Grants

Allies for Community Business has partnered with several public and private organizations to provide grants to small businesses over the last several years. Since April of 2020, we have provided over $477M in grants to 23,000 small businesses in Illinois and Indiana.

As new grant opportunities arise, we will post them here along with instructions on how to apply.

Good Food Fund

Funded by the City of Chicago

The Good Food Fund provides food and beverage businesses with grants for labor, construction or capital improvements, supplies, transportation and distribution, or working capital. Review the questions you will be asked on the expression of interest form and the full application here. To view answers to frequently asked questions, click here.

Eligibility

  • Food and beverage business focused on agriculture, manufacturing, processing, marketing, wholesale and distribution, service, retail, or research and development
  • Located in Chicago
  • Holds a current food and beverage business license
  • Filed a federal tax return in 2022
  • Has established a business bank account

Priorities for Funding

  • Located on Chicago’s West or South Sides
  • Owner has lived in the community where the business is located for at least five years
  • Has operated in the community for at least five years
  • Offers a median hourly wage that is a living wage
  • Is independently owned and operated
  • Employs less than 25 full time workers
  • Is a worker-owned cooperative

Deadline: Complete the expression of interest form by April 12, 2024


Backing Small Businesses

Administered by Main Street America and American Express

The Backing Small Businesses grant program supports economically vulnerable and under-resourced small businesses with $10,000 grants.

Eligibility

  • Business must be in a “bricks-and-mortar” location and operate in an older or historic main street, downtown, or commercial district in the United States
  • Business must be an independent business and not part of a franchise
  • Business must employ 20 or less full time employees

Deadline: April 7, 2024


Kitty Fund Mompreneur Business Grant

Administered by Founders First CDC

Founders First CDC is awarding $1,000 grants to 25 moms running businesses with two or more employees.

Eligibility

  • Business owner identifies as a mother
  • Annual revenue of under $5 million
  • Located in the United States

Deadline: April 16, 2024


Small Business Improvement Fund

Administered by the City of Chicago and SomerCor

The City of Chicago’s Small Business Improvement Fund provides small businesses with reimbursable grants for permanent building improvement costs.

Eligibility

  • Commercial and industrial business located in Chicago’s TIF districts
  • Industrial businesses must have 200 or fewer employees
  • Commercial businesses must gross average annual sales under $9M for the prior 3 years

Deadline: Dependent on TIF district

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  • Juicy Luzy Sangria Luz Cavazos
    The grant helped us to pay our back-owed rent and utilities, buy supplies, and stay afloat.
    Read Story ›
  • Back of the Yards Coffee Company Jesse Iniguez
    The grant helped us stay open and keep our employees working.
    Read Story ›

Don’t qualify for a grant?
Check out our loans.

Loans