The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity provides free small business assistance through confidential business guidance, training and other resources to start-up and existing small businesses.  Illinois Small Business Development Centers are located throughout the state of Illinois.

On June 25, 2019, Illinois made history by becoming the 11th state to legalize recreational cannabis — and the first state to do so through legislation rather than a ballot initiative. Under the state’s Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, adults aged 21 and older will be allowed to purchase recreational cannabis products beginning January 1, 2020.

License types

• Cultivation centers
•  Craft growers
•  Processors 
• Transporting organizations 
• Dispensing organizations

Applications for craft grow, infuser, and transportation licenses will be made available from the Department of Agriculture. - Learn More -

Understanding Adult Use Cannabis

- Learn More -

Illinois Adult-Use Cannabis and Social Equity

The State of Illinois is committed to ensuring that communities historically impacted by the criminalization of cannabis have an opportunity to participate in the legal cannabis industry. In order to address the impact on those communities, the Act establishes a program for Social Equity Applicants who meet the following criteria:

• Has at least 51% ownership and control by one or more individuals who:
  • Have lived in a Disproportionately Impacted Area in 5 of the past 10 years 
  • Have been arrested for, convicted of, or adjudicated delinquent for cannabis-related offenses eligible for expungement, including cannabis possession up to 500 grams or intent to deliver up to 30 grams.
  • Have a parent, child, or spouse that has been arrested for, convicted of, or adjudicated delinquent for cannabis-related offenses eligible for expungement, including possession up to 500 grams or intent to deliver up to 30 grams. - Learn More - 

The Neighborhood Opportunity Fund finances commercial and cultural projects in neighborhoods that lack private investment, using revenue generated from downtown development.

Pop-Up Shop initiative allows business licenses, retail entrepreneurs and restaurateurs will be able to obtain a short-term license that is not location-based, which will enable them to operate in temporary commercial locations throughout Chicago.

City of Chicago business license

Accion makes loans to startup and existing small businesses that qualify ranging from $500 to $100,000. Accion offers fast turnaround and flexible requirements.

Chicago Neighborhood Initiative's Micro-Finance Group (CNIMFG) makes loans up to $50,000 to new and existing small businesses operating primarily in economically underserved communities in Chicago

Community Reinvestment Fund provides term loans $150,000 to $4,000,0000 for capital to underserved small business owners including minorities, women and veterans, and businesses located/or willing to locate in low-income communities.

The Duman Entrepreneurship Center Loan Fund makes loans up to $15,000 to businesses who can demonstrate that the loan will help grow the business. These are 3-year term loans, with very low-interest rates and no penalty for early repayment. There is a low loan application fee and closing cost.

Women's Business Development Center makes loans up to $25,000 to new and existing small businesses in the City of Chicago and are targeted towards businesses operating in low to moderate-income communities.

SomerCor assists small businesses with loans $50,000 - $250,000 that oftentimes might fall under the radar of commercial lending institutions. These loans assist in small business growth, job creation, and economic development.

Loans Under $50,000

Loans Over $50,000

West Side United awards grants to West Side businesses that seek to strengthen their communities, in the amount of $1,000-$15,000.