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Summer is heating up, and so are the resources, events and opportunities available to small businesses across Cook County. Discover everything you need to move your business forward, right here with The Source!

Join The Source at the 2026 Pathways to Cook County Summit 

Join Cook County and The Source for the fourth annual Pathways to Cook County Summit, a one-day countywide event designed to inform the public of current contracting opportunities and resources available within the County. 

Don’t miss interactive workshops led by The Source and our network of Business Support Organization (BSO) and Community Financial Institution partners, featuring expert guidance on accessing capital resources to grow your business.

2026 Pathways to Cook County Summit

Wednesday, August 12, 2026

9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC) Dorin Forum,

725 W. Roosevelt Road, Chicago, Illinois

The Source's Webinar Wednesday

Did you know The Source has an entire archive of Webinar Wednesday sessions waiting for you on YouTube? Whether you're brushing up on business basics or diving into more advanced topics, our expert-led presentations are available anytime, on demand. Catch up on everything you may have missed and discover sessions you did not know you needed.

Upcoming events

Small Business Opportunities

ComEd’s Small-Medium Business Customer Relief Fund

Need assistance catching up on past-due ComEd energy bills? ComEd is launching the Customer Relief Fund (CRF) a fund designed to support small and medium-sized businesses by offering one-time matching grants up to $500 to help offset past-due ComEd bill balances. 

To receive a bill credit, business customers must first apply and make a payment toward their past due balance. ComEd will match the pre-approved amount, up to $500, while funds are available. Customers are still responsible for any remaining balance, and normal collection activity will continue. Applications are now open; visit ComEd.com to learn more. 

2026 Metro Chicago Good Food Purchasing Initiative Community Fund

Are you a local farmer or food business looking for funding and support? The Good Food Purchasing Initiative (GFPI) is launching its 2026 Community Fund, offering grants from $40,000 to $80,000 plus individualized technical assistance to systemically marginalized farms and food businesses in the Chicago metro area. 

The fund aims to increase access to locally sourced, sustainable and nutritious food in schools, food pantries, hospitals and other institutions. Eligible applicants must be Illinois-based or within 250 miles of Chicago, serve Cook County and/or the City of Chicago, and share a commitment to GFPI values, including fair labor, animal welfare and community collaboration. The application is now open; visit www.chicagofoodpolicy.com/funding-opportunities to learn more.

Juneteenth & Black Economic Power: Then, Now and Next

Join the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) at its 2026 Juneteenth Signature Business Roundtable in Chicago on June 16 from 2 - 4:30 p.m. Launching a yearlong series of Black programming honoring 250 years of Black innovation, resilience and economic leadership, this event brings together visionaries, entrepreneurs and changemakers alike to explore how the legacy of Juneteenth continues to shape the future of business, equity and opportunity in Illinois. Click here to learn more and register.

Building Together Beyond PRIDE Month: Business Voices, Stories and Resources

Continue the celebration of PRIDE with DCEO in Chicago on July 14 from 9:30 - 11 a.m at this dynamic event highlighting the power, resilience and creativity of LGBTQ+ business leaders. Join to hear the journeys of LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, discuss valuable resources available for growing and supporting inclusive businesses and reflect on the momentum and advocacy that continues long after Pride Month. Click here to learn more and register. 

SBA Disaster Loans 

If your business was impacted by the July 25-28, 2025, storms and flooding in Cook County, recovery assistance is now available. The U.S. Small Business Administration has officially approved a disaster declaration, making low-interest disaster loans available to help cover damages not paid for by insurance.

Who can apply:

• Homeowners and renters (repairs, personal property losses)
• Businesses and certain nonprofits (physical damage and economic losses)

Loan amounts:

• Up to $500,000 for home repairs
• Up to $100,000 for personal property
• Up to $2 million for businesses

Deadlines:

• Physical damage: June 22, 2026
• Economic injury (businesses): January 25, 2027

Don't wait; apply now! Visit sba.gov/disaster or call (800) 659-2955 for more information.

Small Business Advocacy

2026 State of Chicago Small Business Outlook Survey

Owners and operators of Chicagoland small businesses are invited to participate in a survey examining the state of small businesses today.

Co-sponsored by the College of Business at the University of Illinois-Chicago and the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, this brief survey will ask questions about your business operations, performance and perception of the current business climate in Chicagoland and the surrounding regional area. All responses remain confidential and are aggregated in a report summarizing the results, to be shared in the fall of 2026. Click here to learn more and participate in the survey.