Chicago, IL · Est. 2020
Building economic mobility through people, businesses, and neighborhoods.
DishRoulette Kitchen is a Chicago nonprofit advancing small business development, workforce development, and neighborhood investment. We help entrepreneurs build stronger businesses while creating paid pathways for young people to gain skills, experience, and professional networks.
Opportunity Map
What does your business qualify for?
Enter your business address to instantly see the grants, loans, permits, licenses, free advising, and city programs available at your location. We organize every public resource so you know exactly what you're eligible for.
- 1 Enter your business address or neighborhood.
- 2 View funding, licensing, technical assistance, and local business resources available at that location.
- 3 Book a free 1:1 and we'll help you navigate the process.
Our Mission
Expanding access to the tools, experience, and opportunities that move people forward.
DishRoulette Kitchen advances economic mobility by helping Chicago entrepreneurs build stronger businesses and creating paid career pathways for young people.
We combine hands-on technical assistance, access to capital, workforce development, and neighborhood-based partnerships to address the barriers that can keep people and businesses from participating fully in the local economy.
Our goal is not simply to help a business open or a participant complete a program. We build the skills, systems, relationships, and access that support long-term economic mobility.
Founded in May 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
We launched the DRK $1K Grant campaign as a response to the hardships faced by small businesses due to closures and the barriers to accessing relief funds.
During the pandemic, monetary relief was vital, with 63% of our applicants fearing closure within a year. These grants supported women- and minority-owned businesses often excluded from federal and state aid like PPP and EIDL due to the complexity of the application process. This underscored the critical role DRK plays in bridging these gaps.
Analyzing grant applications revealed entrepreneurs needed more than capital — they required technical support to navigate shifting conditions. In response, we launched the DRK Growth Program, a data-driven incubator to help businesses survive and thrive. Initially for grantees, the program now supports all entrepreneurs, prioritizing women and BIPOC from underserved communities.
Our Curriculum
Our programs lead with business modeling — bootstrapping and unit economics.
With our proprietary curriculum as the foundation, our programs lead with business modeling specifically focusing on two core financial concepts: bootstrapping and unit economics.
Recognizing the root causes of socioeconomic challenges, we prioritize concepts like bootstrapping and unit economics to foster innovative business solutions.
How We Work
Small Business Development
Hands-on technical assistance across finance, operations, licensing, compliance, and marketing.
Explore Programs →
Career Lab
Career development that also strengthens local businesses. Paid work-based learning that connects Chicago young adults with real projects, professional coaching, mentors, and career pathways.
Explore Career Lab →
Capital Readiness
Financial education and technical assistance that help entrepreneurs prepare for grants, loans, and other capital opportunities.
Get Business Support →
Storefront & Neighborhood Development
Support that helps entrepreneurs navigate property, public funding, permitting, buildout, and the transition into physical storefronts.
DRK is the designated Corridor Lead for the City of Chicago's CCSA program on W 18th Street in Pilsen. We provide free application support, budget scoping, and submission guidance for grants covering up to 75% of buildout costs.
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Community Partnerships
Partnerships with public agencies, funders, community organizations, and other institutions that expand access to resources and strengthen neighborhood business ecosystems.
See Our Impact →Integrated Model + Outcomes
DRK's programs function as a coordinated system of funding and education.
Businesses often begin with direct financial support, engage in technical assistance to strengthen operations, and ultimately transition into physical storefronts. This progression pairs capital with operational readiness, leading to stronger business outcomes.
Across all programs, DRK contributes to measurable outcomes including business stabilization, revenue growth, job creation, and the activation of commercial corridors throughout Chicago.
"I think of them as an organization that is trying to use their resources to empower BIPOC-led businesses but also engage in social change in the neighborhoods these businesses are situated. What is unique is in addition to providing funding, their theory of change — the hidden curriculum of entrepreneurship that allows people to navigate — which usually is restricted to more resourced and well-connected groups."Assistant Professor, John Glenn College of Public Affairs, The Ohio State University
Our Community
Find a DRK business to support near you.
DRK entrepreneurs are operating all over Chicago. Explore the map to discover businesses in your neighborhood — and support them the next time you shop, eat, or hire.
Support the Work
This work is funded by people who believe in it.
DishRoulette Kitchen is a 501(c)(3). Every donation supports free programming, direct grants, and community rapid-response work.
OUR SUPPORTERS & PARTNERS
