Mayor Brandon Johnson is sending a fresh wave of cash into Chicago neighborhoods, announcing Wednesday that the city will hand out $42.5 million in grants to 56 projects across town. The money is geared toward turning empty lots and vacant buildings into active community spaces, helping small businesses stay afloat or expand, and nudging shovel-ready neighborhood projects over the finish line. City officials say the grants are designed to jump-start jobs and private investment along commercial corridors that have seen years of underinvestment.
The Chicago Defender reports that the money was awarded through competitive application processes run by the Department of Planning and Development and is expected to pull in additional public and private dollars. Altogether, the slate represents more than $148 million in total community investment and includes about a dozen larger awards ranging from roughly $490,700 to $5 million. Officials tied this round to the city’s Housing and Economic Development bond, tax-increment financing and Neighborhood Opportunity Fund proceeds.
How the grants work
The Community Development Grant (CDG) program offers small, medium and large grants for commercial, cultural and mixed-use projects, typically reimbursing eligible project costs once work is done. According to the program information on Chicago.gov, the CDG uses proceeds from the 2024 Housing and Economic Development bond along with other funding sources, and posts application materials, FAQs and finalist lists online. The city urges would-be grantees to register through Submittable and says it provides technical help so smaller teams are not left behind.
Selected awardees and project types
The winning projects span community centers, job-training facilities, storefront rehabs and conversions to mixed-income housing. As outlined by The Chicago Defender, they include a 22,000-square-foot community center in Little Village that landed about $5 million and a Black Fire Brigade first-responder training academy that received roughly $3.9 million, along with smaller awards for local arts, retail and workforce efforts. DPD notes that many of these projects will be paired with its Workforce Solutions program to prioritize neighborhood hiring.
CBS News Chicago also covered the rollout, highlighting that the grant money is aimed at local businesses as well as empty lots and vacant properties across multiple neighborhoods, and airing video of recipient projects and city leaders at the announcement.
Why this round matters
This latest batch of money is part of a multi-round push by the city to funnel public dollars into neighborhood development. Earlier this year, Johnson announced $33 million for 58 community projects in January using the same Community Development Grant and Neighborhood Opportunity Fund structure. Chicago City Wire reported that the earlier round also leaned on bond proceeds and NOF dollars to spark local investment.
According to DPD, grant agreements and reimbursement paperwork are next up, after which projects can move into construction or final design, depending on how ready each proposal already is. Timelines will vary by awardee. For the full list of winners, detailed application resources and future deadlines, the city directs residents and business owners to the CDG program page on Chicago.gov, where finalists and guidance for upcoming rounds are posted.
