Dear Chicagoans, 

At BACP, we remain committed to helping every business owner and every worker thrive. Whether you’re a small business owner applying for a business license, a worker wanting to understand your rights or a consumer who values fairness and transparency—we’re here to support you. That means personalized licensing consultations with our small business consultants in the Small Business Center, accessing business resources through our Neighborhood Business Development Centers and continued learning through our business education programs. 

BACP Big Three:

• The final City of Chicago 2026 Budget Engagement Roundtable will take place tonight, Wednesday, July 9 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Harold Washington Library, Winter Garden – 400 S. State St. Tonight's Roundtable is tailored specifically for youth, ages 13-24. The 2026 Budget Engagement Roundtables are an expression of co-governance and centers Chicagoans’ voices to help shape the future of City services through a series of dynamic, co-designed public meetings focused on collaboration, transparency, and shared priorities. Register: Chi.gov/3TGSco3. Pre-registration is encouraged but not required. You can also take the Budget Engagement Survey and Public Comment Survey to provide feedback for the 2026 Budget. 
• On July 1, 2025, several Chicago labor law updates went into effect, including the scheduled annual increase in Chicago’s minimum wage, additional enforcement provisions of the Paid Leave and Paid Sick and Safe Leave Ordinance, and a scheduled enhancement of the Fair Workweek Ordinance requirements. To view informational flyers, Frequently Asked Questions, and public notices on Chicago’s labor laws, visit Chicago.gov/Labor Standards.
• Observed every July, Disability Pride Month recognizes the importance of the American Disabilities Act, which was signed into law on July 26, 1990. It highlights disability culture, history and community pride. BACP is committed to providing accessibility for all individuals, including people with disabilities. Request accessible accommodations to attend BACP webinars or business expos by emailing BACPoutreach@cityofchicago.org. Additionally, BACP ensures Chicago’s public passenger vehicles are safe, reliable and provide residents and visitors with positive transportation options. All public chauffeurs are required to accept passengers with guide dogs under the Municipal Code of Chicago. 

Under the Mayor Brandon Johnson administration, our goal is to ensure our economy remains innovative and resilient. I’m proud of how Chicago continues to grow due to the quality and amount of City programs and services available to residents and visitors. Let’s keep supporting one another, shopping local, hiring local and building local. Let’s continue to build better together. 

Sincerely,

Ivan J. Capifali 

BACP Commissioner 

Mayor Brandon Johnson and BACP Commissioner Capifali kicked-off the 2025 Chi Food Truck Fest season on Friday, May 16 at Daley Plaza, 50 W. Washington Street. The fest is every Friday until October 3, 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.  

Learn more: Chicago.gov/FoodTruckFest

BACP attended the 36Squared Business Incubator Boost Award. The grants are intended to help boost the success of entrepreneurs with disabilities. 36Squared Business Incubator is a BACP Neighborhood Business Development Center. 

Learn more: Chicago.gov/NBDC

To learn about BACP business resources, visit Chicago.gov/BACP.

The BACP Office of Labor Standards (OLS) promotes and enforces Chicago's landmark labor laws.

The following labor laws went into effect on July 1, 2025.

Minimum Wage:

• The minimum wage in Chicago is $16.60 per hour for employers with 4 or more employees.
• Tipped workers (workers who receive tips as part of their wage, like restaurant servers) have a minimum wage of $12.62 for employers with 4 or more employees. If a tipped worker’s wages plus tips do not equal at least the full minimum wage, the employer must make up the difference.

Paid Sick and Safe Leave:

• Employees accrue at a rate of 1 hour of sick leave for every 35 hours worked (up to 40 hours in a 12-month period).
• Employees must be allowed to use accrued sick leave no later than on the 30th day following the commitment of employment.
• Employees can carry over up to 80 hours between 12-month benefit periods.
• Employees can use paid sick leave for medical and safety reasons.

Fair Workweek Ordinance:

• Employees are covered by the ordinance if they work in one of seven “covered” industries (building services, healthcare, hotel, manufacturing, restaurant, retail, or warehouse services).
• Earn less than or equal to $32.60/hour or earn less than or equal to $62,561.90/year.
• The employer has at least 100 employees globally (250 employees and 30 locations if operating a restaurant).
• The Fair Workweek Ordinance requires certain employers to provide workers with predictable work schedules and compensation for changes.

To file a labor standards complaint, workers can call 3-1-1, use the CHI311 mobile app, or visit 311.chicago.gov.



More: Chicago.gov/LaborStandards.

