MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON ANNOUNCES $33 MILLION IN GRANT AWARDS FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

Mayor Brandon Johnson
Mayor Brandon Johnson

MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON ANNOUNCES $33 MILLION IN GRANT AWARDS FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

City support will facilitate more than $90 million in neighborhood-level improvements, sparking new investments within commercial corridors across Chicago.

CHICAGO — A South Shore intergenerational housing complex, a new headquarters for a West Garfield Park gun violence prevention organization and a Roseland coffee shop are among 58 neighborhood improvement projects to be supported through $33 million in City development grants, Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) announced.

Selected through competitive application rounds involving DPD’s Community Development Grant (CDG) and Neighborhood Opportunity Fund (NOF) programs, the projects collectively represent $90 million in public-private neighborhood investments.

“Lasting prosperity within our communities begins with revitalization efforts that center equity, community-driven development, and each neighborhood’s unique needs,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “Through this investment, the City is doubling down on its role as a partner, empowering the businesses and organizations that are already serving our people and shaping our city’s future. I look forward to seeing the newfound opportunities, cultural experiences, and vitality that these investments yield.”

Nine projects were selected to receive grants ranging from $500,000 to $5 million, including:

Axiom Flame LLC — 2640-46 W. Madison St., East Garfield Park

$1.3 million for the $2.6 million buildout of a content production studio.

Carehaus Chicago — 2314 E. 75th St., South Shore

$5 million for a $12.7 million project providing intergenerational housing and integrated social care.

Chicago Community Justice Foundation — 3841-49 W. North Ave., Humboldt Park

$2.3 million to create an $8.5 million center for agencies providing legal, mental health, educational and workforce development services.

Funkytown Brewery — 1923-29 W. Lake St., Near West Side

$3.7 million for development of a $7.4 million craft beer brewery, distribution and retail facility.

Institute for Nonviolence — 3934 W. Madison St., West Garfield Park

$4.8 million to create a new $9.5 million headquarters for the gun violence prevention nonprofit.

Little Village Small Business Visitor Center — 3856 W. 26th St., South Lawndale

$1.3 million to create a $3.6 million headquarters for the Little Village Chamber of Commerce.

PACTT School — 7225 N. Greenview Ave., Rogers Park

$500,000 for a $3 million expansion creating six classrooms for youth with autism.

Supportive Opportunity Space — 536 E. 47th St., Grand Boulevard

$769,615 to create a $1.5 million shared services hub for minority-owned small businesses.

Wilma’s Famous Foods — 2800 W. Madison St., East Garfield Park

$2.8 million grant to create a $5.6 million restaurant and community hub.

Four projects were selected to receive “pre-development” grants up to $150,000 to support eligible design and engineering fees, among other soft costs. Those projects are:

Atrium Thirty-Six — 3619 S. Hoyne Ave., McKinley Park

Reuse of a former church campus as a cultural and social resource center.

Ethola Restaurant and BSCP Hall — 846 W. 119th St., West Pullman

Afro-Caribbean restaurant and event venue renovation.

JS8 Holding — 3265 S. Halsted St., Bridgeport

Korean and Japanese American diner renovation.

S2 City Grill — 8734 S. Stony Island Ave., Calumet Heights

Acquisition and expansion of existing restaurant and daiquiri bar

An additional 45 improvement projects were selected to receive “small grant” awards ranging from $51,800 to $250,000. The community areas and projects include:

Austin:

Blue Sky Enterprise, 5118 W. North Ave.

Fatso Hard Kitchen, 6464 W. North Ave.

Frances Simmons Ellis, 6046 W. North Ave.

Golden Acre LLC, 5755 W. Division St.

Seymore Trucking, 5833 W. Madison St.

Avondale:

Ballet Folklorico, 3006 N. Pulaski Road

Brothers Restaurant, 3000 W. Belmont Ave.

Belmont Cragin:

Wonderland Child Care, 5729 W. Belmont Ave.

Rolon Studio, 5021 W. Fullerton Ave.

Douglas:

Kabob-it Restaurant, 10 W. 35th St.

East Garfield Park:

Analytical Instruments, 259 N. California Ave.

East Side:

A Huevo LLC, 10538 S. Ewing Ave.

Fuller Park:

Morcom Construction Co., 326 W. 47th St.

Grand Boulevard:

Fleurish Chicago, 752 E. 43rd St.

Greater Grand Crossing:

Stewart Music Emporium, 212 E. 79th St.

Humboldt Park:

Rincon Family Services, 4010 W. North Ave.

See Spot Run, 1440 N. Pulaski Road

Hyde Park:

Night Heron, 1636 E. 55th St.

Irving Park:

The Hinterlands, 3666 W. Irving Park Road

Turn Back Time, 3834 W. Irving Park Road

Jefferson Park:

Parlor Station, 4837 N. Lipps Ave.

Kenwood:

Bark N Bubbles Doggy Day Spa, 4457 S. Cottage Grove Ave.

Lake View:

Annoyance Theatre, 851 W. Belmont Ave.

Lincoln Square:

Gateway to Learning, 4925 N. Lincoln Ave.

Logan Square:

D5 Design & Metal Fabrication, 2439 N.

Pulaski Road

Loop:

Goodman Theatre, 330 N. Clark St.

Lower West Side:

Taza Mora Café, 2142 W. Cermak Road

Near North Side:

Bella Luna Chicago, 713 N. State St.

Near West Side:

Junior Chefs Kitchen, 1061 W. Van Buren St.

North Lawndale:

North Lawndale Employment Network,

1114 S. Homan Ave.

Portage Park:

Adriana Floral, 3912 N. Cicero Ave.

Roseland:

Grind & Dream Coffee, 601 W. 111th St.

Nywele Salon, 222 E. 95th St.

Project 301, 301 E. 95th St.

South Chicago:

South Shore Hospital Wellness Center, 2525 E. 83rd St.

South Lawndale:

Alborada Brides, 3434 W. 26th St.

Apollo’s 2000, 2875 W. Cermak Road

Los Candiles Restaurant, 2624 S. Central Park Ave.

USA Awnings, 3010 W. Cermak Road

Uptown:

Joel Hall Dancers, 4511 N. Clark St.

Washington Heights:

Heuristic Holistic Health, 1222 W. 95th St.

Quantum Faith,1500 W 95th St.

West Pullman:

Jack’s Lounge, 12717 S. Halsted St.

West Ridge:

KMY Banquet Hall, 2091 W. Touhy Ave.

West Town:

Josephine's Coffee, 1843 W Chicago Ave.

“Today’s grant winners represent a variety of neighborhood improvement projects that will enhance the livability and vitality of commercial corridors across the city,” said DPD Commissioner Ciere Boatright. “They were selected from nearly 400 applications based on project readiness, financial need, location, neighborhood impact, development team diversity and experience, and other factors that will help ensure catalytic and equitable allocations of the City’s resources.”

CDG awards are funded through Mayor Johnson's $1.25B Housing and Economic Development Bond, Tax Increment Financing and NOF proceeds. The NOF program uses downtown construction fees to support small business and cultural projects that are contributing to increasing vitality within West, Southwest and South Side commercial corridors.

The next submission deadline for CDG and NOF grant applications is Feb. 13, 2026. More information on the grant programs are available at Chicago.gov/CDG and Chicago.gov/NOF.

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