How to Apply
A Step-by-Step Guide
Step One: Determine if you are eligible.
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To be considered for a JFLC loan, prospective applicants must meet the following criteria:
Live in the Chicagoland area, as generally defined by any of the following counties: Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, or Will County
Meet the income limits based on your household size as stated in the chart below
Have at least one guarantor who is not the spouse of the applicant
A guarantor is someone who guarantees the loan in the event the borrower cannot or will not pay
Proposed guarantors must meet the following criteria:
Have an annual income of at least $30,000
Provide proof of good credit history
Please inform your proposed guarantor that they will receive an email from JFLC with further instruction.
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Your household income must be at or below the amount determined by your household size, as determined by the chart shown to the right. These amounts are in accordance with 115% of the median-income for households in the Chicago area, based on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
| Number of people in household (including applicant) | Upper Income Limit | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $60,030 | |
| 2 | $68,597 | |
| 3 | $77,165 | |
| 4 | $85,732 | |
| 5 | $92,632 | |
| 6 | $99,475 | |
| 7 | $106,317 | |
| 8 | $113,217 |
Step Two: Complete an application.
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JFLC loans range from $750 - $6,000. Repayments range from 10 - 24 months. Our loans are always zero-interest. Apply for the amount that meets your needs.
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General needs: housing, transportation, technology, and debt consolidation
Employment: job search, job training, initial costs (transportation/relocation)
Healthcare: medical, mental, dental
Women & children: childcare, education, fertility, adoption
Legal fees: immigration, discrimination
Education: tuition, supplies
Please note: At this time, we are not currently accepting small business loan requests.
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Once you begin completing the application on the following pages you will not be able to save your work and continue completing it at a later date. Therefore, please make sure you have the following information handy (for you and for your spouse, if you are married):
Annual pre-tax income
Start date at current job (month and year)
Social Security Number (or ITIN if you have one)
JFLC also requests the following as part of your application to be emailed to info@jflchicago.org with the applicant’s name in the subject line. If you do not email the following now, we are unable to process your loan application.
Photo ID (a scan of photo taken on your phone is fine, as long as it's readable)
A voided check or bank document that includes your bank name, checking account number, and ACH routing number
Please email us at info@jflchicago.org or call us at 312-344-3468 with questions or if you have any technical problems while completing or submitting this application.
Step Three: Schedule an interview.
After you submit your application, you will receive an email from JFLC informing you of the next steps in the application process, including scheduling a 45 minute online loan interview with JFLC representatives with you and your guarantor. You must respond to that email in order for us to process your loan application.
Step Four: Wait for a decision.
Please note that we are currently experiencing high application volume. Applications are considered on a rolling basis and are processed as quickly as possible.
We will issue a decision within 2-3 business days of your loan interview.
