Help for struggling nonprofit organizations and businesses

  • Paycheck Protection Program (PPP): The program is replenished. It is a loan to provide incentive for small businesses to keep workers on the payroll. SBA will forgive loans if all employees are kept on the payroll for eight weeks and the money is used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest or utilities. Apply here: https://bit.ly/PPPLoans.
  • Nicor Gas offering help to nonprofit organizations:
    • Submit a contribution request through their website: https://www.nicorgas.com/company/about-us/philanthropy/charitable-giving.html.
      • A brief background of the organization (two pages or less) and its Board membership list.
      • The organization's mission statement.
      • A legible and most recent copy of the organization's 501(c)(3) tax-exempt letter.
      • A clear statement of the project for which funds are needed.
      • The amount the organization requests for the project.
      • Sources of other support for the project and current financial statement of the organization.
  • Illinois Small Business Emergency Loans (https://bit.ly/bizloanfund) – The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation established the Illinois Small Business Emergency Loan Fund to offer low-interest loans of up to $50,000 to struggling small businesses. Chicago is offering a similar program (bit.ly/chibizresiliencyfund) for businesses located in the city.
  • Small business loans (bit.ly/ussmallbizloan) – The U.S. Small Business Administration is extending assistance loans to struggling businesses.
  • Small business disaster assistance loans (bit.ly/bizdisasterassistance) – The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering disaster assistance loans for up to $2 million.
  • Low-interest loans (bit.ly/lowinterestloan) – Backed by the Illinois treasury, banks and credit unions throughout Illinois are offering low-interest loans to businesses that have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
  • Sales tax deferment (bit.ly/salestaxdeferment)– Small- and mid-sized restaurants and bars will be able to defer sales tax payments for February, March, and April.
  • Cannabis business license applications (bit.ly/cannabislicenseapps) – IDFPR is accepting applications through certified mail, rather than in person.
  • Automatic license extensions (bit.ly/IDFPRlicenses) – IDFPR is automatically renewing all licenses that would normally expire between March 1 and July 31 until September 30. Continuing education that would normally be required to be completed in person can also be done online. The governor has issued executive orders that provide similar opportunities to cannabis businesses, private security and fingerprint vendors.
  • Online massage therapy and cosmetology school courses (bit.ly/ilmassagecosmetology) – IDFPR is allowing these schools to offer more than 10% of their courses online until July 31.
  • Expedited Critical Access Pharmacy Payments (bit.ly/ilpharmacypayments) – Comptroller Susana Mendoza expedited payments to pharmacies in underserved rural communities.
  • Online notary services (bit.ly/ilnotary) – Notaries are allowed to work online using two-way videos while the governor’s disaster declaration is in effect.

COVID19 Updates

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Contact Info

Springfield Office:
323A State Capitol Bldg.
Springfield, IL 62706
(217) 782-9415

Chicago Office:
1836 W. 35th St. 1st Fl.
Chicago, IL 60609
(773) 869-9050