Rogers Park Business Alliance

What Rogers Park Business Alliance does

Rogers Park Business Alliance (RPBA) is a Chicago-based, member-supported business and community development organization founded in 1993, serving the Rogers Park and West Ridge neighborhoods through economic development programming, small business advisory services, and commercial corridor management. Its core offerings revolve around two integrated platforms: (1) designated service-provider contracts for five Special Service Areas (SSAs #19, #24, #43, #54 in Chicago and #10 in Evanston), through which it delivers district management, marketing, facade improvement rebates, public way maintenance, and community events funded by property-tax levies; and (2) the Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) hosted at RPBA, which provides SBA-funded business advising, training, and resources via cooperative agreements with the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

RPBA's product surface spans 15+ programs including the 8-week GROW/PROGRESANDO bilingual entrepreneurial training curriculum, Business Improvement Program (BIP) and Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF) facade rebates, the Glenwood Sunday Market (entering its 17th season), Jarvis Square Alfresco outdoor dining, Taco Crawl, Arts on Devon, the Mile of Murals public art project, Camino Clark cultural district programming, and the ChamberMaster/GrowthZone-powered business directory and event calendar. Sub-brands are aligned to individual corridors — Vision Clark Street, On Devon, Howard Street Evanston — and the organization maintains five digital channels (website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter) plus an email newsletter via Constant Contact.

The revenue model is a mix of managed-services contracts (SSA service-provider fees funded by local property tax levies), public-sector cooperative agreements (SBA/DCEO), tiered membership dues ranging from $150 (Enthusiast) to $800 (Cornerstone), event sponsorships, and grants from foundations including MacArthur, Coleman, and Source Business Solutions. Customer segments are horizontal: small and medium businesses across the commercial corridors (restaurants, retail, services), residents and visitors seeking local commerce discovery, and startup/emerging entrepreneurs seeking SBDC advisory services. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and the organization operates with 1-10 employees under an independent nonprofit/governed-by-board structure without external ownership or private equity investment.

Name

Rogers Park Business Alliance

Legal name

Rogers Park Business Alliance

Website

https://rpba.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rogers Park Business Alliance is a Chicago-based nonprofit business and community development organization founded in 1993 that manages five Special Service Areas and operates the Illinois SBDC, serving small businesses, residents, and visitors in Rogers Park, West Ridge, and Evanston through corridor management, business advising, training, and community events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. SSA Service Provider Contracts: RPBA serves as the sole service provider for multiple Special Service Areas (SSAs #19, #24, #43, #54, #10), providing district management, marketing, facade improvement programs, and other commercial corridor services. Revenue comes from SSA budgets funded by local property tax levies.
2. Illinois SBDC Operations: Operates the Illinois Small Business Development Center providing business advising, training, and resources. Funded through cooperative agreements with U.S. SBA and Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity.
3. Membership Dues: Annual membership packages with four tiers: Cornerstone ($800), Pioneer ($500), Visionary ($250), and Enthusiast ($150). Provides business directory listing, networking opportunities, and member benefits.
4. Business Programs and Grants: Administers facade improvement rebate programs (BIP up to $5,000, SBIF up to $150,000), GROW entrepreneurial training, and various grant-funded initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

RPBA manages five Special Service Areas providing district-level programs such as facade improvement rebates, marketing, and public way maintenance. It operates the Illinois Small Business Development Center delivering one-on-one business advising, training, and resources to startups and existing businesses. The organization also administers an 8-week entrepreneurial training program (GROW in English and PROGRESANDO in Spanish) and organizes recurring community events including the Glenwood Sunday Market and corridor festivals.