On Saturday, May 31, 2025, BACP hosted its first in-person Chicago Small Biz Expo of the year at Kennedy-King College. Over 250 attendees participated in business education workshops and engaged with industry experts. The event featured a networking breakfast sponsored by City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, providing entrepreneurs with opportunities to connect and learn from one another. Mayor Brandon Johnson addressed the attendees, emphasizing the importance of entrepreneurship, and how entrepreneurship helps to sustain the local economy. Keynote speaker Zack Day, co-founder of Funkytown Brewery, shared his entrepreneurial journey, inspiring attendees with his insights and experiences.

The expo offered a range of resources, including business licensing consultations, tax clinics, financial advising, professional headshots, and networking opportunities. Workshops covered topics such as local resources for starting and scaling a business and strategies for future-proofing businesses through sales and marketing. The expo was a free event to the public made possible by our sponsors and partners: Western Union, Wintrust Bank, CIBC Bank USA, City Colleges, City Treasure's Office and Pursuit, reflecting a strong commitment to supporting Chicago's small business community.

Highlights of the 5/31 expo: YouTube.com/ChicagoBACP

Learn more: Chicago.gov/BizExpo

Sidewalk Café Permits

Sidewalk café permits are issued by BACP and are valid from March 1 through the end of February on an annual basis. To operate a sidewalk café, you must have an active sidewalk café permit.

Sidewalk Café Operating Requirements

• A sidewalk café permit allows a restaurant or tavern to serve customers on the sidewalk, maintaining 6 feet of pedestrian clearance along the sidewalk, among other requirements.
• Sidewalk cafes must remain operational when set up on the sidewalk and may not be used for storage of tables, chairs, shoveled snow, or other items.
• When snow has accumulated, sidewalk cafes must be removed from the public way until the snow is removed (the threshold for café removal is 2 inches of snow for a building-side sidewalk café, and any snow for a street-side sidewalk café).
• While a canopy or awning may be used to provide overhead coverage, the complete enclosure of a sidewalk café is prohibited.  

To apply for your sidewalk café use the online permitting web portal or visit Chicago.gov/SidewalkCafe.

For information on other outdoor dining permits issued by the Chicago Department of Transportation, visit Chicago.gov/OutdoorDining

Quick and Convenient Payments

The City of Chicago Payment Portal now allows payment for Weights and Measures and Alternative Pricing System (APS) fees online. The portal allows for payments to be made quickly and conveniently from your computer or mobile device. All you need is your account number and any one of your open charge IDs to get started.

More: Chicago.gov/CHIPAY

New Business Licensing Website

The BACP business licensing website is redesigned and improved!

The new licensing site provides information on required documents, application and renewal steps, how to update an existing license account, and license types. 

New features: 

• Simplified navigation for quick access to information.
• Streamlined, user-friendly license guidance.
• Fully mobile-friendly viewing. 
• ADA-compliant design.

Visit the website to view the new Business License Types Guide.

Take the feedback survey.

Consumer Protection



BACP is tasked with protecting Chicagoans from consumer fraud, unfair methods of competition, and deceptive practices. This includes any conduct that violates Municipal Code sections related to business operations or consumer protection, as well as conduct that constitutes an unlawful practice under the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act.

Types of issues BACP can address include:

• Businesses or contractors who take payment but do not provide the goods or services
• Retail store complaints, including outdated merchandise, overcharges, false advertising
• Restaurant complaints, including issues related to sidewalk cafes
• Businesses operating without proper licensure
• Complaints regarding public vehicles, including valets, rideshare (Uber, Lyft) or taxi services

Consumers are encouraged to report suspected fraud or other illegal business practices by calling 311, using the CHI311 app, or visiting 311.Chicago.gov. 

Additionally, the BACP Be Informed. Be Protected. campaign provides consumers with simplified tips and resources across a wide array of topics. The series of flyers are geared toward protecting consumers from fraud and informing them of the actions they can take if they have become a victim of fraud.

More: Chicago.gov/ConsumerProtection

Public Vehicle Passengers with Guide Dogs

All public chauffeurs (anyone who drives and transports passengers in a taxi, transportation network 

provider/ride-hail, livery, charter bus, etc.) are required to accept passengers with guide dogs. 

Refusing passengers with disabilities is a violation of City of Chicago laws and may result in fines, license suspension, and other penalties against the public 

chauffeur. Disability rights are civil rights. 

Report refusal of transportation service by calling 3-1-1, visititing 311.chicago.gov or downloading the CHI 311 mobile app.

More: Chicago.gov/MOPD

One Summer Chicago (OSC)



Info: Applications are open for One Summer Chicago (OSC)! OSC is a youth employment program offered in partnership with local businesses, community organizations, and city agencies (departments, sister agencies and aldermanic offices) to provide young persons ages 14-24 with paid work experiences for six weeks of the summer. The City aims to connect an additional 4,000 young people to paid opportunities and life-skills development programs this summer. The Chicago Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) manages the program, with direct support from the Education, Youth and Human Services (EDYHS) team in the Mayor’s Office.

