Grants

Grant Recipient

Chicago Community Foundation

Awarded: February 2022 Awarded Amount: $5,000,000

Grant Recipient

Brown Sugar Bakery DBA I Hart Corporation

Awarded: February 2022 Awarded Amount: $200,000

I Hart Corporation, DBA Brown Sugar Bakery, is seeking $1.5M in grant funding to transform the former Cupid Candies factory into the Brown Sugar Bakery manufacturing factory. The building is located at 7637 S. Western in the south west region of Chicago, and our nonprofit fiscal sponsor is Greater Southwest Development Corporation. As the Brown Sugar Bakery (BSB) brand continues to grow globally, it pushes us closer to our goal of continuing to make investments in underserved communities, by opening other retail locations and now this manufacturing factory. The company wants to rehabilitate this former staple in the Ashburn community, to be a new destination for workforce development and generate positive foot traffic as another retail storefront for the bakery. In 2021, BSB’s location on 75th Street in the Chatham community brought Vice President Kamala Harris to the south side of Chicago and many notable individuals frequent our location at Navy Pier (Chicago’s number one world class tourist attraction). The business was incorporated 17 years ago under the vision of CEO Stephanie Hart, and is now preparing for the future of the brand that has grown from a “mom and pop” business to a manufacturing factory. The Cupid Candies factory building was purchased by Ms. Hart on December 23, 2020 and she is determined to bring this location back to life. Through this renovation, we forecast more than $10M dollars in revenue annually for BSB. The funds from this grant will allow BSB to create a manufacturing factory that will inspire, and engage the businesses and residents of our surrounding communities. The factory opened as Cupid Candies in 1956, so we need to renovate it to achieve 2021 manufacturing standards. Our request is not for a specific phase of development, but for the project in its entirety. Your support will allow us to upgrade all HVAC needs, air quality improvements, electrical, plumbing, develop a new training facility, and so much more that will ensure we are in compliance with current Illinois Department of Labor manufacturing requirements. This location will continue to manufacture candy, as well as become the manufacturing location for all BSB cakes and products, provide the location for a much needed industrial freezer, and a functional dock area for national shipping. The front of the factory will serve as another retail location for BSB, with the back of the building primary focus being manufacturing. Additionally, we want to create a space for training and developing employees. This factory will serve as a model for other aspiring Chicago entrepreneurs who want to become manufacturers.

Grant Recipient

Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods

Awarded: February 2022 Awarded Amount: $500,000

In support of general operations, from The Morton Butler Ryerson Fund (T399). Grant to be paid in ten (10) $50,000 annual installments from 2022-2031.

Grant Recipient

Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods

Awarded: February 2022 Awarded Amount: $300,000

In support of general operations, from The Hermon Dunlap and Ellen Thorne Smith Fund (T426) . Grant to be paid in ten (10) $30,000 annual installments from 2022-2031.

Grant Recipient

National Medical Fellowships, Inc.

Awarded: February 2022 Awarded Amount: $25,750

The 2021 Chicago Champions of Health Awards will provide vital funding to NMF Scholars. Now more than ever, we need to support our next generation of healthcare leaders.

Grant Recipient

221 E 49th St LLC

Awarded: February 2022 Awarded Amount: $1,500,000

The Overton Center for Excellence is an arts, business and technology hub for the Bronzeville community and beyond. This catalytic project will provide a place for our young adults and budding entrepreneurs for the Bronzeville renaissance we are currently experiencing. Strategically located between the University of Chicago and the Illinois Institute of Technology, the Overton Incubator is an integral part of the transformational changes that have recently occurred in the Bronzeville and Washington Park neighborhoods – including several museums, pro and amateur sports facilities, and the Obama Presidential Center. Overton’s 5.25 acre campus includes the main building- a mid-century modern building, designed by Perkins + Will, as well as a 10,000 annex building. Future campus expansion is contemplated with the acquisition and development of an adjacent city owned lot. The result, as originally intended, will be a place of learning, stimulating minds and ideas, that will create solutions which will benefit individuals, families, and communities, in a model that can be replicated throughout the city, and beyond. The main building (60,000 SF) is divided between 37 former classroom spaces, a kitchen, and a multi-purpose space in the former gym. This structure will be transformed into a co-working and private office space to support start-up, locally-owned, and minority firms on Chicago’s South Side. The facility will include Class A amenities such as a fitness center, cafe, shared conference and administrative functions, and secure parking and bicycle storage, all at below market rates. The $15.8 million project will generate approximately $4.1 in federal and state historic tax credit equity; a $10 million Federal New Market Credit allocation that would provide an additional $2.73 million in equity for the development; city and philanthropic funding of $5.0 million; and $3.9 million in debt and owners equity. The project will create approximately 70 construction jobs, and at least 250 new permanent jobs. The project will be seeking National Green Building Standards (NGBS) certification. The annex, phase 2 of the campus development, will be a state-of-the-art, sound/design hub for creative entrepreneurs to collaborate, experiment, create and develop new skills and proficiencies. It will provide unparalleled and uncompromised access to digital resources and technology driven platforms across creative disciplines from sound engineering and video production to textiles, fashion and fabrication. Owner: 221 E 49th St LLC Property Address: 221 E 49th St, Chicago, IL 60615 PIN: 20-10-115-001-0000 Zoning: B3-2 Building Size: 60,600 sq ft (main building); Annex 9,000 Land Size: 102,258 sq ft. (2.35 acres) Community Area: Grand Boulevard Ward: 3rd Ward, Alderman Pat Dowell TIF District: 47th/King Enterprise Zone: Zone 2 Census Tract: 17031381800 HUB Zone: Yes Low Income Census Tract: Yes City of Chicago eTOD Pilot: Yes

Grant Recipient

Little Angels Family Daycare II, Inc

Awarded: February 2022 Awarded Amount: $775,000

Little Angels Family Daycare II, Inc is the proposed new construction of an 11,863 square foot 10-classroom early childhood education center that will serve children from birth to school age with all but one of the classrooms serving 0-3 year olds. The facility will expand and replace an adjacent existing church facility that is leased and located in the Englewood community. The project is approximately $6,900,000 and has a project funding gap of approximately $1,221,247.69 A major contributing cause of the gap was construction increases related to COVID-19 pademic. The project initiated design and submitted for a building permit prior to the pandemic. However, when construction was repriced during the pandemic, construction costs significantly escalated and the project has not been able to close on financing and initiate construction.