Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot today announced, a South Chicago record store, an Austin supermarket and a Greater Grand Crossing museum are among 31 finalists for more than $14.4 million in small business grants being allocated through the Chicago Recovery Plan.

“Over the years, the City’s grant programs have given Chicago’s homegrown entrepreneurs and businesses the resources they need to thrive and serve their communities,” Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot said. “I am proud to continue this work into 2022 with the announcement of a new cohort of grant finalists, who will undoubtedly bring meaningful, long-lasting change to the neighborhoods they reside and work in. My team and I want to extend a hearty congratulations to each of the finalists and look forward to seeing how they use their grants to grow and enhance their businesses.”

Preliminary grant amounts range from $24,090 to $2.5 million and will be used to finance workplace improvements involving interior buildouts, exterior renovations, energy efficiency enhancements, and other upgrades valued at more than $22.3 million in total costs.

The projects were selected from more than 180 proposals submitted during an open application period last year. Finalists were determined by a City of Chicago evaluation committee based on project readiness, viability, location, applicant experience, neighborhood needs, and other factors.

Fourteen of the projects are food-related, 10 provide community or personal services, three are retail-oriented, three have mixed uses, and one is a cultural entity. More than half of the awardees are located in community areas prioritized by Mayor Lightfoot’s INVEST South/West neighborhood revitalization initiative.

“These grants are specifically intended to help businesses meet their goals for growth while also supporting the recovery of neighborhood retail corridors with active and engaging uses,” Alderman Pat Dowell, 3rd Ward said.
“From restaurants to retail, these projects are what Chicago needs to keep moving forward,” Alderman Michael Scott Jr., 24th Ward said. “Financial support from the City will help ensure their success benefits residents in my community and others like it.”

The finalists and grant amounts include:

Angel Of God Resource Center, 10810 S. Halsted St., Morgan Park, $250,000
Black Planet Products, 107 W. 95th St., Roseland, $66,748
Conscious Plates, 820 E. 63rd St., Woodlawn, $178,336
Diaz Group Office Space, 5100 S. Damen Ave., New City, $250,000
Dior Realty, 834-40 E. 87th St., Chatham, $851,150
El Nuevo Guadalajara, 4350 S. Ashland Ave., New City, $50,325
Exa MD Urgent Care, 200 E. 75th St., Greater Grand Crossing, $250,000
Fatburger, 825 E. 87th St., Chatham, $1.02 million
Floating Museum, 949 E. 75th St., Greater Grand Crossing, $250,000
Food Hero, 2412 W. Cermak Road, Lower West Side, $250,000
Gomez Tires & Wheels, 1934 W. 51st St., New City, $54,725
Ivory Dental Specialists, 8344 S. Halsted St., Auburn Gresham, $42,350
La Lena Restaurant, 3756 W. North Ave., Humboldt Park, $243,375
Leavitt Laundry, 2145 W. Cermak Road, Lower West Side, $67,224
Nonie And Belle’s Coffee Shop, 1906 E. 87th St., Avalon Park, $206,065
Nova Driving School, 5550 W. Fullerton Ave., Belmont Cragin $225,000
Osito’s Tap, 2553 S. Ridgeway Ave., South Lawndale, $141,471
Plant Chicago, 4459 S. Marshfield Ave., New City $575,000
Plates On Purpose, 3008 E. 92nd St., South Chicago $250,000
Policy Kings, 353-63 E. 51st St., Grand Boulevard, $2.23 million
POTLUC, 6004 W. North Ave., Austin, $250,000
Record Track, 2804 E. 87th St., South Chicago, $250,000
Renew Lawndale, 3140 W. Ogden Ave., North Lawndale, $2.58 million
Roots Southern Cuisine, 633 E. 75th St., Greater Grand Crossing, $120,000
Slab Bar-B-Que, 1922 E. 71st St., South Shore, $248,182
Soul City Chicago, 5713 W. Chicago Ave., Austin, $2.5 million
Taqueria Los Alamos, 2416 W. Cermak Road, Lower West Side, $250,000
The Beauty Experience, 1511 W. 79th St., Auburn Gresham, $250,000
Third City Café, 5534 W. North Ave., Austin, $247,500.00
Ujamaa Cooperative, 1914 E. 79th St., South Shore, $250,000
Unique Dollarz, 11115 S. Michigan Ave., Roseland, $24,090

