This toolkit contains suggested language and visual assets for the Neighborhood Business Development Centers (NBDCs) Program. Feel free to use your own style and tone, but the language and content below are preferred and should be helpful to you. 

BACKGROUND 

The Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) ensures a fair and vibrant marketplace for businesses, workers and consumers in the City of Chicago. BACP licenses businesses and public vehicles, regulates business activity, protects consumers from fraud, enforces Chicago’s labor laws, partners with business service organizations and provides education and resources for businesses.

BACP’s Neighborhood Business Development Centers (NBDCs) play a critical role in fostering equitable small-business environments, in the communities they serve across the City of Chicago. The NBDC Program consists of 65 local business service organizations that provide no-cost hyper-local business development assistance to entrepreneurs and business owners throughout the city. On behalf of the City, NBDCs provide general business licensing and public way use permitting guidance as well as specialized support services based on their program type (i.e., Place-Based Business Specialist, and City-Wide Capital Specialist), which includes confidential 1-on-1 business advising, technical assistance, professional development workshops, access to capital, B2B networking, employment and workforce development assistance and more.

SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES

The BACP Social Media manager will share/RT/etc. any post concerning this program that tags BACP on the below platforms:

SAMPLE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

  1. [NBDC name is/We are] proud to partner with the City of Chicago as an official Neighborhood Business Development Center. We help new small businesses get started, troubleshoot City-related issues, connect businesses to financial resources & more! Learn more: Chicago.gov/NBDC

  2. As an official Neighborhood Business Development Center with the City of Chicago, [NBDC name/we] help start-up entrepreneurs, and existing business owners, with:

  • Information about a particular neighborhood

  • Getting a new small business started

  • Troubleshooting City-related issues for small businesses

  • Connecting businesses to financial resources

  • Business-to-business networking opportunities

  • Employment and workforce development assistance

  • Consumer marketing assistance

  • Connecting your business to the local community

Stop by our office or visit our website to get connected with us. And learn more about Chicago’s NBDC program here: Chicago.gov/NBDC

VISUALS & LOGOS

View collateral in shared Dropbox Folder, including flyers, logo, social media graphics and more: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/51wv0v0y8wtmayvdtlhfi/AGA-l3FllygakYvO04GFGuU?rlkey=75icho3jub0fycn6ix2im5ton&st=pt1jnq8m&dl=0 

*Please note there is no official NBDC logo. If your website or any other collateral is using an old one, please remove and discontinue using. When necessary, use the BACP logo.

TALKING POINTS

NBDCs have a strong neighborhood network and coordinate efforts with local aldermen, the City, and other community partners. Our NBDCs have specialized program types dedicated to assisting start-up entrepreneurs and current business owners during every phase of their journey. 

They can help start-up entrepreneurs, and existing business owners, with:

  • Information about a particular neighborhood

  • Getting a new small business started

  • Troubleshooting City-related issues for small businesses

  • Connecting businesses to financial resources

  • Business-to-business networking opportunities

  • Employment and workforce development assistance

  • Consumer marketing assistance

  • Connecting your business to the local community

https://www.chicago.gov/bacp