Guidelines for Chicago business reopenings

Guidelines for the following industries, which will open the earliest in phase three in Chicago, can be found at www.chicago.gov/reopening:

• Education & Childcare
• Buildings & Real Estate
• Food Service
• Accommodations & Tourism
• Retail
• B2B
• Healthcare
• Transportation

Phase 3 guidelines announced for business reopenings

To prepare businesses and employers to implement the new safety guidelines and to bring many residents back to work, the State of Illinois has developed this business toolkit complete with signage, training checklists, and other resources to ensure business and activities are conducted in accordance with the latest and greatest public health recommendations.

Phase 3 guidelines span 10 different industry categories. Each set of guidelines includes a common set of guidelines that are expected and encouraged among all employers and activity types, as well as workplace and program-specific guidelines. find information about your industry here.

Paycheck Protection Funding still available

Funding is still available through the SBA Paycheck Protection Program! All entrepreneurs in Illinois and Indiana are invited to apply for a PPP loan through Accion's partnership with \

Community Reinvestment Fund. Apply today for a small business loan of up to $100,000. 

Free Corona virus testing now available

Mortgage and Housing Assistance

If you're concerned about how to pay your mortgage or 

rent due to the coronavirus national emergency, go here  for 

information on what to do now, and what your options are for 

mortgage and rent payment relief.

2021 Chicago Roof and Repair Program

The City of Chicago wants your opinion

On May 8th, Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot, alongside the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH), announced the “Protecting Chicago” framework that the City will be using to guide Chicago’s reopening process amid COVID-19. The framework – organized into five phases in alignment with the State of Illinois’ “Restore Illinois” plan –will advise Chicagoans on how to safely exit from shelter-in-place while continuing to prioritize the health of our most vulnerable residents.

The City is soliciting public input to gauge sentiment on shelter-in-place and ensure the reopening is phased in a way that eases concerns that residents may have. To provide feedback, residents can visit 
www.chicago.gov/coronavirus/reopeningsurvey to complete a short survey. 

Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions. Your voice is important

Google free livestream event for small business

Next week, Google is hosting a free livestream on tools, tips, and resources to help businesses continue running remotely. In this one-hour online event, you'll learn how small businesses can use products such as Google My Business, Google Ads, Google Meet, and YouTube to stay connected and update customers with critical business information. They'll also share how these tools can help businesses host virtual meetings and events from anywhere. Register below:

Livestream: Manage Your Business Remotely in Times of Uncertainty
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
9:00AM - 10:00AM PT / 12:00PM - 1:00PM ET
Registration link: g.co/grow/smallbizlivestream

Facebook small-business grants

Facebook has pledged to give $100 million in small-business grants to help struggling businesses emerge from this pandemic. Applications are open now. to apply, or for more information, go here.

Grant program webinar

BACP is holding a series of webinars to provide information and answer questions about the City of Chicago Microbusiness Recovery Grant Program. 

• Thursday, April 30 at 10:00am in Spanish: Click here to register
• Thursday, April 30 at 2:00pm in English: Click here to register
• Friday, May 1 at 12:00pm in English: Click here to register
• Friday, May 1 at 2:00pm in Polish: Click here to register

To learn more about the Microbusiness Recovery Grant Program and to apply, visit chicago.gov/recoverygrant. 

Chicago Micro Business Recovery Grant Program

The City of Chicago has established the Microbusiness Recovery Grant Program. This program will distribute $5,000 grants to up to 1,000 businesses with four or fewer employees in low- and moderate-income areas of the city that have been severely impacted by COVID-19 and could most benefit from a grant. To apply, or for more information, go here.

New guidelines for Chicago businesses during the COVID-19 crisis

The City of Chicago has recently released new guidelines for companies during the current crisis.These modifications provide increased flexibility for certain businesses and important new guidelines to protect workers and consumers. These changes and modifications will become effective May 1^st and will last through the month of May. Please note that these rules are subject to change- please visit www.chicago.gov/coronavirus for updates and find today's guidelines here.