We are thrilled to share an exciting opportunity that could significantly benefit your business. Governor JB Pritzker, in collaboration with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), has announced the availability of $25 million in funding through the Back to Business New Business Grant (B2B NewBiz) Program. This initiative aims to support new businesses that opened their doors in 2020 or 2021, offering eligible entities the chance to secure up to $30,000 in crucial funding.

Eligibility Criteria: Your Pathway to Funding

Is your business ready to seize this opportunity? Here's how you can determine your eligibility:

• Your business commenced operations in 2020 or 2021.
• You are actively operating in Illinois.
• You haven't received a Back to Business (B2B) grant before 2023.
• Your business or nonprofit falls into a Priority Industry category, or it is majority-owned by an individual who has received unemployment insurance benefits, including Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA).

The application window is open until Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. Don't miss out on this chance to secure the support your business needs to thrive.

How to Apply: Your Gateway to Success

Ready to take the next step? Head to [https://b2bnewbiz.com/](https://b2bnewbiz.com/) for comprehensive details on the application process, eligibility criteria, and access to the application itself. The funding you can secure varies based on when your business was established and whether it operates out of a home-based or "brick-and-mortar" location.

Key Dates and Additional Resources

Save the date! The application period is open from Thursday, Nov. 30, with a deadline set for Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. Awards are expected to be announced in the weeks following the deadline.

For further insights into the program and application process, the DCEO is hosting webinars in both English (Monday, Nov. 27) and Spanish (Wednesday, Nov. 29). To stay informed and make the most of this opportunity, visit the official website.

A Call to Growth: Seize the Opportunity

We strongly encourage you to leverage this grant opportunity to propel the growth and resilience of your business. Governor JB Pritzker and the DCEO have paved the way for new businesses to thrive, providing a valuable resource that can make a significant impact on your entrepreneurial journey.

Don't miss out on this chance to fuel your business's success. Apply now and position your venture for a prosperous future. Get more information here: ​https://b2bnewbiz.com/

Special Thank you to Schaumburg Business Association for informing us about this (www.schaumburgbusiness.com):

The Cook County Small Business Source proudly introduces The 2023 Source Grant, which will provide $40 Million in grants to small businesses to help stabilize operations, foster recovery and resiliency, and advance equity in a post-pandemic economy.

$40M TOTAL FUNDING

$40 million in grants to small businesses coupled with no-cost advising and coaching services, to help stabilize operations, foster recovery and resiliency, and advance equity in a post-pandemic economy.

APPLICATION DATES: July 20 – August 18

Application review will begin in August 2023 and not before – so there is no rush to apply. Early submission of an application does not lead to an earlier or faster review. Applicants will be notified of their application status by November 2023 and grant awards will be distributed in January 2024.

TWO TYPES OF GRANTS:

Businesses with 2019 gross revenue between $20k-$50k are eligible to receive $10K grants.

Businesses with 2019 gross revenue of more than $50k are eligible to receive $20K grants.

She loves working with business owners on securing their assets with a plan so they can survive disruptions and thrive in the aftermath. The business will develop a business continuity plan via learning how to do tailored risk assessment and business impact analysis. Erika and her company, EaaS will then work that plan through trainings and exercise creation and facilitation to determine the plan's viability. EaaS leaves businesses better able to resume operations quickly when risk management fails.

Federal and state agencies, as well as private companies, offer small-business grants. Here's a list of resources. From Nerd Wallet: https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/small-business/small-business-grants?trk_location=ssrp&trk_query=business%20grants&trk_page=1&trk_position=2
 
The Paycheck Protection Program officially ended May 31, 2021.
 
Small-business grants provide free money for startups and existing businesses, including those impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
 
It can take time and effort to research and apply for funding. To help you start, here’s a list of federal, state and private small-business grants and resources.
 
Coronavirus small-business grants
The U.S. Small Business Administration introduced new coronavirus small-business grant programs as part of the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act:
 

• Shuttered Venue Operators
• Targeted Economic Injury Disaster Loan Advance
• Restaurant Revitalization Fund
  
• MORE: Coronavirus relief for small-businesses: https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/small-business/coronavirus-relief/

 
Federal small-business grants
Government agencies are among the biggest distributors of business grants, supporting a range of enterprises from environmental conservation to child care services. Applying may seem intimidating, but federal grants are great opportunities for small-business owners looking to grow.
 

• Grants.gov
• Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs

State and regional small-business grants
Economic Development Administration: This U.S. Department of Commerce agency provides grants, resources and technical assistance to communities to support economic growth and encourage entrepreneurship and innovation.
 
Each state’s agency helps businesses find financing (including state or regional grants), secure locations and recruit employees. You can search the economic development directory for regional offices and local resources.
 
