Grants

Grant Recipient

Chicago Community Foundation

Awarded: November 2023 Awarded Amount: $100,000

Grant Recipient

CHICAGO VIDEO PROJECT

Awarded: November 2023 Awarded Amount: $75,000

Shame of Chicago is a 5-part documentary film series that tells the story of how Chicago became one of the most racially segregated cities in the world, and how that history illuminates our divided present. This largely unexamined story will challenge viewers understanding of our city as it explains the origins of black poverty and the roots of Chicago’s racial wealth gap. It will take aim at timeworn racist tropes and abet organizations seeking racial healing and repair. WTTW will air the 5-part documentary, now in production, in September and October of 2023. Partnerships with WVON and WBEZ, an aggressive 2-year outreach plan and an educational website will make a groundbreaking contribution to civic storytelling that strengthens our collective understanding of the structures of racism in our city.

Grant Recipient

Investigative Project on Race and Equity

Awarded: November 2023 Awarded Amount: $75,000

The mission of the Investigative Project on Race and Equity is to train journalists in data-driven reporting and collaborate with news organizations to uncover systemic racism. Our partnerships add needed resources to the coverage of underrepresented communities and help to build capacity within newsrooms to pursue in-depth projects. By working together, we also expand the reach of reporting on race and equity and amplify its impact. Training includes apprenticeships for early-career journalists — focusing on people of color — and workshops on finding stories in data and other investigative techniques. Our training mission is to help strengthen Chicago’s journalism ecosystem while helping to build a pipeline of diverse journalists. Using data and documents, the Investigative Project reports facts, not opinions. We offer proof of known patterns of abuse and failed oversight. And we elevate the voices of people affected by discrimination and inequality while being respectful of the trauma they have endured. Our stories highlight solutions and share information that community members can use to effect change, including data hidden in plain sight.

Grant Recipient

National Coalition of 100 Black Women Chicago Metropolitan Chapter

Awarded: November 2023 Awarded Amount: $50,000

The mission of the Chicago Metropolitan Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women (NCBW100) is to advocate on behalf of black women and girls to promote leadership development and gender equity in the areas of health, education and economic empowerment. To impact the community, our organization implements advocacy strategies and programming to address policy barriers in our target areas. This grant for the Chicago Community Trust will be used to build organizational capacity and expand programs that will help us accomplish our mission This year, the Chicago Metropolitan Chapter will transition to a new administration. It is important that new officers and chairpersons receive training to build their leadership skills. Through this grant, leadership training will be provided that includes the communication and relational skills necessary to lead their committees and work with the community. Additionally, we are seeking to expand our programming in advocacy and mentoring. In advocacy, we would like to increase programming related to voting and interactions with public officials. This includes advocacy days in Springfield and Chicago, where members and guests will speak with legislators to advocate for policies that align with the organization's mission. Additionally, we will expand our voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts. In alignment with our advocacy efforts, we seek to create an Advocacy Leadership Institute for our youth. This institute will introduce girls to community organizing and how to use their voices to make positive change. Girls will also explore different careers in politics and community organizing. We aim to use the resources from the Chicago Community Trust to build our capacity and create powerful programs for change.

Grant Recipient

THE WESTSIDE WRITING PROJECT NFP

Awarded: November 2023 Awarded Amount: $100,000

Westside Media Project (WMP) is in its 17th year of providing media/arts related programming to area youth on Chicago's west side. The organization recently expanded its programming to add a College and Career Awareness Initiative that inspires area youth to develop skill sets that will allow them to compete for jobs in today's highly technical global economy. WMP is seeking general operating funds to continue its long standing work and to expand its school partnerships to bring our programming into five total schools during the 2023-2024 school year.