Asian Americans Advancing Justice hosted Chicago grassroots leadership training in 2017 and 2018.
Our Strategy
In conversations with dozens of individuals and organizations across Chicago, we heard a call to support leaders from throughout the city. Our goal is to foster the ability of our communities’ leaders to use their skills to advance policies and practices that contribute to a more equitable Chicago. We include leaders who represent a broad array of Chicago residents and communities and who reflect different perspectives and backgrounds.
Specifically, the Chicago Commitment supports leadership advancement within our three focus areas: Civic Partnerships; Culture, Equity, and the Arts; and Vital Communities. Within these areas, we seek to advance equity by expanding access to a wide range of opportunities for the staff of nonprofit organizations, who bring different experiences and perspectives to leadership positions.
Our approach consists of these components: 1) Support for Leadership Programs, 2) Support for Individual Leaders, and 3) Support for Leadership Advancement Within Organizations.
Grantmaking Approaches
We fund leadership programs that amplify the voices of leaders across Chicago; are led by individuals able to effectively represent communities most affected by structural racism, discrimination, or disinvestment; provide an in-depth, cohort-based experience; and include substantial participation from individuals working in the nonprofit sectors of arts and culture, community and economic development, or community safety and violence prevention. Organizations that wish to be considered for support may submit a brief description of their leadership program through our grants portal. We are eager to learn about organizations that have not previously received support.
We support leaders in the ways they wish to learn, grow, and advance their skills. Since 2019, we have funded the Leaders for a New Chicago initiative with the Field Foundation of Illinois. Leaders for a New Chicago awards $50,000 to eight recipients each year. The award is “no-strings-attached,” which enables the Leaders to pursue self-defined goals. In addition, a $25,000 general operating grant is awarded to each Leader’s affiliated nonprofit organization. To nominate a leader or self-nominate, please see the Field Foundation’s nomination portal.
Organizations with a strong infrastructure can often reduce stress on their leaders and prevent the loss of talented staff. To this end, we offer awards to organizations that help other nonprofit entities to improve their effectiveness through technical assistance and capacity building. Organizations that wish to be considered for support may submit a brief description of their leadership program through our grants portal. We are eager to learn about organizations that have not previously received support.
Why We Support This Work
There is no single path to supporting leaders and leadership in Chicago. We know that individuals from different communities and sectors may define leadership differently and pursue a variety of approaches to build movements and foster civic engagement. We also appreciate that leaders in the nonprofit sector face arduous challenges every day as they work to build and sustain organizations, raise funds, and nurture their own mental health and wellbeing. We co-designed our funding strategy with leaders from an array of sectors, backgrounds, and experiences of Chicago, striving to offer what they told us they need to thrive.
Evaluation for Learning
Evaluation of our work is a critical tool for informing our decision-making, leading to better results and more effective stewardship of resources. We develop customized evaluation designs for each of our programs based on the context, problem, opportunity, and approach to the work. Evaluation is not a one-time event. It is an ongoing process of collecting feedback and using that information to support our grantees and adjust our strategy.
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Other Chicago Commitment Areas of Focus What is the Chicago Commitment? 
Focuses on strengthening local organizations including the creative sector, supporting civic partnerships on timely issues, investing in vital communities, and advancing diverse and influential leaders in Chicago.