related costs.
Statewide, approximately 6,500 grants totaling $250 million were awarded to businesses across more than 475 cities and 90 counties in Illinois. About 96% of the funds were directed to businesses in disproportionately impacted communities or industries hardest hit by the pandemic, such as restaurants, hospitality, and entertainment venues reliant on in-person operations. The fact that Plus One A/V, an audio-visual rental company operating in affluent Frankfort, received the maximum possible grant—despite being outside of typically prioritized industries and communities—raises questions about the selection and vetting process for these grants. It also prompts concerns about whether it is common practice in other Illinois municipalities for businesses owned by mayors, village managers, or top political donors to receive the largest shares of recovery funds, as was the case in Frankfort.

Adding to the scrutiny, Mayor Ogle's Hoffman Productions, doing business as Plus One A/V, also received $112,965 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, of which $113,717 was fully forgiven. Combined, Ogle’s business secured over a quarter-million dollars in state and federal COVID-19 relief funds, while many other small businesses in Frankfort, including restaurants, salons, and service providers—industries widely recognized as among the hardest hit—received substantially smaller amounts of money if any at all.

Full List of Frankfort Businesses Receiving Back to Business Grants (2022):

• Plus One AV - $150,000
• Fat Rosie's Taco & Tequila Bar - $80,000
• Aberdeen VI LLC - $60,000
• Lincoln Travel, Inc. - $45,000
• Trails Edge Brewing Co. - $40,000
• Anytime Fitness - $35,000
• Beacon Lane, Inc. - $30,000
• Mystique Nail - $25,000
• The Hart Wellness Center - $15,000
• Sankofa Party Rentals LLC - $5,000

A full list of the Back to Business grant recipients can be viewed by following this link.