Chicago Hospitality Grant Opens For Applications
Today, the City of Chicago has begun accepting application for the $10 million Chicago Hospitality Grant Program. Announced by Mayor Lightfoot last week as part of an emergency hospitality relief package, this program will provide grants of $10,000 each to Chicago bars and restaurants that have been greatly impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The application will remain open until 11:59 pm central time on Monday, November 23rd and citywide recipients will be selected via lottery, with a portion reserved for businesses in low- and moderate-income Community Areas. To be eligible, bars or restaurants must be located in Chicago, have no more than $3 million in annual revenues and have experienced at least a 25% revenue loss due to COVID-19. For the full list of eligibility criteria, frequently asked questions and to apply, visit chicago.gov/hospitalityfund.
The Chicago Hospitality Grant Program is made possible due to the support of Accion Serving Illinois and Indiana and World Business Chicago. To help applicants navigate the program, the City will be hosting informational webinars later this week:
Thursday, November 12, 2:30 pm (English)Friday, November 12, 10:00 am (English)Friday, November 13, 2:30 pm (Spanish)
Additional webinars will be scheduled for next week as needed. Learn more about these webinars and register at chicago.gov/businesseducation. Applicants can also submit their questions about the program in English and Spanish.
The Chicago Department for Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) encourages all bars and restaurants to apply for a grant through the Chicago Hospitality Grant Program. As a reminder, grants will be distributed via a lottery. As long as you get your application in before the deadline of 11:59 pm on Monday, November 23rd, the date and time that you apply for the grant does not factor into your eligibility. Please take your time to complete the application and do not hesitate to reach out with any questions.
Additionally, BACP strongly encourages all Chicago businesses to apply for grants through the State of Illinois Business Interruption Grant Program (BIG). Applications are available today at Illinois.gov/dceo.