FAQs Category: Eligibility

The calculation of full-time equivalent (FTE) is an employee’s scheduled hours divided by the employer’s hours for a full-time workweek.

FTE calculations exclude 1099 contractors. Only employees on payroll (receiving W-2’s) should be considered in the calculation.

• For-profit businesses
• Businesses located in Cook County, IL 
• Businesses with less than 20 full time employees
• Businesses that experienced a decrease in revenue or gross receipts, increased costs, or greater financial insecurity due to COVID-19
• Business owners of all demographics are eligible to apply
• Businesses that meet the above criteria and have previously applied or received other types of grants are eligible to apply
• Businesses that were in operation prior to 2020
• Businesses must have earned more than $20,000 in gross revenue in 2019 to apply.

Businesses eligible for this program are those with fewer than 20 full time employees

Businesses in the following industries (defined in detail below): 

• Accommodation, Hospitality, & Food
• Childcare & Social Assistance
• Arts & Entertainment
• Retail Trade
• Transportation & Warehousing

Businesses that operate in the following NAICS codes:

• 7211: Traveler Accommodation
• 7212: RV (recreational vehicle) parks and recreational camps
• 7213: Rooming and boarding houses
• 7223: Special food services
• 7224: Drinking places (alcoholic beverages)
• 7225: Restaurants and other eating places
• 3231: Printing and related support activities
• 4531: Florists
• 4831: Deep sea, coastal, and great lakes water transportation
• 4853: Taxi and limousine service
• 4855: Charter bus industry
• 4859: Other transit and ground passenger transportation
• 4871: Scenic and sightseeing transportation, land
• 4872: Scenic and sightseeing transportation, water
• 4879: Scenic and sightseeing transportation, other
• 5615: Travel arrangement and reservation services
• 5619: Other convention support services

Businesses that operate in the following NAICS codes:

• 6241: Individual and Family Services
• 6242: Community food and housing, and emergency and other relief services
• 6243: Vocational rehabilitation services
• 6244: Child Day Care Services

Businesses that operate in the following NAICS codes:

• 7111: Performing Arts Companies
• 7112: Spectator Sports
• 7113: Promoters of performing arts, sports, and similar events
• 7114: Agents and managers for artists, athletes, entertainers, and other public figures
• 7115: Independent artists, writers, and performers
• 7121: Museums, historical sites, and similar institutions
• 7131: Amusement parks and arcades
• 7139: Other amusement parks and arcades
• 2381: Foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors (framing contractors)
• 5121: Motion picture and video industries
• 5122: Sound recording industries (sound technicians)
• 5414: Specialized design services (costume design services)
• 5419: Other professional, scientific, and technical services (photography studios)

Businesses that operate in the following NAICS codes:

• 441: Motor Vehicles & parts dealers
• 442: Furniture & home furnishings stores
• 443: Electronic markets and agents and broker
• 444: Building materials & garden supply stores
• 445: Food & Beverage stores
• 446: Health & personal care stores
• 447: Gasoline stations
• 448: Clothing & clothing accessories stores
• 451: Sporting goods, hobby, book & music stores
• 452: General Merchandise stores
• 453: Miscellaneous store retailers
• 454: Nonstore retailers
• 8121: Personal care services
• 8129: Other personal services

Businesses that operate in the following NAICS codes:

• 481: Air transportation
• 483: Water transportation
• 484: Track transportation
• 485: Transit & ground passenger transportation
• 486: Pipeline transportation
• 487: Scenic & Sightseeing transportation
• 488: Support activities for transportation
• 492: Couriers & messenger
• 493: Warehousing and storage

Businesses that experienced a decreased revenue or gross receipts, greater financial insecurity, and/or increased costs.