Small Business Development Centers: Your local SBDC provides support for small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs. They’re often associated with local universities or the state’s economic development agency, and many can help connect business owners with financing opportunities, as well as counseling, training and technical assistance.
 
Corporate small-business grants
Many corporations and large companies have a philanthropic component that includes small-business grants. While some provide grants only to nonprofits servicing specific industries, some give to for-profit companies.
 

• FedEx Small Business Grant Contest
• National Association for the Self-Employed

 
Specialty small-business grants
To help spread entrepreneurial success across demographics, many organizations focus their funding efforts on specific communities.
 
Visit www.Nerdwallet.com for more lists of:

• Small-business grants for women.
• Small-business grants for veterans.
• Small-business grants for minorities.

More info from the State Of Illinois: 
​https://www2.illinois.gov/IISNews/22388-State_of_Illinois_COVID-19_Update_-_Monday_November_23.pdf

Typical Situation: Our client has seen an increase in their Contribution Rate Determination (unemployment tax rate) that is mailed to all Illinois employers on or about December 1st every year.  They also have protested their own unemployment claims but have not been successful at getting benefits denied.
 
When you hear a business owner say:
•           “I do not understand why someone was allowed to collect benefits”
•           “I hate dealing with the unemployment office as it is a no win situation”
•           “General: complaints about their unemployment claims “
 
The Consultant educates them on the unemployment laws in Illinois and to help them reduce their state unemployment taxes.
 
How they Work: They protest the claims filed against the employer and represent the employer at all unemployment hearings and go to their locations to do training sessions to educate the employer on how to handle different types of situations.  They will verify all the charges to the employer’s account to make sure they are not being charged more than they should be charged. 
 
You can introduce them:
“It sounds like you may need some help with your unemployment claims against you. I can introduce you to someone that can help. They would be happy to have a telephone consultation to discuss your situation.   

SBA loans and COVID
The SBA will pay 6 months of principal, interest, and any associated fees that borrowers owe for all current 7(a), 504, and Microloans in regular servicing status as well as new 7(a), 504, and Microloans disbursed prior to September 27, 2020. This relief is not available for Paycheck Protection Program loans or Economic Injury Disaster loans. See link below.
 
https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/coronavirus-relief-options/sba-debt-relief

Message to Employers Regarding Unemployment Fraud

Nationwide, bad actors are using the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to file fraudulent claims for unemployment insurance benefits. Many of these claims involve the theft of employees’ identities. Personal information has been stolen from many different sources in the past years, including computer hacks into the databases of some of the largest companies in the nation. This information can be used to file fraudulent unemployment claims.
 
It is likely that as an employer, you have recently seen an increase in fraudulent unemployment claims. You are not alone – this has been happening across the country. IDES is partnering with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in response. IDES is also partnering with employers to stop fraudulent claims in their tracks. If you receive a Notice of Claim informing you that an individual with a given name and social security number has filed a claim for benefits, please confirm if that individual is still working for you. If so, please ask whether that individual did, in fact, file a claim. We ask that you report to IDES as soon as possible what information you have obtained.
 
The best way to report fraudulent claims to IDES is by filing a timely protest to a Notice of Claim, giving IDES as much useful information as you can.
 
Additionally, IDES has an established unit that works specifically on allegations of fraudulent claims. On each day that you are made aware of the possibility of a fraudulent claim, we ask that in addition to filing a timely protest, you send one email with a spreadsheet including the following information for each instance of suspected fraud from that day: The claimant’s first name and last name, the employer name, and the claim ID (all this information is shown on the Notice of Claim).  Please send your email to both [email protected] and [email protected]. Again, please ensure this information is included in a spreadsheet attachment – not the body of the email.
 
We greatly appreciate our partnership with Illinois’ employers to help combat fraud.
​

CDBG COVID-19 Small Business Loan - COMING SOON!
 
The CARES Act made available $5 billion in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to be used to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus (COVID-19). The Village of Schaumburg’s allocation is $217,873. On July 28, 2020, the village approved the designation of 40%, or $87,149.20, to be used to assist small businesses with retaining their pre-COVID-19 level of employment for low-to-moderate income individuals, where at least 51% of the jobs, computed on a full time equivalent basis, involve the employment of low- and moderate- income persons. 
     
The Village of Schaumburg will provide 50% match, need-based forgivable loans of up to $7,500 for two months of eligible operating expenses and/or workplace protective equipment to small businesses (those with 1-25 full time equivalent employees) that are located within the corporate limits of Schaumburg. The village will begin accepting applications on November 15, 2020. The deadline to submit an application and supporting documents is 4 p.m. December 1, 2020. Every effort will be made to make award decisions by December 15, 2020. 
The application will be released on November 2, 2020. For more information on the program, contact Debbie Van Sickle at (847) 923-3852. 

https://www.villageofschaumburg.com/business/small-business-resources