Woods Fund Chicago

#GrantOpportunities: Woods Fund Chicago is now accepting applications from *returning grantee partners* for the 2025 grantmaking cycle through Wednesday, April 30. Returning grantee partners have been sent a direct link to their application portal. Didn't receive the link? Reach out to the Director of Grants Management and Assistant Corporate Secretary Deborah Clark at dclark [at] woodsfund [dot] org. Please note: The new applicant deadline has passed and this application window is for returning grantee partners only. Questions? Learn more about our grants, what we're looking for, and how to apply at https://lnkd.in/gWPBeUEm or the link in bio.

📢 🎉 Andrea Ortiz-Landin joined Woods Fund Chicago this summer as Strategic Initiatives Director. Born and raised on the Southwest Side of Chicago in a mixed-status Mexican household, Andrea is a proud alumna of Chicago Public Schools. With over a decade of experience in community organizing and advocacy—most recently as former director of organizing for Brighton Park Neighborhood Council — her work has been grounded in a deep commitment to social justice and racial equity. Learn more about Andrea: https://lnkd.in/gnZGKpDs

What We're Reading: As Woods Fund Chicago continues to call for increased payouts, this Inside Philanthropy article pushes back against the idea that the sea change we need has arrived: “In a sector with more than 40,000 foundations with $1-million-plus endowments, a dozen or so anecdotes should not be seen as a sector-spanning shift,” writes Michael Kavate. “Doing so might even be dangerous, giving potential funders reason to believe others have this mess handled.” There is work to be done! Read from Inside Philanthropy: https://lnkd.in/gWn9puv6

Chicago Tribune essayist John T. Shaw featured Woods Fund Chicago President Michelle Morales, calling her an "outsized force" for justice amid her calls to courageous philanthropy. "I believe that the work I’m doing is not only planting seeds but also creating the conditions for the reimagined world I believe in," she says. "We may not get there in my lifetime, but I’m going to keep working for it."

Our grantee partners and peers are hiring! Learn more about open opportunities to join organizations, coalitions, and nonprofit sector peers that are making an impact, including Chicago United for Equity, Community Renewal Society, Community Organizing and Family Issues (COFI), Enlace Chicago, Faith in Place, HANA Center, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Mujeres Latinas en Acción, Latino Policy Forum, Latino Union of Chicago, and the Final Five Campaign. Learn more about job opportunities with our grantee partners and peers at linktr.ee/woodsfundchicago or the link in bio. #JobOpportunities #NonprofitCareers #CommunityOrganizing"

“In the wake of radical cuts to everything from health insurance to SNAP, the gap between what we have and what we need is widening dramatically. We must use every tool at our disposal to support our partners, and more money isn’t always on the table.” Our July newsletter features tactics on how to support grantee partners, a sharp look at organizing rideshare drivers, job opportunities, and a welcome to our newest team member. Find it at our link in bio! Read now: https://lnkd.in/gfrFnnP8 📸: Live Free Illinois

"About 25 percent of Woods Fund Chicago grantees have already lost federal funding and had to shrink services this year. To meet this moment, we must increase our giving, and reject a narrow definition of fiduciary responsibility." Read Woods Fund Chicago President Michelle Morales' clear-eyed take on philanthropic perpetuity in Stanford Social Innovation Review ➡️ Stanford Social Innovation Review| https://lnkd.in/ghZHDEwQ

We are thrilled to welcome Brittany Ward to the Woods Fund Chicago team! Brittany brings extensive experience in grants management, and we’re excited to put her skills to work to continue to streamline Woods Fund Chicago’s grants process and internal operations. “I’ve seen firsthand how nonprofits can help dismantle unjust systems while uplifting communities,” said Brittany, “Woods Fund Chicago’s work reflects principles I've spent years learning about, advocating for, and striving to embody.” Get to know Brittany and our team: https://lnkd.in/gCDkiaHS

What We're Reading: This piece from The Guardian features grantee partners Organized Communities Against Deportation (OCAD) and Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Chicago, placing the current emergency response within a long history of base building and holding up Chicago’s tactics as a model for other cities. ➡️ The Guardian | How Can US Cities Resist Trump’s Mass Deportation Agenda? Look to Chicago https://lnkd.in/gcjZmsAe

What We're Reading: As City Council continues to debate a snap curfew ordinance, South Side Weekly has published a series of pieces exploring the roots and impact of legislation that would give CPD the authority to declare a teen curfew with 30 minutes notice. Here, University of Chicago Professor Robert Vargas connects the Chicago ordinance to a broader moment of protest and surveillance. ➡️ South Side Weekly | Opinion: Who Benefits From a Snap Curfew? https://lnkd.in/gQ9XswyQ