The grants are being allocated through the City’s Neighborhood Opportunity Fund (NOF) and other Chicago Recovery Plan funding sources. Administered by the Department of Planning and Development (DPD), the NOF program allocates voluntary fees paid by downtown construction projects to foster economic development along key West, Southwest and South side commercial corridors. Created in 2016, the program has selected more than 275 grant projects to date. Grant amounts for selected projects are subject to change as plans are finalized, and potential bonuses for local hiring and other factors are determined.

Recipients of grants of $250,000 or less will have access to pre-qualified design, subcontracting and financing specialists that help with business plans and work scopes. For grants more than $250,000, a new application process enables streamlined access to multiple City funding sources.

Mayor Lightfoot’s Chicago Recovery Plan is an ambitious $1.2 billion strategy for equitable economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic that supports thriving and safe communities.

“The Chicago Recovery Plan provides access to the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund and other funding programs, resulting in a more efficient review process involving City support for private neighborhood investments,” DPD Commissioner Maurice Cox said.

The Chicago Recovery Plan anticipates three community development grant application rounds in 2022, with application deadlines of Monday, Jan. 31, Thursday, March 10, and a third date to be determined this summer. For additional application details, including a recent informational webinar about the key grant program, visit Chicago.gov/ChiRecoveryGrant.

More information about the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund, including a complete list of grant awardees and finalists from today’s announcement and prior rounds, is available at www.neighborhoodopportunityfund.com.

CHICAGO – Chicago Recovery Plan community development grants are being made available to Chicago entrepreneurs, small businesses and developers, with the initial round open through January 2022, Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) announced today.

The community development grants are part of the Chicago Recovery Plan’s ambitious $1.2 billion strategy for equitable economic recovery and support for thriving and safe communities.

“Community development is essential for creating thriving and safe communities on our road to an equitable economic recovery,” said Mayor Lightfoot. “These grants will provide much-needed support to existing and new businesses, spurring economic activity across our city in tandem with our continued investments through initiatives like INVEST South/West. I’m pleased we’re keeping our promise made through the Chicago Recovery Plan to invest in our residents and communities.”

To be administered by DPD, the application process will consider a diverse array of improvement projects, including storefront upgrades; large development proposals with entertainment, retail and dining options; and projects that create spaces with public amenities. Projects may apply for the small grant program up to $250,000 or the large grant program up to $5 million.

“By investing in neighborhoods, the grants will bring new businesses and entertainment options to Chicago’s commercial corridors, help existing businesses stabilize or grow, and preserve or create hundreds of jobs,” DPD Commissioner Maurice Cox said.

Preferred applications will seek to create:

Catalytic projects with a strong local impact.
Projects in historically disinvested areas that build upon existing efforts such as Mayor Lightfoot’s INVEST South/West Initiative and community safety initiatives.
Commercial, mixed-use, and light manufacturing projects that create jobs and services.

Projects that demonstrate momentum and are expected to break ground in 2022 will also be prioritized. Grant funding can be used for pre-development, renovation, and new construction expenses, up to 75% of total project costs. Purely residential projects are not eligible for this round of funding; further funding opportunities for residential projects are expected to be announced in Q1 2022.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. The first-round application deadline is Jan. 31, 2022, followed by a second-round application deadline of March 10, 2022. Applicants who are not prepared to apply for either round are encouraged to review all relevant materials and prepare to apply for a third application round in the summer.

This community development grant application represents another marker in the Chicago Recovery Plan’s equitable economic recovery efforts. Partially funded by American Rescue Plan (ARP) Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, the Chicago Recovery Plan will make a once-in-a-generation series of investments in our city. In addition to supporting community development, the Chicago Recovery Plan will make substantial investments in small business support, community-based violence prevention and reduction, and affordable housing. The Chicago Department of Housing recently announced the first use of these funds to catalyze more than $1 billion in development — the largest affordable housing announcement in our city’s history.

For more information on the Chicago Recovery Plan community development grant application, go to Chicago.gov/ChiRecoveryGrant. An informational webinar will be held on Thursday, January 6 at 12pm CT, and a recording of the webinar will be posted to this site.

CHICAGO – This morning, Mayor Johnson joined a business roundtable hosted by Investissement Québec International with leading Québec companies in blue and green industries that have an interest in investing or expanding in Chicago. The meeting is part of Mayor Johnson’s commitment to attract businesses in the sustainable development, transportation, water management, and green energy sectors.

“Chicago’s proximity to one of the largest bodies of freshwater in the world is a competitive advantage that has been historically underutilized,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “We are working hard to identify and interact with economic sectors where we have an edge so that we can attract sustainable businesses and good jobs to our city for long-term success. My vision for a blue-green economy is centered around growing our overall economy without sacrificing the health and safety of our residents”

World Business Chicago worked with Mayor Johnson to bring together business leaders who are focused on sustainable, inclusive development in green industries and the blue economy. The “Chicagoland’s Green Future” report released by World Business Chicago in October 2023 found that Chicagoland’s green economy produced over $18 billion in economic output in 2022, growing by nearly 180% between 2016 and 2022. In 2022, Chicagoland’s green economy employed over 65,000 workers, ranking fifth out of the top ten metro areas for employment in the green economy. Chicagoland’s transitioning green economy, which the report defines as “the size of Chicagoland’s economy that is either an end user of clean energy or a critical input to the advancement of and transition to clean energy and climate technology,” employed over 500,000 people in 2022.

“There is a correlation between good policies and business growth,” said Charles Smith, Vice Chair of World Business Chicago. “We are working to boldly position Chicago as a global leader in the blue-green economy by leveraging our strategic position as the transportation hub of the Midwest. I’m proud to stand with Mayor Johnson as we make the case for companies to move to Chicago, expand in Chicago, and make foreign direct investment into Chicago”

Upstream Illinois: Strategies to Boost Illinois’ Blue Economy, a report prepared for Current, a Chicago-area water innovation hub, defined the blue economy as “the collection of companies that develop and provide technologies, products and services that manage the movement, quality and use of water – in addition to inputs to make these products, supporting industries, and the customers that demand these products.” The report found that in 2020, companies that develop and provide technologies, products, and services that manage the movement, quality and use of water in Illinois was a $16.7 billion industry comprised of 186,000 jobs. The state’s broader blue economy employed nearly 1.5 million people making up roughly 30% of overall employment.

“At Current, we believe that Chicago deserves to be the center of a globally significant blue economy engine,” said Alaina Harkness, Executive Director of Current. “Our report found that the blue economy is a significant part of the city and state’s economies and yet nobody was talking about it that way. We are looking at areas where we needed to invest in growth and where we have the right to win by adding things like treatment technologies, monitoring, water infrastructure, water-saving products, resource recovery, and the water-energy nexus.”

In January of this year, the National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a grant of $160 million over ten years to the Great Lakes Water Innovation Engine (ReNEW) initiative, to support the development of water-based innovation in the region. This significant investment anchors Chicago as a leader in the research and development of blue technologies and innovation over the next decade.

CHICAGO — Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot was joined by Alderman Chris Taliaferro, Department of Planning and Development (DPD) Commissioner Maurice Cox, and representatives from Austin Coming Together (ACT), West Side Health Authority, BMO, United Way of Metro Chicago, and Illinois Tool Works (ITW) in a groundbreaking ceremony for the Aspire Center in Austin.

