Woods Fund Chicago

In our most recent newsletter, Woods Fund Chicago reflects on the question: Under this administration, what can we do to protect and bolster our grantee partners? As funders, it is our responsibility to support our grantee partners' ongoing commitment of resolve, collective action, and centering community. What does that mean? It means sharing their bravery and not sacrificing our values for fear of retribution. It means fortifying and expanding our resources to support crucial and ongoing movement work. It means taking a stand and making investments against white supremacy — and plainly addressing it when we see it. It means providing tools that strengthen our grantee partners and their skillset while also trusting their expertise. ➡️ Woods Fund Chicago commits to our responsibility and we call upon the philanthropic sector to stand in solidarity with Woods Fund Chicago and these local and national movements by challenging the gatekeeping mentality that enables injustice to take hold. Solidarity is our greatest asset. 🤝 Read our full reflection at https://lnkd.in/gwuJKf3A. Photo credit: Chicago Jobs with Justice

Join grantee partner A Long Walk Home Inc. for their Black Girl Care Retreat: By Us, For Us on March 23, 2025, from 10:00 AM – 3:30 PM! In times of change, care is revolutionary. A Long Walk Home invites Black girls to a healing space designed to provide rest, joy, and connection. Led by their Girl/Friend leaders, this special retreat will kick off spring break for Chicago Public School students as part of their Black Girl Care Series — in partnership with Flowers For Dreams, a mission-driven flower company that gives back to charities. Date: Sunday, March 23, 2025 Time: 10:00 AM – 3:30 PM Location: Flowers for Dreams HQ, 1812 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL Who: Black girls ages 12–18 (limited spots, RSVP required) Register here by Thursday, March 20, 2025: https://lnkd.in/gd3ASTeS

What We're Reading: The TRiiBE covers the work of the Clean Slate Illinois Coalition, covering their efforts advocating for legislation that would make it easier for formerly incarcerated individuals to find employment and combat stigma. The article features expertise from coalition members and WFC grantee partners Illinois Coalition to End Permanent Punishments, Cabrini Green Legal Aid, and Live Free Illinois. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gqgt7FeT

➡️ Recommended Resource for Grantee Partners and Nonprofits: As federal decision-making presently affects nonprofit organizations — and threatens to cause financial uncertainty — Nonprofit Financial Commons has put together for 2025 “an action checklist designed to build your organization’s agility under turbulent conditions.” “The first part focuses on the importance of building your ongoing access to unrestricted and liquid dollars, while the second part is about using our network and advocacy to protect ourselves, other nonprofit organizations in our community, and the people being politically targeted by these actions.” Explore the resource from Nonprofit Financial Commons: https://lnkd.in/gHeqdcav Photo credit: Latino Policy Forum

What We're Reading: WFC grantee partner Equity And Transformation has released their second report evaluating the impact of EAT’s Chicago Future Fund, a guaranteed basic income (GBI) pilot launched in 2021 “that provides monthly stipends exclusively to formerly incarcerated individuals.” EAT completed the second round of the pilot, providing 100 system-impacted participants from Austin, West Garfield Park, and Englewood with $500 a month from March 2023 to February 2024. This report analyzes how GBI promotes financial security, particularly through a post-incarceration lens — when individuals face further obstacles in finding housing, employment, and more. #GuaranteedBasicIncome Download and read the report at https://lnkd.in/g27-meCf

Michelle Morales, President of Woods Fund Chicago had the pleasure of joining the Becoming The Vision podcast (Freedom Dreams in Philanthropy) to discuss how “hope” has sustained her in her life and pursuit of justice. Hope that comes from Michelle's belief in the promise of America, from watching her son and the next generation of activists rise up — hope that is strengthened by her love for Puerto Rico and memories of witnessing real change. The conversation explores what it means to hold onto hope against the pull of cynicism and how it can fuel both inner purpose and professional missions. 🎧 Listen now and subscribe: https://lnkd.in/gMgFN8iE #BecomingTheVision #FreedomDreaming #Philanthropy

Woods Fund Chicago President Michelle Morales was featured in Inside Philanthropy discussing our decision to increase our annual payout and advocating for funders to consider how the sector can strengthen its support of the nonprofit community. Read more at https://lnkd.in/ewhYTkB3.

Woods Fund Chicago is amplifying this opportunity for feedback from grantee partner Chicago United for Equity in collaboration with Chicago's Office of Equity and Racial Justice: After 18 community conversations to learn from community’s vision for co-governance, Chicago has launched its first Co-Governance Framework draft, coupled with a public survey to hear from you!Collaborative Governance is a pathway where community meets governance. The Co-Governance Framework will guide how we can collectively identify solutions to challenges caused by racial, health, and economic inequities. Share your thoughts on the City of Chicago’s Co-Governance Framework draft by visiting chi.gov/co-governance. #ChicagoCoGovernance #CommunityMeetsGovernance #CUEChicago #OERJChicago #Co-GovernanceDraftFramework #ChicagoCoGovernanceSteeringCommittee

New applicants: A reminder that the deadline to apply for Woods Fund Chicago's 2025 grantmaking cycle is today, Monday, March 3. Please note: This application window is for *new applicants only.* Returning grantee partners, save the date! 📆 Your application window will open on Tuesday, April 1. The deadline for returning grantee partners is Wednesday, April 30. Learn more about our grants, what we're looking for, and how to apply at https://lnkd.in/gWPBeUEm or the link in bio.

Under this administration, what can we as funders do to protect and bolster our grantee partners? In our February newsletter, we call upon ourselves and the philanthropic sector to stand in solidarity with partners and their work in local and national movements. Join our call to action, learn more about the steps nonprofits can take to prepare for financial uncertainty, and explore our monthly recommended readings, including a new report on the impact of Universal Basic Income. ➡️ Read the February newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gwuJKf3A Photo credits: Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights and HANA Center (first graphic), Chicago Coalition to end Homelessness (second graphic)