Skip to content

Uptown Business Center

Logo

Connect with the Uptown Business Center’s Free Business Services for Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses!

The Uptown Business Center (UBC) is managed by Uptown United, and supports new and existing business owners and entrepreneurs within the East-West boundaries of Lake Shore Drive to the Chicago River, and North-South boundaries of Lincoln Park to Rogers Park. Whether you’re in the idea stage of your business or a long-standing business owner, the UBC provides a suite of free business services!  

Sign up for a free UBC Business Consultation today for a wide range of free services including:  

  • Licensing Assistance: choosing and applying for the best license for your business, meeting zoning requirements, securing a liquor license, and more. 
  • Permitting Assistance: applying for and renewing sidewalk cafes, sign permits etc.  
  • Funding Resources: locating traditional and non-traditional financial resources including webinars, connections to local institutions, and the latest local and federal grant/loan information. 
  • Sector-Specific Support: industry events, trainings, webinars, networking opportunities. 
  • Digital Marketing Assistance: digital storytelling, social media planning, content creation, google business profile development, and more.
  • Connecting with your local Chamber of Commerce for additional support in marketing, neighborhood events, networking, and more.   

Consultations are provided virtually, by phone, or in person based on your preference. Learn more about how the UBC can support you by signing up for a free UBC Business Consultation, emailing ubc@exploreuptown.org, or calling 773-878-1064.

Upcoming Business Resource Events

Money Smart with Wintrust Bank: Succession Planning & Insurance
Tuesday, October 15th | 3:00-4:00PM
Wintrust Uptown, 4800 N Sheridan Rd

Join the Uptown Business Center and Wintrust Bank for a free workshop on succession planning and small business insurance. This training will cover changing ownership of a small business and establishing an exit strategy for retirement, insurance policies, agencies, and agents, and the required insurance for small businesses.

Grant Writing 101
Thursday, October 24th | 3:30-4:30PM
CircEsteem, 4730 N Sheridan & Via Zoom

Learn best practices for submitting competitive grant applications to secure additional funding for your organization or small business. Presented by Katie Adams, Development Manager, CircEsteem.

Series of images
Copy of Digital Marketing Services Cropped for Website

 Current Grant Opportunities

Foot Locker Foundation Community Empowerment Program
Applications Open Until 10:59 PM September 30, 2024

The Foot Locker Foundation, in partnership with LISC, is launching the fourth round of grants for the Community Empowerment Program. Apply here.

Eligibility:

  • 501(c)3 nonprofit organization
  • Primarily serve youth in underserved communities where support and opportunity are scarce
  • Deliver programs and services to youth focused on health and wellness, education and life skills support, mentoring, or career development
  • Maintain at least one full-time staff person focused on youth programming
  • Can engage Foot Locker store team members in volunteer activities tied to the proposed program

Applicants must apply online by September 30. Awardees will be notified by January 2025. Apply now.

 

Galaxy Grants
Applications Open Until September 30, 2024

Galaxy Grants take 30 seconds to apply for $4,250 in funding. You can also refer a friend to double your chances of winning. Galaxy Grants are focused on supporting women and minority entrepreneurs. Apply Now.

 

Chicago Community Development Grants - Small
Applications Open Until November 8, 2024

Receive up to $250,000 for construction or renovation costs for your business. Grants support local commercial and light manufacturing projects. Apply here.

Eligibility:

  • Proposed projects must be revenue-generating
  • Projects must comprise the following uses
    • Commercial (office, retail)
    • Light industrial
    • Mixed-use residential (residential costs cannot exceed 25% of the total grant amount and must be part of a larger building improvement, such as HVAC/plumbing)
  • Priority is given to projects with strong local impacts that leverage local talents, capacities and institutions and contribute to community vitality.

Note that this is a reimbursement grant. Eligible costs include pre-development, new construction and renovations. Applications are open to business owners, property owners, community developers, and entrepreneurs. Apply now.

 

The Awesome Foundation
Applications Are Reviewed and Rewarded on a Rolling Basis

The Awesome Foundation awards $1,000 grants each month to individuals and groups for various projects - everyone is eligible to apply! With 84 independently run chapters, members contribute to a micro-funding pool supporting these grants. Apply Now.

