Rebuild Distressed Communities (RDC) Program - Small Business Grants

Rebuild Distressed Communities (RDC) Program - Small Business Grants

Funder: Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), Local Initiatives Support Group (LISC), and Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives (CNI)

Overview: Grant program to help small businesses recover from property damages sustained during civil unrest events in 2020. The first round awarded $1.7 million to 58 small businesses.

Award Amount: Average $29,000 per award

Geographic Scope: Illinois, with focus on communities affected by civil unrest in 2020

Eligible Uses:

Reimbursement for cost of damages

Insurance deductibles

Construction work related to repairs from civil unrest

Storefront repairs

Eligible Applicants:

Small and family-owned businesses

Restaurants

Medical offices

Retail businesses

Other small business sectors

Selection Criteria:

Extent of property damage

Business type and location experiencing pronounced impacts of civil unrest in 2020

Preference for businesses in communities of color and those facing systemic barriers to capital access

Contractor Requirements:

DCEO prioritizes local and BEP (Business Enterprise Program) contractors to ensure multiple local community benefits

Status: Round 1 completed (March 2021); Round 2 awards under review at time of announcement

Contact:

Lauren Huffman, DCEO: 217-622-0435, Lauren.Huffman@Illinois.gov

Jessica Ortiz, LISC: 312-550-0102, jessica@risestrategygroup.com

Brian Berg, CNI: 312-282-8260, brian@mkcpr.com