A partnership with UIC Business seeks to uncover the goals and top-of-mind challenges of Chicagoland’s diverse SMB community
The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce is partnering with University of Illinois Chicago’s College of Business to launch a survey to uncover crucial trends among Chicagoland’s small business community. The Chamber’s annual State of Chicago Small Business Outlook provides a thorough, forward-looking source of information regarding the future of a crucial sector of our economy.
Owners and operators of Chicagoland small businesses…
…are invited to participate in the 2026 State of Chicago Small Business Outlook survey, conducted by the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and University of Illinois Chicago College of Business.
By participating, you will receive a chance to win a pair of Southwest Airlines roundtrip airline vouchers. All participants will receive a copy of the final report, which will include a summary of small business perceptions, experiences, and performance metrics from across the Chicagoland area.
Your responses will help the Chamber and its partners improve support services and prioritize policies to best serve the region’s small business community. The survey will take about 5 minutes to complete. Your confidentiality will be maintained to the degree permitted by the technology used. The survey does not require any information that would identify who the responses belong to. In the event of any publication or presentation resulting from the research, no personal information will be shared.
Please take the survey yourself, and feel free to share with a friend, family member, or connection in the small business community.
“Small businesses play a vital role in creating jobs and anchoring communities in Chicagoland,” said Jack Lavin, President & Chief Executive Officer, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. “The State of Chicago Small Business Outlook is used to better understand the needs and expectations of local small businesses and entrepreneurs, and to help shape Chamber programs and policies to best suit the needs of small businesses in Chicagoland so they can grow and create new jobs.”
Building on its collaboration with UIC Business, the 2026 survey also expands its reach through the addition of several new partners that bring deep expertise and connections across the regional small business ecosystem. Organizations including SCORE Chicago, the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity, West Central Association Chamber of Commerce, and Clean Energy Partnership Support will help ensure the survey reflects the diverse experiences, challenges, and opportunities facing small businesses across industries and neighborhoods throughout Chicagoland.
The survey focuses on Chicago’s small businesses and their goals for success, the challenges they face, and the issues that matter most to them. Information attained will feature demographic data, public policy concerns, hiring plans, growth trends, economic outlooks, and an overview of what types of resources and services small businesses and entrepreneurs currently utilize or would like to see available.
All businesses with less than 500 employees and under $10 million in revenues in the region are encouraged to complete the 2026 State of Chicago Small Business survey.