In this time of uncertainty, we understand that so many businesses in our community are struggling. The CAIR-Chicago team put together a list of grants and resources for your FOR-PROFIT business.

City of Chicago: Chicago Small Business Resiliency Fund

The Chicago Small Business Resiliency Fund is a $100 million economic relief package aimed at supporting Chicago’s businesses experiencing a temporary loss of revenue as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. The new fund has been established with the goal of providing affordable loans to severely impacted businesses over the coming months.

DCEO: Illinois Small Business Emergency Loan Fund

The Illinois Small Business Emergency Loan Fund offers small businesses low interest loans of up to $50,000. Businesses located outside of the City of Chicago with fewer than 50 workers and less than $3 million in revenue in 2019 will be eligible to apply

Facebook: Small Business Grants Program

Cash grants and ad credits for up to 30K businesses in 30 countries

Local Initiatives Support Corporation: Verizon/LISC Small Business Covid-19 Recovery Fund

Grants of up to $10,000 from an investment of $2.5 million from Verizon to support struggling businesses, especially entrepreneurs of color, women-owned businesses and other enterprises that don’t have access to flexible, affordable capital in historically underserved communities

Accion: Hospitality Emergency Grant Program

Grant funds are available to support working capital like payroll and rent, as well as job training, retraining, and technology to support shifts in operations, like increased pick-up and delivery.

Salesforce: Financial Relief for Small Businesses

Salesforce launched Care Small Business Grants. Salesforce will soon be offering $10,000 grants to U.S. small businesses to provide capital to help them weather the impact of COVID-19.

SheaMoisture: SheaMoisture Community Commerce Fund

SheaMoisture announced a $1M Fund to support entrepreneurs of color and small businesses, driven by its long-established Community Commerce business model. The grant intends to show the power of small businesses to help communities, while also hoping to minimize the financial disruptions many are experiencing from the global outbreak of COVID-19

Hello Alice: COVID-19 Business for All Emergency Grant

This opportunity offers immediate grants of $10,000 to businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Essence + Pine-Sol: Build Your Legacy

Essence+ Pine-Sol are partnering to offer a $100,000 Legacy Award to help champion Black women and the entrepreneurial spirit

Spanx by Sara Blakely Foundation: The Red Backpack Fund

The Spanx by Sara Blakely Foundation donated $5 million to support female entrepreneurs in the wake of COVID-19 and teamed up with GlobalGiving to establish the Red Backpack Fund. GlobalGiving will be overseeing the fund, making 1,000 grants of $5,000 each to female entrepreneurs in the U.S. to help alleviate the immediate needs and support the long-term recovery of those impacted by this crisis.

Kiva: 0% interest loans

Platform that allows entrepreneurs to crowdsource a 0% interest loan of up to $15,000

James Beard Foundation: Food and Beverage Industry Relief Fund

Micro-grants to restaurants, bars, and other independent businesses in the industry

Yelp: Relief for Independent Restaurants & Nightlife Establishments 

$25 million in relief, primarily focused on supporting independent local restaurant and nightlife businesses, in the form of waived advertising fees, and free advertising, products and services, during this period. 

We will continue to update you with more loans and financial opportunities as time goes on, so keep a lookout for future emails!

*Thank you to the City of Chicago and the University of Chicago for help in compiling this list.

This Ramadan, we cannot be at the Masajid where we typically raise 55% of our annual budget. We count on you at home if we are to survive this year. We need to raise $300,000. We simply cannot go on without your support. Help #keepgoingcairchi and help our doors stay open! Please Donate your Zakat/Sadaqa today!

Check out our Ramadan portal for more Ramadan goodies this month! We have a lot in store for the next few weeks!