Who is Cook County Small Business Source?

Cook County Small Business Source (“The Source”) is a subdivision of the Cook County Bureau of Economic Development. The organization won the NACo Achievement Award in 2023 from the National Association of Counties (NACo). Since then, their impact extends to over 18,000 small businesses served and over $67M in grants distributed.

The Source launched in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. They now offer regular events and free business advising to small businesses with less than 20 employees. On their website under “resources,” businesses can find connections to certify their business as woman owned or minority owned, expand to new locations, find legal assistance, stay in good standing with the Illinois Secretary of State, learn about marketing strategies, and more.

77 percent of businesses The Source works with are owned by people of color, 62 percent are owned by women, and 94 percent of businesses the Source has helped have fewer than 10 employees.

You can find recordings of prior events on the Cook County Small Business Source YouTube page. Click here for a list of their referral partners.

DID YOU KNOW … the difference between a chamber of commerce and a convention and visitors bureau?

Watch the webinar below to learn more about how The Cook County Bureau of Economic Development is working with both and how businesses can benefit from working with our local convention and visitor’s bureau.