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In This Issue...
- Welcome New Business: Light on Anxiety CBT Treatment Centers
- $175 Million Available in Back to Business (B2B) Grants
- $5,000 Façade Grants Available to Eligible Small Businesses
- Adopt-A-Planter/Sponsor-A-Planter Program
- Outdoor Dining Season is Almost Here!
- SCORE: Creating a Workplace Culture to Attract and Retain Employees
- SCORE Mentoring & Webinars
- City of Highland Park: Business Development Strategic Plan 2022-2024
- Contacting the Office of Business Development
| | Welcome New Business: Light on Anxiety CBT Treatment Centers | | |
Dr. Bethany Walker, PhD, with Light On Anxiety CBT Treatment Centers in Highland Park, has expertise in treating anxiety and related disorders, including OCD, body focused repetitive behaviors, and tic disorders.
1160 Park Avenue W, Unit 6E / 847.241.1195 / Light on Anxiety
| | Business of the Week: Joy Cleaners | | |
Are you ready to clean your winter gear and put it away for the season?
Joy Cleaners can take care of that for you. Established in 1992, Joy Cleaners is a family-owned business located in the Ravinia Business District. The laundry plant is on the premise to provide the best care services for dry cleaning, laundry, and alterations. Joy Cleaners does not use perc (a toxic chemical) for the dry cleaning process. Joy uses the most up-to-date cleaning machine (GreenEarth) and pressing machines in addition to high-quality supplies (e.g. detergents and spotting tools). The experienced staff will provide excellent care of your garments from start to finish.
447 Roger Williams Avenue / 847.432.3400 / Joy Cleaners
| | Outdoor Dining Season is Almost Here! | | Outdoor dining season starts April 1 and ends December 1, except as may be approved in advance and in writing by the City Manager. Outdoor dining sales or services may be conducted after 7:00 AM on any day, and until 10:00 PM on Sundays through Thursdays, or until 11:00 PM on Fridays and Saturdays. 70+ applications have been distributed to local food businesses. | | $175 Million Available in Back to Business (B2B) Grants for Creative Arts, Hotels, & Restaurants | | |
Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced $175 million in available grant funding through the Back to Business (B2B) program for restaurants, hotels, and creative arts businesses. Applications will be accepted from April 5 through May 10 and take approximately two hours to complete. Awards are expected to be made several weeks after the deadline date. All eligible applicants will receive a grant as long as the business meets eligibility requirements and submits proper documentation and attestations. Program information available here. Upcoming webinars are listed below.
Statewide DCEO English-Language Webinars:
Spanish-Language Webinar:
Subvenciones Back to Business (B2B por sus siglas en inglés) para restaurantes, hoteles, y empresas de artes creativas
For more information and questions, please contact:
Mitch Bienvenue, Director, Illinois Small Business Development & International Trade Center College of Lake County
847.543.2750 / mbienvenue@clcillinois.edu
Agnes Masnik, Northeast Regional Manager, Office of Regional Economic Development Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity
University Center of Lake County
312.882.6840 / Agnes.Masnik@illinois.gov / www.illinois.gov/dceo
| | Facade Grants Available to Eligible Small Businesses | | |
The City of Highland Park’s Small Business Facade Improvement Program (SBFIP) provides assistance and incentive to property owners and local businesses to improve the appearance and functionality of their property and place of business. The SBFIP is available for small business operators and commercial property owners citywide. Eligible owners of commercial/retail buildings and small business owners operating within a commercial/retail building may apply for a City grant that may reimburse up to 50% of the approved eligible improvement(s) to a maximum of $5,000 per project. A small business is defined as having a net worth of less than two million dollars, and as showing less than an average of two hundred thousand dollars in profit per year for two years after taxes. The following are a few examples of eligible expenses:
- Installing new awnings/signage
- Replacing, repainting, or restoring exterior doors
- Repairing or upgrading exterior lighting
- Painting building exterior
| | Adopt-A-Planter / Sponsor-A-Planter Program | | |
The City of Highland Park has developed an Adopt-A-Planter Program for business and property owners in the Central Business District to beautify the City’s planters in a continuing effort to enhance the downtown. The City is seeking business and property owners to “adopt” a municipal planter as part of this program during the summer and fall seasons each year.
Adopters are encouraged to display a small placard with their business name and landscaper. If you would like to become an Adopter, please contact the Public Works Department Forestry Section at 847.432.0807 to discuss the program.
The Sponsor-A-Planter Program offers residents and businesses the opportunity to sponsor an available municipal planter during the summer and fall seasons. An annual fee covers planting, maintenance, and a 5” x 7” commemorative placard in the planter. The placard may recognize the sponsor or commemorate an individual or family. Planters are located in the Central Business District and the Ravinia District and are maintained from May to November.
More information is available at cityhpil.com. Please contact the Office of Business Development at 847.926.1046 with questions.
| | SCORE Creating a Workplace Culture to Attract and Retain Employees | | |
Avoid common mistakes that create the wrong culture and lead to costly legal trouble and poorly engaged employees who leave. Join SCORE for a free webinar on the topic.
Creating an Inclusive Culture for Employee Retention
Tuesday, March 28 from 6:30 - 7:30 PM.
Key takeaways include:
- Learn the key culture influencers that require your attention
- Understand how to follow employment discrimination/harassment laws
- How to provide reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities
- Determine the requirements for sexual harassment training and policies
BONUS: Checklists to help you build the Ideal culture and engagement
| | | SCORE Mentoring at the Highland Park Public Library & Free Webinars | | |
SCORE offers in-person or virtual sessions using phone, email, or video
All sessions are free and confidential. SCORE mentors are successful business professionals, some retired, some working, from all industries and experiences.
Visit northchicago.score.org and register to “Find a
Mentor”. You will be asked to provide the nature of your business interest.
Please include whether you prefer in-person or virtual mentoring (phone,
email, video) and note the Highland Park Public Library even
if you prefer a virtual session.
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| The Business Development Strategic Plan 2022-2024 | | Did you know the City of Highland Park has a Business Development Strategic Plan? The Plan sets forth an ambitious, yet achievable, strategic business development agenda for the City through 2024 and is carried out by City Staff with regular reports and guidance from the City Council and the Business and Economic Development Advisory Group. The purpose of the Plan is to articulate a set of measurable strategies and actions to support the local economy in the areas of business retention and attraction, marketing and public education, local and regional partnerships, policy considerations, administrative and regulatory processes, development, redevelopment and repositioning strategies, and infrastructure improvements. Visit the City's website for more information. | | Contacting the Office of Business Development | | This newsletter is produced by the City of Highland Park's Office of Business Development. If you have information you would like to include in this weekly mailing, please submit information, photos, and news to businessdevelopment@cityhpil.com. The City reserves the right to edit and/or filter submissions. | | | | |
