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Women’s Business Month 2025

Please join the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO) as we celebrate and promote Illinois women-owned businesses during National Women’s Business Month. Throughout October, DCEO is elevating resources and opportunities to bolster women-owned businesses throughout the state. Leverage business resources, and learn more about how to get involved and support women-owned businesses throughout Illinois below!

Data

Learn how Illinois is supporting Illinois women-owned businesses and how we’re one of the top innovated U.S. states. Click here for the fact sheet to learn more! 

Events

Overview of Financial Capital Resources for Small Businesses
Wednesday, October 1, 2025 | 10:00 – 11:00 AM | Virtual
tailored for early-stage and growing businesses

Is access to financial capital important for your small business? During the monthly Online with OE3 series, Team OE3 provides the latest financial capital resources (grants, loans, etc.) across multiple sectors, along with other opportunities and updates for business owners. 

Coffee and Conversations- From Burnout to Breakthrough: Thriving During Uncertainty
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 | 8:30 -11:30 am | in Chicago at the Chicago Urban League - 4510 South Michigan Avenue

Tailored for Black women business owners and future entrepreneurs, with attendees from all backgrounds welcome to join us! 

Celebrate National Women's Business Month by joining us at this free community event focused on advancing Black women-owned businesses and future entrepreneurs. Join us for coffee and learn from inspirational business owners and cross-sector leaders.

Presenting organizations include: DCEO, Chicago Urban League, Cook County Bureau of Economic Development, Strategic Exceptions, Women Employed, and the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago

Women, Agriculture & Business Development in Illinois
Thursday, October 23, 2025 | 9:00 am - Noon | in-person in Noble at the IL SBDC at IECC 
320 E. North Avenue, Noble, IL
Tailored for economic development professionals, city, village and elected officials, women-owned businesses of all stages, future women business owners, & aspiring female entrepreneurs, with attendees from different geographical regions and of all genders welcome to join and learn!

In recognition of National Women’s Business Month, this workshop highlights the vital role of women in agriculture and rural enterprise. Participants will gain insight into programs, technical assistance through business advising, and funding opportunities that support business growth, resilience, and innovation across Illinois. Designed for women entrepreneurs, farmers, business leaders, and economic development professionals, this session will provide practical tools and resources to strengthen operations, access funding, and build sustainable futures in agriculture and beyond.  

Presenting organizations include: DCEO, Illinois SBDC at IECC, Illinois Farm Bureau, APEX Accelerator, University of Illinois Extension Center, IL Department of Agriculture and Purdue Institute for Family Business.

Connecting HER to Illinois Business Resources-Chicago Southland
Tuesday, October 28, 2025 | 11:30 am – 1:00 pm | in-person at the Flossmoor Village Hall- 2800 Flossmoor Road
The lunch & learn overview is tailored for early-stage and growing women-owned businesses along with cross-sector stakeholders who support entrepreneurs. Attendees from all genders, business stage levels, etc. are welcome to join us!

Celebrate National Women's Business Month by joining us at this free lunch and learn presentation focused on inspiring, connecting, and advancing Illinois women-owned businesses and future women business owners. Increase your knowledge with new business resources and opportunities offered across Illinois' entrepreneurial ecosystem, ignite ideas, and build community with us! 

Additional Events Throughout Illinois’ Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

To view additional upcoming events for women-owned businesses happening throughout Illinois during the month of October and year-round. 

Mentoring Program Invite

Milestone Circles
We invite Illinois entrepreneurs to apply and join Milestone Circles during National Women’s Business Month in October! Milestone Circles is a free, virtual mentoring program, which is powered by the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center with the support of the Wells Fargo Foundation, in collaboration with the Illinois Women’s Business Collective which is powered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) – Office of Economic Equity & Empowerment (OE3). We encourage Illinois businesses owners to select a virtual onboarding session the week of October 14th. You’re also welcome to choose a different October onboarding session or a session anytime during the year if you can’t start the week of October 14th; however, if you’re unable to make those sessions, you won’t be guaranteed to be in an onboarding session with other Illinois entrepreneurs.

Resources

Connecting HER to Illinois Business Resources Guide

As the most in-depth, cross-sector business resources tool in the state, this tool provides a wealth of knowledge for Illinois women-owned businesses, future women business owners, aspiring female entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs from all communities; many of the resources are applicable to all genders, too. Offerings in the statewide tool include business resources presented by entrepreneurial support organizations (ESOs) and aligned multisector organizations. Resources include financial capital (grants, loans, tools, etc.), social capital (mentoring programs & networking opportunities), contractor & vendor opportunities, and much more!

 

Growing HER Business Beyond the $1Million Milestone

As generating revenue of over $1 Million is reached by about 1.9% of businesses started by women in the U.S., Illinois ranks #5 in the U.S. with the number of female-owned businesses with achieving $1 Million and over. Below are a few Illinois organizations to help increase women-owned businesses’ social capital.

  • The Chicago Network | link
  • The Economic Club of Chicago | link
  • EO Chicago |  link

Celebrate Illinois Women-Owned Businesses

Throughout the month of October, we encourage Illinoisans to support and utilize women-owned businesses in their local communities and during their travels in the state. Below are a few business directories and articles which list Illinois women-owned businesses. Check with your local chambers of commerce organizations, economic development corporations (EDCs), non-profits, etc. for business directories as well!

Social Media Toolkit

In the link below, you will find tips, sample social media posts, graphics, and ideas on how to celebrate and promote National Women’s Business Month! 

Click here for toolkit.

The state’s Women’s Business Month resources for Illinois women-owned businesses, future women business owners, aspiring female entrepreneurs, and business owners from all backgrounds, are presented by DCEO’s Office of Economic Equity & Empowerment (OE3) and Office of Regional Economic Development (RED). OE3 plays an important role in connecting Illinois women entrepreneurs and business owners from all backgrounds and communities to regional, statewide and national business resources and opportunities offered across the sectors. Team RED provides incentives to bolster enterprises, and the team also offers confidential services to companies seeking to expand or relocate within Illinois. For more information on Illinois’ Women’s Business Month 2025 events planned for businesses and/or to learn more about ongoing resources and programs for women-owned businesses and future women entrepreneurs, please follow DCEO on social media @IllinoisDCEO. You can also contact any team member from Team OE3 and/or Team RED as well as to the 2025 DCEO Women’s Business Month Committee: