Grants Overview
What We Fund
Chicago Foundation for Women funds organizations and programs across four key impact areas: expanding economic security and mobility, advancing freedom from violence, improving access to health and wellness, and advancing reproductive justice. Through this work, we aim to strengthen grassroots leadership, address the root causes of inequity, and create lasting change that ensures women, girls, and gender-expansive people can thrive in safe, just, and healthy communities.
Our Impact Areas
Expanding Economic
Security and Mobility
We seek to expand economic security so all women, girls, and gender-expansive people can care for themselves and their families in all stages of life.
Advancing
Reproductive Justice
We champion reproductive freedom and fund local efforts that protect care, expand access, and defend the right to make decisions about one’s body.
Advancing Freedom from Violence
We work to ensure women, girls, and gender-expansive people are free from violence, including abuse, assault, harassment, trafficking, and more.
Improving Access to Health and Wellness
We work to expand access to quality mental, physical, preventive, and reproductive health services for women, girls, and gender-expansive people.
CFW’s Rapid Response Fund
The rights and protections of our communities are increasingly at risk. Community members fear the whittling away of women’s reproductive health access, the dismantling of LGBTQ+ protections, and attacks on people of color and immigrant communities. In this shifting landscape, individuals, organizations, and communities feel less safe. Community organizations and leaders understand how the changing environment impacts the community. These leaders will need investments to respond.
CFW’s Rapid Response Fund was created to support these leaders. This funding opportunity will provide grants for grassroots organizations adapting and responding to the changing environment and protecting and defending our fundamental rights.
The Rapid Response Fund prioritizes community‑led strategies that protect fundamental rights and strengthen community power during periods of heightened risk and opportunity. These grants will support the unexpected or unbudgeted costs associated with community work and advocacy during a time of crisis and unpredictable change.
Learn more about eligibility criteria and how to apply here. Application review will begin on Thursday, November 12, 2026.
CFW’s Fall Primary Cycle
Economic security and mobility, access to quality and comprehensive healthcare, freedom from gender-based violence, and reproductive justice are CFW’s four impact areas. We view these impact areas as inherently interconnected and requiring a holistic approach; our work is also situated within broader systemic issues of gender, race, and economic inequities. We will be accepting applications across all four of CFW’s impact areas and encourage applicants to talk holistically about their work.
Applications for the fall primary cycle are now closed.