Product overview

Rogers Park Business Alliance is a business support and community development organization that operates as a unified service platform rather than a traditional product company. The core offerings center on the Illinois SBDC providing business advising, training, and resources, combined with entrepreneurial programs like GROW/PROGRESANDO. The organization manages multiple Special Service Areas (SSAs #10, #19, #24, #43, #54) that deliver business improvement programs, facade rebates, marketing, and community events. Supporting programs include Glenwood Sunday Market, Jarvis Square Alfresco, Shop Local Campaigns, and public art initiatives. The membership program offers tiered access to business resources and networking. All services are interconnected through a business directory and event calendar managed via ChamberMaster/GrowthZone membership software.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Vision Clark Street: A master plan and initiative for the Clark Street commercial corridor in Rogers Park.
• Howard Street Evanston
• On Devon
• Camino Clark

Products and services

• Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at RPBA Provides information, confidential business guidance, training, and resources to start-up and existing small businesses, including assistance with business plans, marketing plans, financing programs, and financial analysis.
• GROW/PROGRESANDO Entrepreneurial Training Program An 8-week entrepreneurial training program offered in English and Spanish, teaching business development, business planning, and business establishment through a dynamic interactive curriculum targeted at future entrepreneurs.
• Special Service Areas (SSA) Management Designated service provider for multiple Special Service Areas delivering programs and services including business improvement programs, facade rebates, marketing, public way maintenance, and community events in the Clark/Morse/Glenwood, Devon Avenue, Howard Street, Howard Street/Jarvis Square, and Sheridan Road commercial corridors.
• Glenwood Sunday Market Recurring farmers market providing fresh produce and a venue for local vendors and producers in Rogers Park, operating in its 17th season.
• Business Membership Program Business membership program with tiered annual packages including Cornerstone ($800), Pioneer ($500), Visionary ($250), Enthusiast ($150), and Emerging (free) levels, providing business directory listing, networking opportunities, and member benefits.
• Business Directory Online directory of Rogers Park businesses organized by category including restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues, enabling discovery by residents and visitors.
• Community Events Programming Organizes and sponsors community events including Taco Crawl, Glenwood Sunday Market, Jarvis Square Artisan Market, Jarvis Square Twilight Market, Arts on Devon, First Friday Music Series, and Chalk Howard Street festival to drive foot traffic and support local businesses.

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Loyola University ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJennifer Clark, AVP of Campus and Community Planning at Loyola University, serves as Chair of SSA #54 Commissioners. Partnership supports connection between university community and Rogers Park business district.
• Rogers Park SocialcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWallace Andersen, Staff at Rogers Park Social, serves as Chair of SSA #24 Commissioners. Partnership supports community programming and events in Clark/Morse/Glenwood district.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Uptown United: Chicago north-side SSA managing organization and economic development group running the Uptown SSA and small-business assistance — directly comparable operating model.
• Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce: Local Chicago chamber of commerce managing the Southport Corridor SSA and Lakeview SSA #27, providing the same SSA district management, membership, and event-based community development services as RPBA.
• Evanston Chamber of Commerce: Chamber serving Evanston businesses — directly comparable after RPBA's 2025 expansion to manage Evanston's Howard Street SSA #10.
• Edgewater Chamber of Commerce: Adjacent north-side Chicago chamber providing SSA management, small-business support, and events for nearby Edgewater businesses — closest geographic peer.
• Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce: Chicago neighborhood chamber running SSA programs, membership tiers, and small-business support that closely mirror RPBA's SSA-management and member-services model.
• West Ridge Chamber of Commerce: Chicago north-side chamber whose geography overlaps RPBA's Devon/West Ridge SSA #43 territory, making it the closest peer on both geography and member services.
• Andersonville Chamber of Commerce: Chicago neighborhood chamber operating an SSA, business directory, member tiers, and signature community events — directly comparable in scope and scale to RPBA.
• Albany Park Chamber of Commerce: Chamber serving a diverse Chicago north-side neighborhood with bilingual programming and small-business support — structurally similar to RPBA.

Broad incumbents

• Greater Chicago Business Development Corporation: Citywide Chicago economic development and small-business financing organization operating at a broader geographic scale than RPBA but overlapping in SBA-aligned small-business support services.

Emerging players

• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Chicago: National CDFI funding community development in Chicago neighborhoods including Rogers Park; overlaps with RPBA on small-business grants, facade programs, and equitable economic development.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/RogersParkBA
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@RogersParkBA
• Facebookfacebook.com/RogersParkBA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rogers-park-business-alliance
• Instagraminstagram.com/RogersParkBA

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rogers Park Business Alliance