The $40.9M INVEST South/West project is being led by Westside Health Authority, Austin Coming Together, and the Jane Addams Resource Corp., and it is supported by $12.25M in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) assistance approved by City Council last month. The Aspire Center will be housed in the former Robert Emmet Elementary School, a 69,100-square-foot building at 5500 W. Madison Ave., which closed in 2013.

“When I first took office as Mayor, I made a commitment to Chicago residents that my administration would direct City resources back into neighborhoods that had been overlooked for decades,” said Mayor Lightfoot. “My INVEST South/West initiative was born out of that commitment, and today’s groundbreaking is the latest example of how my team has executed that vision. The programs and services that the Aspire Center offers will unlock countless career opportunities for Austin residents and support local entrepreneurs who want to create new businesses or expand existing businesses in this community. I look forward to seeing the day that Austin’s potential is fully realized, and I know that the Aspire Center’s presence here will hasten the arrival of that day.”

The Aspire Center will be a multi-use facility that includes an advanced manufacturing training center, small business incubator, community hub, and event space. Specific on-site services are planned to include job readiness and vocational training, financial coaching, and employment services. The project is anticipated to create 50 permanent jobs and train more than 2,000 workers over the next five years. Initial construction on the future Aspire Center is currently underway and the project is expected to reach completion in late 2024.

“Spaces like the Aspire Center are incredible assets to our communities,” said Alderman Taliaferro (29th Ward). “There are an increasing number of career opportunities in manufacturing and skilled trades in Chicago. By bringing career development and technical education services here where folks can easily access them, we are going to greatly increase Austin residents’ ability to be competitive for jobs in those fields.”

West Side Health Authority owns and is leading the renovation of the former Emmet Elementary building and will co-manage the completed facility with Austin Coming Together. Lamar Johnson Collaborative serves as the architect for the project.

In December 2022, the West Side Health Authority’s POPFit! community plaza opened on a portion of the three-acre property shared by the Aspire Center through a $500,000 DPD Chicago Recovery Plan grant.

“The former Emmet School directly reflects the community’s priorities for adaptive re-use, second only to Laramie Bank,” DPD Commissioner Maurice Cox said. “With today’s groundbreaking, Austin’s two most prominent vacant buildings are being restored as the neighborhood focal points they were always meant to be.”

The Aspire Center was selected to receive City support through the Department of Planning and Development’s (DPD) Community Development Grant program. Austin Coming Together will operate a walk-in community hub in the new center to provide resources to anyone in need.

“United Way is proud to work alongside the community leaders — including our longtime partner Darnell Shields and Austin Coming Together — who are making the strategies set forth in the Austin Quality-of-Life-Plan a reality,” said Sean Garrett, United Way of Metro Chicago President and CEO. “Our investment in the Aspire Center marks the most significant investment in our organization’s history, which was made possible because of the many donors and partners who believe in this work and the vision that real, transformative change can and will happen.”

Darrel Hackett, President, BMO Wealth Management-U.S., joined Mayor Lightfoot at the groundbreaking to celebrate the bank’s partnership with the City in supporting INVEST South/West projects.

“BMO has a strong history of investing in the communities it serves, which is why we were thrilled to become a cornerstone investor in the United Way Neighborhood Networks 10 years ago,” said Mr. Hackett. “The groundbreaking of the Aspire Center, led by Westside Health Authority and Austin Coming Together, alongside the recent openings of the new BUILD community hub and North Austin Community Center, is another proof point that neighborhood-led transformation can work. BMO remains committed to growing the good for the Austin neighborhood — and the city of Chicago.”

In addition to City support through the allocation of TIF funds, State Representative La Shawn K. Ford worked to secure $10M in state funds for the Aspire Center when the project was in its early stages.

