Chicago INVEST South/West Small Business Grant
City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development (DPD)
Up to $250,000
Chicago South/West neighborhood business grants
A City of Chicago initiative directing $750M+ in public and private investment to 10 historically disinvested communities on the South and West sides. The small business grant component provides awards of $10,000–$250,000 to local small businesses for renovation, expansion, equipment, and hiring in targeted corridors. Administered by the City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development with support from the Chicago SBDC Network.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- Municipal
- Amount range
- $10,000 – $250,000
- Realistic amount
- Storefront and equipment grants: $15,000–$50,000 for most applicants. Larger expansion grants require detailed project p…
- Deadline
- Rolling — DPD opens application windows by corridor; check invest-sw.chicago.gov for current open corridors
- Status
- active
- States
- IL
- Payment model
- reimbursement
Who qualifies
- Business must be located in or commit to locating in one of the 10 INVEST South/West target corridors
- Business must have been operating for at least 1 year (startups may qualify for specific corridor components)
- Business must employ fewer than 50 full-time equivalent employees
- Annual gross revenues must be under $5 million for most components
- For-profit and select nonprofit businesses operating a commercial enterprise are eligible
- Applicant must demonstrate project creates or retains local employment
- Business must be compliant with Illinois and City of Chicago tax and licensing obligations
- Owner must agree to maintain business in the target corridor for at least 3 years post-award
Hard requirements
- Must be incorporated
- Location restriction: true
- Minimum project size: $10,000
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Storefront renovation and facade improvements
- Interior tenant improvements
- Equipment and machinery purchases
- Furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E)
- Signage and accessibility upgrades
- Technology infrastructure
- Working capital (in select components)
- Hiring and training costs (in select components)
Ineligible expenses
- Real estate acquisition
- Personal or owner compensation
- Debt repayment
- Projects outside the 10 target corridors
- Businesses not compliant with city licensing and taxes
How to apply
-
1
Confirm corridor eligibility
Verify your business address is within one of the 10 target corridors using the DPD corridor map at chicago.gov/invest-sw. Contact the DPD Small Business team to discuss which grant component fits your project.
~1 hrs
-
2
Engage a Chicago SBDC for application support
Chicago Small Business Development Centers (hosted by City Colleges and Accion Chicago) provide free advisory support for INVEST South/West applicants. Engage early — advisors help structure your project narrative and financial projections.
~3 hrs
-
3
Prepare project proposal and financial documents
Complete the DPD project proposal form describing the project scope, budget, timeline, and expected job outcomes. Attach 2 years of business tax returns, current P&L, bank statements, contractor estimates (if renovation), and owner ID.
~8 hrs
-
4
Submit application to DPD
Submit via the Chicago DPD online portal or through a local SBDC partner when an intake window is open for your corridor. DPD will confirm receipt and schedule a review meeting for larger project grants.
~1 hrs
-
5
DPD review and award
DPD reviews applications within 6–12 weeks. Approved applicants execute a grant agreement that includes job retention/creation commitments and a 3-year corridor commitment. Funds disbursed in reimbursement installments for renovation/equipment projects.
~0.5 hrs
INVEST S/W is underutilized because applicants assume they need a big redevelopment project. The storefront improvement component ($10K–$25K) has lighter documentation requirements and is accessible to existing corridor businesses. Contact DPD before applying to confirm the current matching requirement for your specific project type — ratios vary by funding track and are not always published. Ask which component fits your scope.
Deadline & timing
INVEST South/West operates on a corridor-by-corridor basis, with different investment timelines for each of the 10 neighborhoods. Some grant components have rolling intake; others open in specific cohort windows tied to capital budget cycles. Monitor Chicago DPD announcements or contact the Chicago SBDC for current open windows.
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Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.