Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot recently announced that 12 recipients will receive a total of $27 million in community development grants.
According to a press release from the city of Chicago, the awards range from $54,000 to $5 million and will invest in local grocery stores, medical facilities, music education institutions and local restaurants. The grants will be used for construction, remodeling and other expenses.
“I'm thrilled to announce this year's first round of community development grant awards that will ensure our city's economic recovery while revitalizing our neighborhood,” Lightfoot said. “The recipients of these awards will bring much-needed grocery stores, office and retail spaces, and community hubs to neighborhoods across Chicago, expanding our residents' access to nutritious food, health care, education and job opportunities.”
The Community Development Grant program is part of Lightfoot’s Chicago Recovery Plan. This is a $1.2 billion investment strategy to help with post-Covid economic recovery. More than 170 projects across the city have received $150 million in funds from the program since 2022.
Funding comes from the Chicago bond funds and other proceeds from the Department of Planning and Development’s (DPD) Tax Increment Financing Program.
One of the projects receiving funding include the redevelopment of the Washington Park National Bank Building for office and retail space in Woodlawn amounting to $5 million. Another is $250,000 toward outdoor patio space at a chocolate and ice cream shop in Hyde Park. About $4.7 million is going to a new grocery store in Riverdale, $3.8 million is going to a new community health center in Uptown. Other projects will benefit Southside neighborhoods and various parts of Chicago.
“These grants are being strategically allocated through a competitive application process that considered multiple criteria, including community needs, project viability, team diversity, and other factors," DPD Commissioner Maurice Cox said, according to the city. "The selection process and the City's ongoing technical assistance will collectively ensure these investments have a maximum impact at the neighborhood level."