Capacity building is important for small businesses in Chicago as they continue to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the onset of the pandemic, many businesses did not have the infrastructure in place to quickly pivot to alternative methods of selling their goods or services. These initiatives are critical for rebuilding operational resilience and adapting to changing regulations and consumer behaviors.  

To ensure a strong recovery for small businesses, BACP has designed the Small Business Capacity Building Program, an approximately $3.5 million investment into Chicago’s small business ecosystem by providing highly customized coaching and technical assistance to select organizations disproportionally impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Through this RFP, BACP is looking for one (1) local or national for-profit or non-profit organization to design and implement a high-touch capacity building program to eligible small businesses that have received grants through the BACP Small Business and Not-For-Profit Support Grant Program (see RFP #10385). The selected applicant (“delegate agency”) will receive a two-year award.  

The Request for Proposal submission period closed on October 15, 2024. The City expects to announce the program administrator in December 2024.

Questions? Please email BACPEconomicRecovery@cityofchicago.org    

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.