Center for Changing Lives is an Economic Empowerment Center (EEC)

Our EEC is supported by the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO) through the Office of Economic Equity & Empowerment (OE3). Our entrepreneurship training offers a comprehensive, holistic approach designed to enhance your skills.

Whether you're starting a new business or looking to streamline and grow your existing operations, we'll guide you through every step to help you achieve your goals more efficiently.

EEC programs are open to our community with a focus on individuals from communities, including BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), women, disabled individuals, youth, dislocated workers, and veterans. We offer flexible learning options, with both in-person and virtual opportunities to accommodate your needs. CCL’s EEC is bilingual and all services and coaching is available in English and Spanish.

Our Economic Empowerment Center (EEC) partners with subject matter experts from government agencies, major corporations, nonprofits, and small businesses to offer free, high-quality training. Participants will gain valuable knowledge in areas such as business planning, financial management, legal issues, and more. To further support your success, our EEC hosts events and provides weekly one-on-one coaching. Each graduate will pitch and showcase their newly acquired skills at a pop-up market event and will receive a Certificate of Completion to recognize their achievement!

Our Economic Empowerment Center supports business owners through 1-1 coaching and 2 unique cohort programs, which are available and accessible to both aspiring and established business owners. Our Digital Skills for Small Businesses cohort program provides education on free and affordable online digital resources to improve customer experience and reduce business costs while our Funding Fundamentals cohort familiarizes entrepreneurs with the US financial framework & access to capital preparedness. Graduates from our Digital Skills for Small Businesses cohort will have the opportunity to participate in a pop up market experience where they can showcase and sell their products/services and our Funding Fundamentals graduates will become eligible to apply for a line of credit opportunity.