Award type: project grant

The Chatham Business Association Inc. received a $949,515 Project Grant award from the Small Business Administration Office of Entrepreneurial Development to provide Community Navigator services under the Community Navigator Pilot Program. As defined by the American Rescue Plan Act, Community Navigator services include outreach, education, and technical assistance targeting historically underserved small businesses and entrepreneurs. Through December 2023, Chatham will deliver these services in the form of one-on-one counseling and group trainings to help small businesses and entrepreneurs in Chicago access pandemic relief programs and recovery services from the SBA and other government agencies. Chatham may engage subrecipients to assist in providing the high-quality support and technical assistance. Progress will be reported quarterly to the SBA. This award aims to increase participation in and awareness of assistance programs for underserved small business communities in an urban area.

Activities

Provide high quality support and technical assistance with pandemic relief programs and recovery services to small businesses.; deliverables: grantees will provide reports on activities and progress toward stated goals to SBA on a quarterly basis.

Expected outcomes

Increase awareness of and participation in programs of the u.s small business administration and other government agencies.

Intended beneficiaries

Small businesses and entrepreneurs that fall into a historically underserved category, including minority entrepreneurs (black, indigenous, and people of color), entrepreneurs with disabilities, lgbtq entrepreneurs, rural entrepreneurs; veterans and military entrepreneurs (including spouses), women entrepreneurs, innovative startups, micro businesses, and socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses

Subrecipient activities

Grantees (hubs) and their contractors (spokes) will provide high quality support and technical assistance with pandemic relief programs and recovery services to small businesses. This support takes the form of 1:1 counseling and group trainings.