 

LISC Black Restaurant Fund
Rolling Application Window

Local Initiatives Support Collaboration (LISC) and UberEats are partnering to provide Black-owned restaurants and restaurants serving the Black community with growth capital. Growth capital is a long-term investment tool that is only paid back once the business reaches success. Learn more and submit an inquiry here.

Eligibility:

  • Black-owned restaurants or restaurants serving the Black community
  • Must earn an annual revenue between $250,000 and $3,000,000
  • In operation for at least two years
  • Active UberEats partner
  • Located in an economically disadvantaged community

Growth capital is granted on a rolling basis. Complete the intake form here.

 

Wish Local Empowerment Program
Rolling Application Window

Black-owned businesses can apply for $500-$2,000 grants to support their existing brick-and-mortar businesses. Apply Now.

Eligibility:

  • Black-owned business
  • 18+ years of age
  • 20 or fewer employees
  • Brick-and-mortar shop within the United States
  • Store earns an average annual revenue under $1M

This is a rolling application. Learn more an apply at wish.com/local/empowermentApply Here.

UBC Resources

These presentations and resource packets cover small business resources and information presented at UBC events. Sign up for a free UBC Business Consultation today to learn about other resources for your businesses and to receive personalized support!

Uptown Business Center Partners

In total, there are 8 community Chicago Business Centers located throughout the city. Services are free. Visit chicago.gov/cbc or click here for more information. The UBC provides assistance with licensing, permitting, and additional specialized business services in collaboration with the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP), local Chambers, and community partners.

Within the map of Lake Shore Drive to the Chicago River, and North-South boundaries of Lincoln Park to Rogers Park, the Uptown Business Center works collaboratively with the following partners:

group photo

Testimonials

The Uptown Business Center's service is marked by easy accessibility and genuine enthusiasm for supporting small businesses. Kylie goes above and beyond her duty to help us navigate challenges and explore opportunities. Her commitment to fruitful consultations has provided invaluable insights, guiding us toward informed decisions that have positively impacted our businesses. UBC events with banks and connecting with potential customers has proven to be extremely helpful in fostering connections and opening up new avenues for collaboration.
 
- Malicha Dida, Gobez Coffee

Working with Uptown Business Center has been such a great pleasure! Kylie Ruscheinski has been such an amazing help all around. She has guided us with great grants, to ways how to manage our social media pages, and best ways to promote our restaurants. Kylie is very hands on and works with you through all your questions or problems you may have. We have been very fortunate to be introduced to Uptown Business Centers.

- Oscar Hernandez, Falcon's Handcrafted Sandwiches

The Uptown Business Center is an invaluable resource for businesses and for our office. I've lost count of the number of times I've sent small businesses their way who have been looking for help with a range of business licensing, permitting, and brainstorming questions. Many of these businesses follow up with me specifically to thank me for connecting them with UBC after their meetings with Kylie. Having a partner who I can trust to help prospective businesses get off the ground or existing businesses figure out licensing or permitting concerns is incredible. We're eternally grateful for her work and partnership! 
 
- Lucy Nye, Director of Development and Business Affairs, 47th Ward Office

I had the pleasure of meeting with Kylie Ruscheinski at Uptown Business Center to navigate some of the challenges I was facing during the licensing phase of starting my business. Meeting with Kylie was a small investment of time with a massive impact—she helped me prepare my documents in advance of my in-person meetings with BACP, which helped me get through the licensing process in record time! Her advice and insights were invaluable and helped me open my doors quickly—because of Kylie’s familiarity with the nuances of the City’s licensing requirements, I was able to start offering services that benefit the families in my community sooner and minimize the number of months I was paying rent on an empty space!

- Risa McMahon, Southport Fundamentals

Approaching my 4th decade of life, I have consistently worked as an employee at other businesses. With that experience and a dream to achieve a lot more on my own terms, I chose to create an LLC for my eye care business. It was one of the best business decisions to join the Uptown Chamber of Commerce because I learned about the Uptown Business Center and met the director Kylie Ruscheinski. I can tell that everyone working at the Business Center and the Chamber of Commerce is really invested in the success of the organizations and businesses who ask for help. Every time I talk with the director, Kylie, I learn so much that helps me achieve more success in my business as a doctor who is new to entrepreneurship. It is extremely helpful to have the workshops and services available to business owners that exist at the business center and I hope to see this continued support toward local business owners.

- Dr. Karina N Fulton, Willow Vision Health

Scroll To Top