October 2023 — Moving the Needle | Woods Fund Chicago
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Woods Fund Chicago announces Fall Grantee Partners including new core grantee partners —
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Woods Fund Chicago is pleased to announce our grant awards to the following organizations for Fall Cycle 2023 grantmaking. This Fall Cycle includes 14 organizations committed to community-based organizing, 4 organizations committed to public policy advocacy, 24 organizations integrating community-based organizing and public policy advocacy, as well as the Catalyst Fund and the Racial Justice Pooled Fund.
Congratulations to our grantee partners! We value your remarkable strides in organizing, advocating, and coalition-building for racial and economic justice. We look forward to the year ahead and continuing to uplift and support your work.
Learn more about our Fall Cycle 2023 Grantee Partners here.
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Our Grantee Partners’ Recent Victories —
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Chicago allocated grant funds for the Chicago Torture Justice Memorial (CTJM). Many of our grantee partners have supported the memorial, including the Chicago Torture Justice Center, and CJTM Advisory Board members from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law’s Children and Family Justice Center and Heartland Alliance.
Chicago’s Community Commission on Public Safety’s decision to erase the City’s gang database is a victory for the Erase the Gang Database Coalition, which includes Organized Communities Against Deportation, BYP100, Brighton Park Neighborhood Council, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Chicago, and GoodKids MadCity.
The Illinois State Supreme Court upheld the Pretrial Fairness Act, with the historic piece of legislation going into effect on September 18. The Coalition to End Money includes grantee partners Chicago Community Bond Fund, Community Renewal Society, Shriver Center on Poverty Law, Southsiders Organized for Unity and Liberation (S.O.U.L.), and the Workers Center for Racial Justice.
Chicago released its first ever Cumulative Impact Assessment report, a significant step towards environmental justice and dismantling environmental racism. Woods Fund Chicago grantee partner Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO) was a key member of the working groups developing the report.
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When our grantee partners are successful, our communities are successful. Congratulations to our grantee partners for these momentous wins, and we support you through the work ahead.
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IDHS Secretary & Former WFC President Grace Hou Appointed as Deputy Governor for Health & Human Services —
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Woods Fund Chicago congratulates former WFC President Grace Hou on her new position as Illinois’ Governor for Health & Human Services. In September, Governor JB Pritzker announced Grace’s appointment to fill Sol Flores’ departure from the role this month. Prior to her most recent position as secretary of the Illinois Department of Human Services, Grace Hou was President of Woods Fund Chicago from 2012-2019, immediately preceding current President Michelle Morales. Grace has said of her time at WFC, “I carry the lessons, the learnings, and the stories from the grassroots leaders that I had the opportunity to meet during my Woods Fund journey; I try to remain connected to them as I try to bring equity and justice to our human services system in Illinois.”
Congratulations, Grace! Read Grace’s reflection of her time at WFC in our 2022 Multiyear Report.
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On Indigenous Peoples' Day, Woods Fund Chicago honors and celebrates the rich history, culture, and contributions of Native and Indigenous communities. We stand in solidarity with their ongoing fight for justice and rights, and remain committed to uplifting voices that drive impactful change.
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Latinos in the Suburbs: Challenges & Opportunities
Why We're Reading It: WFC grantee partner Latino Policy Forum, in partnership with The Metropolitan Planning Council and UIC's Great Cities Institute, recently released this report highlighting economic growth within Latino communities in the suburbs, as well as unique and complex challenges that require attentive solutions.
Latino Policy Forum // Read now
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Are You Trustwashing?
Why We're Reading It: As Woods Fund Chicago continues to advocate for philanthropy to adopt Trust-Based practices, we remain cognizant of the ways that funders — including ourselves — must ensure our definition of “trust” is radical in its intentionality and be willing to face tough conversations about whether we are watering down our approach.
Trust-Based Philanthropy Project // Read now
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Chicago Wants Migrants To Be Able To Work Legally. Here’s Why Many Of Them Can’t
Why We're Reading It: More and more buses of migrants are arriving in Chicago, and many of our grantee partners are working on the ground to provide direct services and aid. We are reading about the challenges asylum seekers have faced in being able to receive work permits to understand the how economic disparities are affecting our neighbors — old and new.
Block Club Chicago // Read now
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Better Ways to Support a Colleague with Breast Cancer
Why We're Reading It: As President Michelle Morales navigates her own breast cancer diagnosis, WFC has reflected upon how workspaces can better and more meaningfully support colleagues during times of difficult and unpredictable health circumstances, challenging traditional expectations of labor to provide grace and flexibility. This piece mirrors conversations at the front of our minds.
Harvard Business Review // Read now
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please visit: woodsfund.org
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Top banner image: Faith in Place
Photo collage: top circle, Shriver Center on Poverty Law, left, Southsiders Organized for Unity and Liberation (S.O.U.L.), right, Chicago Community Bond Fund
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