In late 2024, our Business and Entrepreneurial Support and Training (BEST) team met to talk about what our business clients would need in 2025. We knew we’d be offering GROW and PROGRESANDO cohorts. We knew the RPBA and SBDC staff would be offering no-cost high quality technical assistance all year. And we knew that grants to businesses were going to be a thing of the past real soon. And that business loans were going to be hard to qualify for.

SO…….

We decided to make 2025 the year of capital access for our business clients. We decided to call the initiative “Need Money For Your Business?/¿Necesitas Dinero Para Tu Negocio?” We’d get banks, other lenders (like Community Development Financial Institutions) to come to Rogers Park and talk about what it takes to get a loan, how to get ready to apply and the language and words that are used in this part of a business’ life. And to make connections between lenders and our business clients. The goal is to offer monthly in-person sessions in English and Spanish for any business interested in participating.

Fast forward to 1/29/25……The first installment of Need Money For Your Business?/¿Necesitas Dinero Para Tu Negocio? took place today! Hooray!

Huntington Bank sent a team of 7 staff members to our GROW/PROGRESANDO training center at 7056 N. Clark Street to talk about getting ready for a bank loan and their Lift Local program.  They presented in Spanish at 10 a.m. and in English at 11 a.m. We were thrilled to host them and even more thrilled that 23 business owners attended the sessions!

What a great way to kick off 2025. Keep your eyes peeled for the next installment of “Need Money For Your Business?/¿Necesitas Dinero Para Tu Negocio?”

Questions? Contact Sheree Moratto at smoratto@rpba.org.