Funding Opportunities
View funding opportunities currently available to creatives in Illinois. Our list regularly includes opportunities from local, state, and national funders and agencies.
Is a loan right for your creative business or nonprofit? Check out a recording of our April webinar with lenders and creatives talking you through the process of thinking through and applying for a loan.
Deadline: Ongoing
The City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development (DPD)’s Neighborhood Opportunity Fund (NOF) provides capital development 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.
Deadlines occur quarterly.
Did you know that Cook County has a program, the Small Business Source, that provides small businesses throughout Cook County with free business advising services and access to capital? Arts Alliance Illinois is a Small Business Source Referral Partner, connecting creative small businesses to this valuable resource. We’ll be holding monthly webinars featuring creative businesses, referral partners, and financial lenders, sharing information on what resources are available and how you can access them. Our first webinar is scheduled for July 28th – look for more details and registration info to come!
Illinois Made celebrates those makers, creators, and artisans who help craft Illinois by hand, inspiring visitors and fellow Illinoisans to discover more about the state by experiencing firsthand the passion that makes it thrive. Nominations to be included in the online directory are now open!
Deadline coming soon.
Learn more and apply.
The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) is launching the Next Stage Chicago grant program designed to strengthen Chicago’s producing theater ecosystem. This new special initiative will provide funds to support organizational development and capacity building for emerging producing theater organizations seeking to scale their operations and impact. Through a competitive application process, selected participants will receive grants up to $50,000.
Deadline: July 8, 2026, at 12pm (noon)
Learn more and apply.
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If you’re a funder interested in helping the Alliance provide funding navigation services to the creative sector, we’d love to talk! Reach out to our Development Manager, Karen Loda, at loda@artsalliance.org.
