The City of Chicago recognizes that COVID-19 has put a difficult burden on our business and non-profit community. While there are many loan opportunities available on the local, state and federal level, the City understands that not all businesses are able to take on debt during this challenging time.

To address this, the City of Chicago has established the Microbusiness Recovery Grant Program. This program will distribute $5,000 grants to up to 1,000 businesses with four or fewer employees in low- and moderate-income areas of the city that have been severely impacted by COVID-19 and could most benefit from a grant. The application closed at 5:00pm on Monday, May 4. Grants will be distributed via a lottery, with winners equitably distributed across business types and eligible Community Areas based on population.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for a grant, businesses must meet the following requirements:

• Four or fewer employees
• Less than $250,000 annual revenue
• In business for one year
• 25% decrease in revenue due to COVID-19
• Located in a low- or moderate-income Community Area (view map of eligible Community Areas)
  • Search for your Community Area

Required Documentation

Applicants must upload the following documents (clear and legible pictures will be accepted):

• A business bank statement from 2020 that includes the business address and business name
• A valid business license dated 05/01/19 or earlier 
• A valid identification card (driver’s license, CityKey, etc.)
• A completed W9 form (access a fillable form here)

Grant Details

• One-time grant of $5,000
• Grant funds must be used for working capital (payroll, rent, personnel expenses, insurance, taxes, etc.)

Timeline

• 04/28: Grant application is available
• 05/04: Grant application closes at 5:00pm CDT
• 05/11: Grant recipients are chosen via lottery and notified of their acceptance. ACH payments are initiated - funds should be received within 2 business days.

Supporting Information

• Frequently Asked Questions
• Recovery Grant Flyer (English | Spanish)
• Submit Questions to the Microbusiness Recovery Grant Team via these links:
  • English
  • Spanish 
• Chicago's Small Business Resource Navigators can provide assistance for this program and other financial opportunities.

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