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.

PepsiCo Foundation Impacto Program

Administered by the PepsiCo Foundation

The PepsiCo Foundation created Impacto to provide Hispanic food entrepreneurs with meaningful learning and networking opportunities, along with grant capital to fuel their business growth.

Eligibility

  • Must self-identify as Hispanic
  • Must own at least 50% of a local business whose primary purpose is to serve food
  • Must currently operate a business location in Chicagoland (Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, or Will County)
  • Must have a business bank account
  • Business must have been operational for at least two years (since June 1, 2021)
  • Business must have 2022 annual revenue less than $1,000,000

Deadline: June 16, 2023


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