More: OneSummerChicago.org

Business Education Webinar Series:

BACP offers free webinars taught by industry professionals, not-for-profit agencies, and government agencies on various topics including: business licensing, operations, financial resources, marketing, and more.

Empower Hour is a monthly webinar series highlighting Chicago business owners, their stories and their role in shaping Chicago’s business community.

The webinar is a candid conversation between BACP Chief Small Business Officer Lotika Pai and a local entrepreneur. Attendees have the opportunity to ask questions during the Q&A session.

Thursday, July 17 at 2:00 p.m.

Empower Hour: Gray Matter Experience

In honor and recognition of Youth Skills Day, celebrated in July, this month’s Empower Hour will feature BACP Chief Small Business Officer Lotika Pai chatting with Britney Robbins, Founder and CEO of Gray Matter Experience.

The Gray Matter Experience closes the opportunity gap for youth with big visions but limited access by using entrepreneurship as a tool for personal and community transformation.

The Gray Matter Experience was created to close the support and access gap; and, to amplify the intelligence, originality, and leadership already alive in overlooked communities. Inspired by the brain’s gray matter – where thinking, memory, and innovation live – the name reflects the brilliance often ignored, and the belief that young people already have what they need inside them to lead.

City Inspections Webinars (monthly):

Each month, BACP, along with the Department of Public Health and the Department of Buildings, hosts a webinar entitled, "Ask Questions, Get Answers." The webinar provides insight on how to operate a compliant business within the City of Chicago. Topics include:

• Preparing for inspections.
• Building permits and sign display requirements.
• Food inspection overview and required certificates.
• Zoning review procedures.

The next City Inspections webinar will be held Wednesday, August 6 at 3:00 p.m.

BACP Entrepreneur Certificate Program

To receive credit for a webinar, you must register for the program prior to participating in the webinar.

Webinars attended prior to signing-up to the Entrepreneur Certificate program do not qualify towards program completion.

The BACP “Behind the Business License," video series features in-depth conversations between a Neighborhood Business Development Center, a small business owner and City of Chicago Chief Small Business Officer Lotika Pai.

Each episode details a business owner sharing their first-hand experiences of working with the City of Chicago and their local business service organization.

New episodes air every other Tuesday on Cable 25 and re-runs occur continuously. Also, episodes can be viewed on the BACP YouTube channel. 

More: Chicago.gov/BTBL.

The Road to Recovery is the City of Chicago’s strategic plan for its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding.

Current programs:

• BACP awarded 13 community and economic development organizations grants to provide rapid relief to small businesses by activating vacant storefronts into burgeoning business spaces. To find Storefront Activation Program locations, visit the website below for addresses and hours of participating businesses in communities all across Chicago.

More: Chicago.gov/BACPRecoveryPlan.

Chicago Road to Recovery Funding Opportunities

Info: Over the lifespan of the Road to Recovery, there will be frequent opportunities to partner with Chicago organizations.

More: Chicago.gov/RecoveryPlan

Office of the City Clerk’s Chicago CityKey Program

Info: Join the Office of the City Clerk’s Chicago CityKey program as a business partner. CityKey is a government-issued ID card made available to all Chicagoans. Additionally, it may be used as a Chicago Public Library card, a Chicago Transit Authority Ventra card and a Chicago Rx prescription drug discount card. When joining as a business partner, you will be providing benefits to more than 100,000 Keyholders and helping them gain access to many of the notable things that make our city great. It’s a free partnership and a way to promote your business.

More: Visit bit.ly/citykeypartner or email citykey@cityofchicago.org.

Neighborhood Opportunity Fund

Info: The Department of Planning and Development's Neighborhood Opportunity Neighborhood Opportunity Fund (NOF) provides grants up to $250,000 for small business and cultural projects located along West, Southwest, and South Side commercial corridors. NOF grants are provided as reimbursement for up to 75% of eligible project expenses with a maximum grant of $250,000. Applicants may qualify for additional funding for Technical Assistance.

Deadline: The next NOF application deadline is Friday, August 15, 2025. 

More: Chicago.gov/NOF

Small Business Improvement Fund 

Info: The Chicago Department of Planning and Development Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF) provides reimbursement grant funding for permanent building improvements and repairs across the city. Program participants may receive grants covering between 30 to 90 percent of the cost of remodeling work, with maximum grants upwards of $150,000 for commercial properties and $250,000 for industrial properties.

Deadline: SBIF applications may be submitted during monthly rollout periods for individual TIF districts.

More: Chicago.gov/SBIF

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