RFP: Together Fund (Workforce) – We Rise Together

Background

We Rise Together: For an Equitable & Just Recovery is a coalition of public and private funders and communities accelerating equity in the Chicago region’s economic recovery so everyone who lives here can reach their full potential. To catalyze an equitable economic recovery from the COVID recession, We Rise focuses on grantmaking and engagement in communities hardest hit by COVID and those that are a majority Black and Latine because they are the places and people disproportionately affected by the pandemic. 

Community advisors through the Together Fund, an opportunity for local residents to shape $1.6 million in grantmaking, determined for this funding program that a particular focus on youth* is where our investments should be directed through this opportunity. 

*For the purposes of this RFP, “youth” refers to individuals between the ages of 14 and 24 who are at critical stages of personal and professional development. This population often includes young people in school and transitioning out of high school, seeking their first employment opportunities, or navigating post-secondary education or training.  

Need/Opportunity Statement

Youth unemployment remains a critical challenge across Chicago’s economically disenfranchised communities. Many young individuals face obstacles such as limited access to competency-building programs, inadequate training opportunities, and systemic barriers that prevent entry into sustainable employment. This issue is compounded by gaps in wraparound services, such as childcare, transportation, and mentorship, which are critical to successful workforce development. 

There is a significant opportunity to invest in solutions that equip young people with the competencies, resources, and connections needed to secure meaningful employment. While this RFP invites existing youth-focused strategies and organizations that serve young people, We Rise Together also values innovation and encourages applicants to propose bold, novel approaches to addressing youth workforce needs in transformative and impactful ways. 

Goals & Outcomes

While this is a one-year grant, the activities supported through this funding should be designed to contribute to the broader, long-term goals of improving youth workforce development and creating sustainable organizations that serve youth. Work completed during the grant period should build a strong foundation for continued progress toward the following goals:  

• Increase youth access to competency-building opportunities, including certifications, apprenticeships, and quality job placements that lead to a livable wage. 
• Enhance youth financial independence through job retention, soft skill development (e.g., communication, teamwork, problem-solving), and readiness for employment. 
• Reduce barriers to employment by addressing systemic challenges such as transportation, childcare, housing support, and digital access. 
• Foster economic resilience by creating pathways for long-term career growth and strengthening partnerships with local businesses, educational institutions, and community organizations. 
• Improve stakeholder engagement to build stronger community relationships and increase retention of youth in programming. 
• Strengthen the financial resilience of youth-serving organizations by diversifying funding streams, collecting impact data, and demonstrating measurable outcomes. 
• Cultivate supportive organizational cultures by investing in staff retention, leadership development, and competitive compensation. 

Use data and feedback to inform program improvements, track impact, and secure future funding opportunities.

Outcomes include up to three of the following:

1. Strengthen the Organizational Infrastructure to Provide Services 
2. Strengthen Workforce 
3. Expand economic opportunities for Black and Latinx Chicagoans to access careers 
4. Expand Partnerships Opportunities 
5. Increase Organizational Effectiveness 

Priority Strategies & Activities

We Rise Together seeks to support initiatives that address the following priority strategies. We encourage applicants to propose innovative, actionable approaches aligned with these strategies to strengthen economic resilience in disenfranchised communities. 

1. Youth Workforce Development: To create sustainable employment pathways for youth through competency-building, training, and wraparound support. Activities may include:  
   • Facilitating paid, short-term (<15 weeks) training program designed to transition youth into careers in high-demand fields such as healthcare, technology, and skilled trades. 
   • Providing paid, on-the-job training opportunities, including apprenticeships, to support skill development and career advancement. 
   • Building general career readiness through goal-setting, mentorship, digital literacy, financial literacy, entrepreneurship programming, leadership development, or interpersonal skills.  
   • Providing industry-recognized certifications (e.g., logistics, advanced technology, or trade-specific competencies) aligned with current labor market demands. 
   • Developing strong partnerships between youth-serving organizations and workforce development programs to offer career-focused programming, dual-enrollment opportunities, and tailored training. 
   • Addressing barriers to participation, such as income constraints, lack of transportation, childcare needs, or mental health challenges, to ensure successful program engagement and completion. 

Grant Type

Project Support

Grant Amounts Available & Grant Term

The funding structure includes two tiers to ensure both local organizations with strong connections to hard-to-reach youth and more established organizations with evidence-based youth workforce development programs have the opportunity to participate in the grant opportunity. All grants are for a 12-month grant term in this funding program: 

• For organizations with operating budgets under $1,000,000: Grants of up to $75,000 are available to support smaller, community-based organizations that are deeply embedded within the communities they serve and have strong relationships with youth who are often hard to reach. Partnership grants are encouraged and eligible for the larger grant award amount. 
• For organizations with operating budgets over $1,000,000: Grants of up to $200,000 are available to support larger, established organizations with proven track records of delivering evidence-based workforce development programs for youth. 

This tiered approach aims to balance equitable access to resources while recognizing the diverse needs and capacities of organizations working to empower youth in workforce development. Applicants are encouraged to seek out partnerships with locally based organizations that have trusted and established relationships with hard-to-reach youth in their communities to enhance program impact and reach.