“This project will redevelop a vacant building in the Austin community that has diminished property values and caused an unhealthy environment on the West Side,” said Representative Ford. “This development project is finally getting underway after years of community outreach here in Austin. I’m proud to have negotiated in Springfield to secure 10 million dollars to help fund this development. The career development and education services will help lift families out of poverty and the Aspire Center will provide a boost for the West Side and I can’t wait to see the finished product.”

Mayor Lightfoot’s remarks also acknowledged and celebrated ITW’s recently announced plans to open a manufacturing facility in the Austin neighborhood. ITW will seek to partner with local workforce development organizations to hire residents to staff and lead operations at their new Austin facility.

“ITW is extremely proud to partner with the United Way of Metro Chicago and Austin Coming Together to leverage the power of Austin’s Neighborhood Network to contribute to the strength and resilience of the Austin neighborhood,” said Kenneth Escoe, Executive Vice President and project leader for ITW’s Commit to a Neighborhood Initiative in Austin. “Our goal is to serve as a catalyst for further economic development and growth here in Austin by leveraging our business needs and economic ecosystem to bring quality jobs with good benefits to Austin, both directly through our own manufacturing facility and through focused efforts to build a local supplier base to support it.”

The Northwest Industrial Corridor Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district would be
amended to enhance its support of area businesses and public amenities through a
proposal introduced to City Council today by Mayor Brandon Johnson.
The amendment would expand the size of the 1,200-acre district by 33 acres and
increase its budget from $119M to $350M to accommodate a 12-year term
extension approved by City Council last year. The district is set to expire at the end
of 2034.

The TIF district covers portions of Belmont-Cragin, Hermosa, Austin, Humboldt
Park, and West Garfield Park. The added funding is largely intended to support local
businesses, such as through the Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF), while the
expanded boundaries would include strategic locations where TIF could help
support improvements to aging infrastructure and public facilities.

TIF is a financial tool used by municipalities throughout the United States to support
investment within designated districts. TIF districts use new property tax growth
within their boundaries to help fund improvements identified in their respective
redevelopment plans.

CHICAGO – Today, Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) announced over 2,000 small businesses and nonprofits have been awarded grants under the Chi Biz Strong Grant Program and Outdoor Dining Grant Program. The over $20 million programs will provide critical financial relief to grant recipients to assist in the recovery from the COVID-19 economic impact and to boost start-of-the-year operations. In addition, community-based business support organizations awarded grants under the $2.7 million COVID-19 Small Business Support Program (CSBS) continue to provide business owners and entrepreneurs with targeted assistance, expert training, and resources to help address common challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. These organizations provide support to small businesses by addressing the ever-evolving needs of Chicago’s business community during the ongoing period of pandemic recovery.

“Small businesses and nonprofits are a vital part of our neighborhoods and the socioeconomic vibrancy of the entire city,” said Mayor Lightfoot. “That’s why it is critical that they have what they need to thrive during and long after this pandemic is over. As our small business and nonprofit community continues to recover and prepare for the year ahead, we are proud to deliver additional financial relief and resources.”

“We are using all of the tools at our disposal to assist in the recovery and vitality of Chicago’s small business owners,” said BACP Commissioner Kenneth J. Meyer. “Financial relief and important business support resources like these help spur innovation and our local economy.”

The Chi Biz Strong Grant Program and Outdoor Dining Grant Program help promote an equitable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic by providing critical financial relief to small businesses and nonprofits across the city, in neighborhoods, and downtown. The Chi Biz Strong Grant Program awarded grants in the amount of either $5,000 or $10,000 to businesses and nonprofits across Chicago that have experienced revenue losses or expense increases related to the pandemic, depending on the business or nonprofit size. The Outdoor Dining Program awarded grants of $5,000 to small restaurants and bars to support the purchase of outdoor furniture, pandemic-related signage, and personal protective equipment. Collectively, these $20M programs have awarded over 2,000 small businesses and nonprofits in grants. These grant programs build upon the over $100 million in pandemic relief already distributed to small businesses by the City of Chicago – more than any other US city.

