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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.

Job Creators Quest Grant

Administered by Founders First CDC

Founders First CDC’s Job Creators Quest Grant offers funds to use as growth capital to hire or rehire premium wage jobs.

Eligibility

  • Founder must identify as Latinx, Black, Asian, Women, LGBTQIA+, Military Veteran, or located in a low to moderate income area
  • Must be a for-profit, service-based business located in Illinois
  • Must currently have 2-20 employees with the ability to add 1-2+ new premium wage jobs in the next 12 months

Deadline: February 7, 2023

Apply

Neighborhood Opportunity Fund

Administered by the City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development

The Neighborhood Opportunity Fund finances projects in commercial corridors across Chicago’s South and West Sides via small grants of up to $250,000 and large grants up to $2,500,000.

Eligibility

  • South or West Side businesses located in eligible commercial corridor
  • Grant funds must be used on projects that have a catalytic impact on the neighborhood and lead to the construction or rehabilitation of new and existing, publicly accessible, commercial spaces

Deadline: February 24, 2023

Apply
Neighborhood Opportunity Fund image

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

Apply

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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 ›

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