The Small Business and Not-For-Profit Support Grant Program is designed to provide small businesses and nonprofits with funds to assist in recovering from economic losses resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.   

The City of Chicago, acting through the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP), seeks one (1) qualified organization to administer a $21.5M Small Business Support and Not-For-Profit Grant Program funded through the American Rescue Plan Act. The awardee will be responsible for administering grants to eligible small businesses and nonprofits located in Chicago to assist in stabilizing their operations, supporting their workforce, and mitigating the long-term impact of the pandemic.  The selected organization will be held to a contractual agreement by applying to our Request of Proposal (RFP) that reflects a clear understanding of the potential city contractor’s needs, the local small business and nonprofit ecosystem, and City of Chicago processes.  

The Request for Proposal submission period closed on September 6, 2024. The City expects to announce the program administrator in December 2024.

This initiative is funded by the Road to Recovery Plan using funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Local Recovery Fund (LFRF) Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 21.027.