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ELEVATE TOGETHER™ powered by Round It Up America® is a nonprofit initiative designed to address systemic discrimination and historical racial disparities in business growth and profitability in Hispanic and Black communities.

Through a partnership with the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the initiative helps support Hispanic small businesses with five or less employees.

The ODP Corporation (parent company to Office Depot and CompuCom) is the initiative’s founding partner.

Small Business Grant Application deadline is Friday, May 14, 2021 at 10:59 pm.

Grant Criteria:

  • Applicants must be a small business with less than 5 full-time employees.
  • Applicants must be a majority Hispanic owned business with an active EIN number.
  • The business must have been in operation for at least 9 months from the date that you complete this form.
  • Business at the this must be in the Greater Chicago area.
  • Typical grant amount will be $5,000 per business.

CLICK HERE to apply

Timeline

  • Applications will be reviewed between May 15th until the end of the month.
  • Interviews will be conducted by the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (IHCC) Elevate Committee between June 1st through June 15th.
  • Awardees of the grants will be notified by June 15th and received monies no later than June 30, 2021.
  • If you have information, please contact our IHCC staff at (312) 425-9500 or Silvia Bonilla, Director of IL SBDC at Sbonilla@ihccbusiness.net

How Elevate TogetherTM provides Support

Education

  • Technical assistance (workshops, training, bootcamps, one-on-one counseling) provided by National Urban League and US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce affiliates in local markets
  • Certified small business mentor from The Venture Mentoring Team
  • Elevate Together University — small business workshops (accounting, finance, marketing, supplier development, IT, legal) presented by Elevate Together corporate partners

Access

  • Provide access to professional networks and platforms
  • Help to increase the pipeline of diverse suppliers
  • Increase amount of capital available to minority small business owners through non-traditional lending sources
  • Aid

Cash grants to minority small business owners

  • Donation of in-kind products and services (copy and print services; tech products and services; office/home office furniture furnishings; business services; office supplies)

Frequently Asked Questions 

How does a business participate in the Elevate Together initiative?
Hispanic small business owners interested in participating in the initiative must contact the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce during standard business hours Monday – Friday 9 am – 5 pm CT.

Why should a business participate in the Elevate Together initiative? Hispanic small business owners that are part of the Elevate Together initiative will receive short and/or long term-term education and training, mentoring and advisory services delivered by local community partners. Some businesses may also be eligible to receive a cash grant or in-kind products and services from the initiative.

In how many locations will the Elevate Together initiative be launched Elevate Together will launch in Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and South Florida. The initiative will eventually be expanded to additional geographic locations in the United States.

For more information visit ElevateTogether.org

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