The Economic Development Center (EDC) at Chinese Mutual Aid Association (CMAA) is dedicated to empowering underserved communities of small businesses and entrepreneurs nationwide, with emphasis in the Chicagoland area. By fostering economic growth and providing comprehensive support to close the racial and ethnic wealth gap, our EDC at CMAA helps businesses thrive and expand, driving sustainable development and creating new opportunities in our community.

The EDC at CMAA has five programs, where all offer no-cost business services:

• The Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is part of a nationwide network that fosters entrepreneurship and small business growth by providing 1:1 business advising.
• The Illinois APEX Accelerator is part of a statewide network that connects small businesses to the government marketplace through assistance with government certification and contracts.
• The Neighborhood Business Development Center (NBDC) Program features 70+ BACP delegate agencies providing free, hyper-local business support to entrepreneurs and business owners in the city of Chicago.
• The Cook County Small Business Source brings together top Business Support Organizations (BSOs) to provide direct assistance to the small business community via advising, events, and resources.
• The National ACE Capital Readiness Program, powered by the Minority Business Development Agency, helps socially-economically disadvantaged individuals access capital to grow their businesses through 1:1 mentoring and educational resources.