Paving the Path to Homeownership for Housing Choice Voucher Holders
Since the mid-20th century, homeownership has been one of the most important vehicles for building wealth in the United States. According to research from the…
Grants
Featured
Our Grantmaking Strategy
For more than 100 years, The Chicago Community Trust has convened, supported, funded, and accelerated the work of community members and changemakers committed to strengthening the Chicago region. From building up our civic infrastructure to spearheading our response to the Great Recession, the Trust has brought our community together to face pressing challenges and seize our greatest opportunities. Today, that means confronting the racial and ethnic wealth gap.
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Grant Recipient
Girls Like Me Project
GLMPI is applying for general operating funds that would support leadership development, resource development, hiring, strategic partnerships, data collection and evaluation.
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Grant Recipient
Urban Male Network
Urban Male Network (UMN) understands that we cannot solve the entire city of Chicago's problem plaguing our young African American men. However, we believe that we are a piece of the puzzle in tackling the issues that effects our youth in the city. We are seeking funding to support the general operation of the organization to provide wrap-up services for our young men. Through community service, personal and professional development, and mentorship programs we focus on eliminating barriers to success for young Black men and provide positive male role models who have achieved personal, professional, and academic success. During the school year, UMN offer three mentoring models: informal mentoring (i.e., natural relationships formed through social outings, networking events, and service opportunities), formal mentoring (i.e., the formal mentoring relationship between the youth and the mentor is fostered through a structured program), and group/peer mentoring (i.e., group/peer mentoring takes place in a group setting where individuals share their experiences, challenges, and opportunities for the purpose of solving problems) (Blount, 2011; Harper, 2006; White 2013). UMN serve over 130 boys of color weekly on the south and westside of Chicago at our various site locations. The settings where our mentoring takes place are school-base and community-base. UMN mentors facilitate weekly mentoring groups at 5 high schools, 1 elementary school, and 1 community housing association. Once a month, we host a Saturday mentoring session and group activity for mentees at a community center on the southside of Chicago in the Englewood community. Over the summer, UMN provides a 9-week summer program that entails group mentoring sessions, and various sports/physical activities to provide a safe space for the young men to have fun, teach emotional intelligence, build leadership skills, provide a greater sense of connectedness, and improve self-management skills. During the sports/physical activities, mentees were divided into groups with mentors serving as a team lead and coach. The 8-week summer program offered camping (i.e., hiking, canoeing, archery, etc.), basketball tournament, paintball outing, Great America, flag football, dodgeball tournament, and more.
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Grant Recipient
Raised the Floor Alliance
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Grant Recipient
Sista Afya Community Care NFP
It is with great pleasure that Sista Afya Community Care, a distinguished Black woman-led and Black women-serving organization, submits this application for the Chicago Community Trust’s consideration. Through our comprehensive mental health services and advocacy work, Sista Afya Community Care uplifts, empowers, and strengthens Black communities across the South Side of Chicago. This mission positions us as a worthy candidate for the grant assistance provided by African-American Legacy Fund, as illustrated by the generous AAL grant awarded to our organization in 2021. We are eager to continue this relationship that supports the missions of both of our organizations in 2023. SACC embodies the core values of the AAL initiative by engaging community members, driving change, and providing accessible mental health services tailored to the specific needs of Black women in Chicago. Our work directly addresses the disproportionate burden of stress and trauma on Black individuals and communities, particularly those impacted by economic instability, familial stress, trauma, and gun violence. Our core approach is community-driven, culturally-centered, and addresses inequity through creativity and community partnerships. We provide free holistic mental wellness services including free individual therapy, wellness classes, community workshops, and professional development training to people in the Chicagoland area. Our three programs work in tandem to address each layer of mental health inequity that Black women experience. SACC’s programs include the following- Thrive in Therapy, a program that provides free weekly customized therapy for Black women experiencing multiple barriers to mental wellness care. Community Care, a community support program that offers topic-based workshops, group therapy, and wellness classes focused on issues relevant to Black women's mental health. Developing Mental Wellness Warriors, a program that provides free professional development training including Mental Health First Aid, equipping community members with the tools to respond to mental