“We enter the new year with the ability to purchase outdoor furniture and personal protective equipment because of the Outdoor Dining Grant Program funding,” said Tigist Reda, Owner, Demera Ethiopian Restaurant. “Throughout the entire COVID-19 pandemic, the City has been focused on providing local entrepreneurs and neighborhood businesses critical lifelines. The grant funding will allow our patrons to safely experience Ethiopian hospitality and cuisine in the vibrant neighborhood of Uptown.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic has led to economic impact across many industries, but the City has once again stepped up to provide significant financial relief,” said Sean Armstead, Phenomenal Fitness. “As we prepare for the year ahead, the funding from the Chi Biz Strong Grant Program will support our business operations so we can focus on providing an individualized approach to the health and well-being of our clients.”

“We are beyond grateful for the Chi Biz Strong Grant Program to have included the opportunity for nonprofits to receive critical funding for operations,” said Jill Reid, Chief Advancement Officer, High Jump. “The grant funding couldn’t have arrived a better time, as we continue to expand our programs offered to 7th and 8th grade students with limited economic means. We will be able to provide academic enrichment and essential support needed to empower the youth because of the grant funding.”

The programs were administered by BACP with support from Allies for Community Business (A4CB), which assisted with outreach efforts and the eligibility review of the applications.

“As Chicago’s small businesses continue to fight the effects of the pandemic, A4CB is pleased to help the City distribute much-needed funds throughout our neighborhoods,” said Brad McConnell, CEO of Allies for Community Business (A4CB).

In conjunction with the Chi Biz Strong Grant Program and Outdoor Dining Grant Program, the COVID-19 Small Business Support Program (CSBS) leveraged the business development expertise and credibility of community-based business support organizations to connect local small businesses with vital resources to ensure they recover and thrive. The program funded a diverse range of initiatives, each tailored to the needs of the local community. These included funding for free advising, coaching, and language access for businesses impacted by the pandemic; activations and campaigns that encourage Chicago residents and visitors to support local businesses; and supporting outdoor activities and plazas. Through the program, grantees channeled resources to local businesses to further revitalize neighborhood commercial corridors.

“Small businesses are the economic engine of our City, and as a COVID-19 Small Business Support Program grant recipient we are able to deliver free highly specialized business services to business owners to aid in their recovery,” said Jessica Gutierrez, Director of Community Relations, Puerto Rican Cultural Center. “As a community-based business support organization, we connect local small businesses with vital resources to ensure they recover and thrive. Through the COVID-19 Small Business Support Program, we are able to provide language access services to better communicate support services for the business community.”

Chicago’s small businesses are fundamental to the economic livelihood of countless residents. The COVID-19 Small Business Support Program (CSBS) program allowed nonprofits to assist small businesses in mitigating financial hardship, addressing the impacts of the pandemic, implementing COVID-19 prevention tactics, and establishing strategic business growth plans.

“The COVID-19 Small Business Support Program provided the funds we needed to launch ShoCo Chicago, a first-of-its-kind project designed to support small businesses that give back to the community.” said Carina Daniels, co-founder of ShoCo Chicago. “We created a robust directory promoting these businesses and executed a highly successful public relations campaign that raised their profiles and generated sales.”

Businesses such as Southside Blooms and the Male Mogul Initiative, have been able to leverage their partnership with ShoCo Chicago to market their business and increase their customer base, while also serving youth.

The CSBS program previews future strategic investments that will create an equitable economic recovery for Chicago’s business community as outlined in the Chicago Recovery Plan. The Chicago Recovery Plan will invest holistically in communities and industries hardest hit by the pandemic to support economic recovery across the City.

For 2022, to expand economic opportunity and catalyze growth in the hardest-hit neighborhoods and industries, $87 million will be allocated to support businesses and entrepreneurs, connect residents with jobs, and increase the vibrancy and safety of commercials corridors. Inclusion and access will continue to be among the most important priorities for aiding small businesses through recovery.