Apply for Small Business Grants

New or existing businesses in Retail Thrive Zones are eligible to receive up to $250,000 in grants for commercial projects. Eligible costs include new construction, rehabilitation, and more. Click here to apply.

Apply for Tax Incentives

Class 7 Incentives are property tax abatements offered to small businesses or property owners that are significantly rehabilitating existing buildings or constructing new buildings on commercial properties. If approved, a Class 7 Incentive can lower your property tax bill by half over the next five to ten years.

Start your application process by selecting a property on the Thrive Zones map. We can automatically fill out parts of this form based on the property you select.

1. Property information

We need this information to identify the property you are applying for.

If you don't know the PIN or type classification of your property, search for it on the Thrive Zones map and click on the button "Apply for a tax incentive." When you apply from the map, we will autofill this form based on the property you've selected.

If you'd like to apply for a range of properties, simply enter the address range in the box below.

* Required

Property address*

PIN*

Property type*

Add another property

Type of development*

Incentive level*

I would like to apply for for Enterprise Zone benefits, and I have certified that my property qualifies for them.

2. Contact information

The City of Chicago will contact you during the application process. Provide your most up-to-date information to ensure that the City can reach you.

* Required

Name*

Phone*

Home address*

Email*

Preferred mode of contact (optional)

Call

3. Additional materials

The information below will help the City handle your application faster.

* Required

Project description*

Give us an idea of what you plan to do with your property. (Max 1,000 characters.)

Proof of responsibility

How are you responsible for this property? *

Upload a document that proves you are responsible for this property in some way. This could be your deed, your lease, or a letter of approval from your landlord regarding your project. (optional)

Your document must be in text (.pdf, .doc, .txt) or image (.png, .jpg, .gif) format. Max size 5MB.

Do not upload sensitive information! If your document contains, for example, a social security number, make sure to redact it before uploading.

Proposed budget (optional)

Upload an itemized budget proposal for your project.

Your budget must be in text (.pdf, .doc, .txt), image (.png, .jpg, .gif), or spreadsheet (.xls) format. Max size 5MB.

Small Business Improvement Fund (optional)

I am interested in applying for the Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF) to help secure financing for my project.

I have already applied for a SBIF grant for this project.

I am not interested in SBIF.

Find out more about the SBIF program for Thrive Zones

4. Review submission

* Required

Terms and conditions*

By checking the box below, you certify that the information above is accurate to the best of your knowledge. You also understand that this form is not a final application for Class 7 incentives or Enterprise Zone benefits, that you expect to provide further application materials at the request of City or County officials, and that by submitting your information you are not guaranteed to be approved for either benefit.

I agree to these terms and conditions

Questions? Email us at retailthrivezones@cityofchicago.org or follow the story with #ThriveZones.