health crises while transforming the mental health care space to be more inclusive in working with Black women. SACC is place-based in the South Side of Chicago, and our organization serves predominantly Black communities (over 90% of our constituency), grappling with chronic mental health crises exacerbated by the closure of numerous mental health clinics. Our programs are community-driven, designed, and executed by our constituency, representing the authentic needs and voices of the community we serve. We adopt an asset-based approach, recognizing the strengths and potential of our community members, and build our programs around these assets. SACC is a wholly Black-led and Black-serving organization. Our Board, executive leadership, and staff are predominantly Black, with 90 percent of the Board identifying as Black or African American. All our executive staff, including our Executive Director, and all members of our broader team identify as Black or from the African Diaspora. This composition is central to our mission, allowing us to authentically understand, address, and advocate for the mental health needs of Black women in our community. In the past two years, supported by the foundational funding granted by AAL, SACC continued to meet and exceed programmatic and organizational development goals. We more than doubled the number of Free Therapy Sessions when compared to our performance in 2021, and served 500 people–more than any other year in operation. We additionally expanded the number of workshops, classes, and retreats we provide while growing and diversifying our funding and supporter base. Notable capacity evolutions within our organization in 2022 included adding an Intern position to support the Thrive in Therapy program and expanding our board of directors from 4 to 10 members, including a new board president. To meet the increased needs of our community, sustain the expansion of our programs and accommodate our growing budgetary needs in 2023, SACC has diversified its funding sources by becoming a behavioral health clinic designated by the state of Illinois to serve women who have Medicaid and Medicare - expanding our engagement of women with income barriers into care; in addition to applying for city and state level grants. To support SACC’s continued growth and enhance the delivery of the vital services we provide, we respectfully request a grant in the amount of $20,000. These funds will be channeled directly into our programs to increase the number of Black women we can support with quality mental wellness resources through Thrive in Therapy and Community Care, and to bolster our efforts in educating community members about Black women’s mental health through Developing Mental Wellness Warriors.
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Grant Recipient
EcoWomanist Institute
The EcoWomanist Institute is seeking funding for General Operating Expenses that would allow us to continue to provide the programs and services we offer to women of African descent.
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Grant Recipient
Carole Robertson Center for Learning
The Carole Robertson Center’s Grow Your Own, GYO, apprenticeship model allows us to recruit, train, and provide educational and credentialing opportunities to individuals from the communities we serve, addressing both a need for qualified employees within the early childhood sector, and a need for employment and education opportunities for Chicago residents. By addressing the needs of families and the workforce in tandem, the Carole Robertson Center promotes socioeconomic mobility across multiple generations within our communities, while also providing our youngest learners with high-quality, culturally responsive teachers and support staff.
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Grant Recipient
United States Curling Association
We are seeking this grant from the Chicago Community Trust to provide support to the Windy City Curling Club as it prepares to host the 2025 and 2026 Wheelchair Mixed Doubles Nationals, to support our Ice Breakers program and other diversity efforts, and help aging facilities improve infrastructure to allow for continued access to our sport among all ages and backgrounds.
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Grant Recipient
Disability Lead
The ongoing, generous support from The Chicago Community Trust has helped Disability Lead establish itself as the nation’s first and only leadership program for people with disabilities and expand our impact. Disability Lead has forged a vibrant Network of more than 200 emerging and experienced leaders with disabilities. This community provides mentoring and friendship, networking opportunities, and a platform for these leaders to drive transformative change across various sectors. This Network, underpinned by cultivated relationships and shared experiences, promotes sustained growth and advancement for our Members. Disability Lead's work underscores the profound truth that leadership isn't a solitary pursuit; it thrives within a community of understanding, empathy, and shared purpose. Through its multifaceted programs, Disability Lead ensures that individuals with disabilities not only gain the skills to lead but are additionally connected with opportunities to lead with power. Throughout, our Members receive support from a network of peers who advise, inspire and uplift. Continued support from the Trust will allow Disability Lead to further maintain and scale its programs and impact in the Chicago region while continuing our strategies to further long-term growth and sustainability.