TIFWorks

TIFWorks was created as part of the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Ordinance in 2002 as an economic development program to subsidize training for employees of qualified businesses located in eligible TIF districts. 

TIF is a special funding tool used by the City of Chicago to promote public and private investment across the city. An incremental portion of the property taxes within these TIF districts is allocated for economic development and public works projects and initiatives. 

A portion of these funds are reserved for TIFWorks reimbursement grants. These grants are for businesses located within authorized TIF districts looking to train their current employees and/or new hires. If a business is not located in an authorized TIF district, it is not eligible to apply for a TIFWorks grant.

Since its inception in 2002, the TIFWorks program has awarded over $35 million in grants to provide training to over 600 Chicago businesses, over 20,000 employees and over 2,000 new hires. The program has helped provide training in a variety of sectors, including manufacturing, nonprofits, small businesses, hospitality, and health care.  

The program initially spanned 40 TIF districts. Within a decade of the original TIFworks ordinance, City Council passed an amendment that allowed the program to expand to additional TIF districts. This has allowed the program to serve businesses in 67 TIF districts with the goal to increase this number in the upcoming years. 

Efforts in recent years have focused on restructuring the program to increase efficiency and serve even more businesses.