Small business Grants: March 2026

Last week I attended the Midwest Innovation and Entrepreneurship Summit at College of DuPage, and it reminded me why the entrepreneurial mindset matters so much. I know it's helped me everyday with campaigning. 

It's the mindset of “How can this work better?”  and it faces obstacles with creativity and possibility. That mindset is what pushed me to start Brewpoint Coffee, and it’s also what motivates me to step into local government. For me, both entrepreneurship and public service are about the same thing: building systems that reflect our values and strengthen our communities.

For fellow entrepreneurs in the Chicagoland region, here are a few grant opportunities and resources worth exploring right now:

• Intuit Quickbooks & Mailchimp, Nominate a Small Business to win $20k
• Ripple Digital Leap Program & Grant $10k
• Hello Alice & Pilot Small Business Growth Fund $50-10k
• US Chamber of Commerce Resources
• Allies for Community Business Loan & Grant Programs
• Innovation DuPage, Local Small Business Incubator

If you're building something right now, keep going. There are resources out there, and our communities need the ideas and leadership that entrepreneurs bring!

Images by Innovation DuPage