Evanston Reparations Committee Rolls Out Grants To Boost Black-Owned Businesses

March 23, 2026 - 05:17

The City of Evanston has initiated a significant new grant program aimed at supporting Black-owned businesses. This initiative represents a direct economic component of the municipality's pioneering reparations efforts, which were first approved in 2019.

The program is designed to provide direct financial assistance to businesses that have historically faced barriers due to systemic divestment. The grants are intended to help entrepreneurs with critical needs such as commercial property acquisition, physical renovations, and operational business expenses. Funding for these grants is drawn from the city’s Local Reparations Fund, which is sustained through annual revenue from a cannabis sales tax.

Eligibility for the grants is specifically tied to the city’s existing reparations criteria, requiring applicants to be Black residents who lived in Evanston between 1919 and 1969 or their direct descendants. This approach focuses on addressing the historical wealth gap and the legacy of discriminatory housing and lending policies that hindered economic opportunity for generations.

City officials emphasize that empowering local Black-owned businesses strengthens the entire community’s economic vitality and is a tangible step toward restorative justice. The rollout of these business grants marks a continued, actionable phase in Evanston’s commitment to addressing historical inequities through municipal policy.