Allies for Community Business (A4CB) Term & Revenue-Based Loans (Adjacent Capital — NOT a grant incentive)
Allies for Community Business (A4CB, formerly Chicago Microlending Institute) is a West Side-based nonprofit CDFI offering term loans ($500–$500,000) and revenue-based financing ($50,000–$500,000). Capitalized by the Cook County $2.4M CDFI Capacity Building Grant (2025). A4CB also serves as the program administrator for the CCSA commercial corridor grant.
Check an Address — Free Snapshot
See whether a specific Chicago address sits inside the area that unlocks Allies for Community Business (A4CB) Term & Revenue-Based Loans (Adjacent Capital — NOT a grant incentive), alongside every other incentive that touches that parcel.
Small businesses in Chicago and Cook County. Explicit priority for businesses on commercial corridors and in underserved communities. For-profit businesses and nonprofits with earned revenue.
Allies for Community Business (A4CB) Term & Revenue-Based Loans (Adjacent Capital — NOT a grant incentive) is administered at the nonprofit / cdfi level. Depending on the program, eligibility may depend on the specific location, property type, or business activity rather than a single drawn boundary.
Boundaries are precise and change over time, so exact eligibility always depends on the specific address. The fastest way to know is to run a free snapshot for the parcel you have in mind.
Typical range · Term loans $500–$500K (10–12% + 3% closing); revenue-based $50K–$500K (3% fee, 1.5x max repayment)
- +Term loans: $500–$500,000 at 10–12% interest + 3% closing fee
- +Revenue-based financing: $50,000–$500,000 with 3% commitment fee, max 1.5x repayment cap
- +No collateral required for loans under $25,000
- +Business technical assistance and coaching alongside lending
- +Stacks with CCSA grants for corridor businesses (A4CB is CCSA administrator)
- 1Visit a4cb.org/services/loans/ to review products and start an application
- 2Contact A4CB at (312) 275-3000
- 3Prepare business financials, loan purpose, and revenue documentation
Call A4CB at (312) 275-3000 or visit a4cb.org/services/loans/
- Business financial statements or bank statements
- Tax returns (business and personal)
- Business plan and use-of-funds
- Proof of business registration
This page is a starting point, not eligibility, legal, or tax advice. Verify current requirements, deadlines, and boundaries with the administering agency before applying or spending money — program rules and funding change over time.
- Phone
- (312) 275-3000
- info@a4cb.org
- Web
- Visit site ↗
Last verified 2026-07-02
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