Long-term funding partnerships drive meaningful change
CHICAGO (March X, 2024) — Women needing job training for professions that can help them make a living wage. Women of color in neighborhoods needing change learning how to be leaders. Health advocates ensuring that reproductive choices belong to women themselves. Survivors of sexual assault or domestic violence receiving the advocacy and services necessary to restart their lives. Over 300,000 women a year benefit from the resources funded by Chicago Foundation for Women (CFW).
Chicago Foundation for Women (CFW) is proud to announce our FY 24 investments in 52 organizations–totaling more than $1 million. Our grantees are focused on empowering communities and fostering the growth of organizations that prioritize the well-being of women, girls, trans, and non-binary individuals. Rather than “one-off” grants, CFW has successfully built long-term partnerships, providing consistent and reliable funding to support growth and impact.
By prioritizing long-term funding commitments, CFW ensures sustained support for its grantees that enables them to focus on their mission without the uncertainties often associated with short-term grants.
More than 88 percent (or 46) of the 52 nonprofits selected as grant recipients were renewals, which amounts to $977,500 that has been re-invested into community organizations. These groups are making a difference in increasing access to health care, building economic progress, fighting back against gender-based violence and promoting equity across the region. For example:
Community Organizing for Family Issues (COFI), supported by CFW since 2000, builds the leadership and capacity of parents of color to make changes in their community. These leaders build campaigns that strengthen the economic security of families through local and state policy change. In 2023, COFI won funding for the state’s new Bright Start/First Steps (Children’s Savings Accounts) program. CFW is proud to support COFI’s vision of a world with racial, economic, and educational justice where all children and families have an equal opportunity to succeed in life.
“CFW’s long-term commitment has enabled COFI to make remarkable strides in community empowerment. Their support has been crucial in our efforts to address systemic challenges, from educational reforms to promoting restorative justice, illustrating the transformative impact of sustained partnership,” said Rosazlia Grillier, President Emeritus/Co-Chair of Stepping out of Poverty – COFI.
And an even longer partnership: since CFW’s founding in 1985, Chicago Women in Trades (CWIT), has received signficant funding as they work to ensure women’s economic security by providing pre-apprenticeship training to women. Through training and advocacy, CWIT has worked to connect women to familiy-supporting careers in the trades, increasing women’s access to blue collar jobs. For nearly 40 years, CFW has been dedicated to advancing CWIT’s mission of ensuring that all women who want to work with their hands and earn a good living have equal access to information, training, and employment opportunities in the industry.
For the complete list of grants awarded for the Fall 2023 cycle, click here. CFW has invested over $49 million in women and girls since its founding in 1985.
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About Chicago Foundation for Women
Chicago Foundation for Women (CFW) invests in women and girls as catalysts, building strong communities for all. CFW funds organizations working to solve the biggest problems facing women and girls: economic insecurity, violence, and lack of access to health care and information. Since its founding, CFW has invested more than $49 million in hundreds of organizations, leveraging the generosity of more than 2,200 donors, impacting more than 300,000 women, girls, trans, and gender nonbinary individuals in our region. In addition to grantmaking, CFW invests in developing women leaders and advocates, and brings together diverse coalitions to collaborate, share resources, and develop solutions. Learn more at www.cfw.org.