United Way Of Metropolitan Chicago Inc

UNITED WAY OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO IMPROVES LIVES BY MOBILINZING CARING PEOPLE TO INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE THEIR RESOURCES ARE NEEDED MOST.

IMPACT GRANTS FOR 90 YEARS, UNITED WAY OF METRO CHICAGO HAS MOBILIZED CARING PEOPLE TO INVEST IN THE COMMUNITIES WHERE RESOURCES ARE NEEDED MOST. WHAT WE LEARNED OVER THE COURSE OF THE PANDEMIC HAS UNDERSCORED WHAT WE'VE LEARNED SINCE WE LAUNCHED THE NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORK INITIATIVE IN 2013: HOLISTIC, PLACE-BASED APPROACHES WORK. COALITIONS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKS, AS WELL AS OTHER COORDINATED PARTNERS ACROSS THE REGION, ARE AMAZINGLY EFFECTIVE AT KNOWING WHAT COMMUNITY RESIDENTS NEED AND HOW TO QUICKLY REACH THEM WITH SUPPORT. AS WE PLAN FOR THE FUTURE, WE ARE GUIDED BY A CORE COMMITMENT TO MAKING NEIGHBORHOODS STRONGER AND MORE EQUITABLE. (CONTINUED IN SCHEDULE O)WE BELIEVE WE CAN ACCOMPLISH THIS BY DEEPENING INVESTMENT IN PLACE-BASED STRATEGIES, ALIGNING WITH EXISTING COMMUNITY PRIORITIES, FOCUSING MORE EXPLICITLY ON RACIAL EQUITY, BUILDING PARTNER CAPACITY, AND, WHERE POSSIBLE, EXPANDING COMMUNITY-DRIVEN GRANTMAKING.UNITED WAY'S LONG-TERM FOCUS IS ON BUILDING NEIGHBORHOODS TO BE STRONGER AND MORE EQUITABLE, BUT WE KNOW THAT THE ONGOING IMPACTS OF THE PANDEMIC, ECONOMIC TURMOIL, COMMUNITY VIOLENCE, AND OTHER CHALLENGES HAVE RESULTED IN MANY INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES CONTINUING TO STRUGGLE TO MEET THEIR BASIC NEEDS, WITH FOOD AND HOUSING INSECURITY SKYROCKETING. WITH THIS IN MIND, WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT CRISIS SERVICES THAT STABILIZE FAMILIES ACROSS OUR REGION AND IMPROVE THE SYSTEMS THAT SERVE THEM.WE BELIEVE THAT THIS DUAL APPROACH WILL MOVE OUR COMMUNITIES FORWARD AGAIN, BY EMPHASIZING IMMEDIATE SUPPORT FOR THOSE IN CRISIS AND A LONG-TERM VISION TO BUILD A STRONGER, MORE EQUITABLE CHICAGO REGION. TO ACHIEVE OUR GOALS, WE WILL FOCUS OUR GRANTMAKING ON HIGH-QUALITY BASIC NEEDS SERVICES, INNOVATIVE MODELS THAT CAN TRANSFORM SYSTEMS AND SERVICE DELIVERY, AND COORDINATED, PLACE-BASED EFFORTS. MORE THAN $8 MILLION DOLLARS WAS INVESTED TO SUPPORT THE OUTLINED IMPACT GRANT STRATEGIES ACROSS THE CHICAGO REGION JULY 1, 2021-JUNE 30, 2022. JULY 1, 2021-JUNE 30, 2022 INVESTMENTS / OUTCOMES BASIC NEEDS UWMC INVESTED IN DIRECT SERVICE PROGRAMS THAT STABILIZE FAMILIES BY PROVIDING CRITICAL SUPPORT IN AREAS SUCH AS ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, HOUSING, SAFETY FROM ABUSE, AND ACCESS TO FOOD. PARTNERS FUNDED THROUGH THIS STRATEGY MAY EITHER BE REGIONAL AGENCIES OPERATING ACROSS MULTIPLE SITES AND NEIGHBORHOODS/MUNICIPALITIES OR COMMUNITY HUBS THAT SERVE A SPECIFIC POPULATION OR COMMUNITY. SYSTEMS IMPROVEMENT & INNOVATION UWMC INVESTED IN PARTNERS WORKING TO IMPROVE OVERALL SYSTEMS THROUGH ADVOCACY OR THOSE ADVANCING DIRECT SERVICE DELIVERY THROUGH INNOVATIVE APPROACHES. SYSTEMS IMPROVEMENTS GRANTS SUPPORT COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN DIRECT SERVICE PROVIDERS IN A SINGLE ISSUE AND THE COORDINATING AND CONVENING EFFORTS NECESSARY TO DRIVE SYSTEMS CHANGE. INNOVATION GRANTS ADVANCE INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENTS IN DIRECT SERVICE DELIVERY THROUGH, FOR EXAMPLE, CASE MANAGEMENT, TECHNOLOGY, OR COORDINATED MULTI-AGENCY PROGRAMMING. COORDINATED SERVICES UWMC INVESTED IN PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE HIGH-QUALITY DIRECT SERVICES THAT ARE CONNECTED TO BROADER COMMUNITY EFFORTS IN UNITED WAY'S NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKS OR OTHER SELECTED COMMUNITIES. THESE SERVICES MUST BE ANCHORED IN ONE OF UNITED WAY'S PRIORITY FUNDING AREAS (HOUSING, FOOD ACCESS, SAFETY FROM ABUSE, ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, TAX PREPARATION, LEGAL ASSISTANCE, EARLY LEARNING, OR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT) BUT MAY INCLUDE ANY ADDITIONAL SERVICES THAT WILL ASSIST THE HOUSEHOLD IN ACHIEVING THEIR GOALS. SOME OUTCOMES FOR JULY 1, 2021-JUNE 30, 2022 #1 - 2,478 INDIVIDUALS PLACED IN JOBS #2 - 18,072 BEHAVIORAL AND MENTAL HEALTH SCREENINGS/REFERRALS TO TREATMENT #3 - 15,312 PEOPLE CONNECTED TO A HEALTH PROVIDER/PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN/REGULAR CARE #4 - 10,332 INDIVIDUALS RECEIVED FOOD ASSISTANCE #5 - 5,761 INDIVIDUALS ACCESSED A SAFE, STABLE LIVING SITUATION

NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKS NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKS ARE COALITIONS OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS PROVIDING NEIGHBORHOOD-SPECIFIC SOLUTIONS TO UNIQUE LOCAL CHALLENGES. THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORK INITIATIVE, UWMC WORKS WITH HUNDREDS OF AGENCY AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN 13 NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE CHICAGO REGION. THE GOAL IS TO BUILD MORE EQUITABLE COMMUNITIES THROUGH COMMUNITY-BASED AND RESIDENT-LED PROGRAMS. IN EACH NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORK, UWMC DELIVERS FUNDING, RESOURCES, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND KNOWLEDGE TO BRING COMMUNITY-DRIVEN GOALS TO LIFE. (CONTINUED IN SCHEDULE O)DURING FY22, UNITED WAY OF METRO CHICAGO WORKED IN 13 NEIGHBORHOODS: AUBURN GRESHAM, AUSTIN, BLUE ISLAND/ROBBINS, BRIGHTON PARK, BRONZEVILLE, CICERO, ENGLEWOOD, EVANSTON, FAR SOUTH, GARFIELD PARK, LITTLE VILLAGE, SOUTH CHICAGO, AND WEST CHICAGO. MORE THAN $6 MILLION DOLLARS WAS INVESTED TO SUPPORT THE NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKS DURING THE FY22 TIME PERIOD OF JULY 1, 2021-JUNE 30, 2022. SOME MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS & OUTCOMES: - UWMC EXPANDED THE NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORK INITIATIVE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SIX YEARS, LAUNCHING THREE NEW NETWORKS IN ENGLEWOOD, FAR SOUTH, AND GARFIELD PARK. - LATINOS PROGRESANDO IN THE LITTLE VILLAGE NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORK BEGAN TRANSFORMING A VACANT LIBRARY BUILDING INTO A COMMUNITY CENTER THAT WILL PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FROM ESPERANZA HEALTH AND AFTER-SCHOOL AND SUMMER PROGRAMS FROM THE LINCOLN PARK ZOO FOR NEARBY STUDENTS. - UWMC AND ITW PARTNERED TO LAUNCH THE COMMIT TO A NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE IN THE AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD TO CREATE QUALITY, LIVING-WAGE JOBS WITH GOOD BENEFITS AND STIMULATING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

THE CRITICAL WORK OF UWMC REQUIRES SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES. SUPPORT IS RAISED THROUGH A DIVERSIFIED REVENUE MODEL. UWMC CONDUCTS WORKPLACE GIVING CAMPAIGNS, RECEIVES INDIVIDUAL AND MAJOR GIFTS, IS AWARDED GRANTS FROM PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS AND FROM THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. STRATEGIC EFFORTS ARE IN PLACE TO FURTHER GROW SIGNIFICANT REVENUE FROM GRANTS AND INDIVIDUAL GIVING. OTHER PROGRAM SERVICE ACHIEVEMENTS INCLUDE DESIGNATIONS BY DONORS TO OTHER 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATIONS.

UNITED NEIGHBORHOODS EQUITY FUND THE UNITED NEIGHBORHOODS EQUITY FUND (UNEF) WAS LAUNCHED IN FALL 2021 TO SUPPORT SMALL, BLACK AND LATINX-LED NONPROFITS PREDOMINANTLY LOCATED ON THE CITY OF CHICAGO'S SOUTH AND WEST SIDES AND IN THE SOUTH SUBURBAN REGION. UNEF IS DESIGNED TO CONNECT THE GRANTEE NONPROFITS TO NEW CAPACITY-BUILDING AND INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT MEET THE ORGANIZATION'S NEEDS AND ADVANCE THEIR LONG-TERM GOALS. AS A FUNDER, UNITED WAY OF METRO CHICAGO RECOGNIZES THAT A TOP-DOWN APPROACH AND LACK OF LIVED EXPERIENCE HAS OFTEN LED TO FUNDER-DRIVEN DECISION-MAKING THAT LACKS AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY EXPERTISE AND INCLUSION. UNEF IS A PHILANTHROPIC COMMITMENT ADDRESSING THE BARRIERS MANY BLACK AND LATINX-LED NONPROFITS FACE IN SECURING SUSTAINING SUPPORT AND CREATING A MORE EQUITABLE AND JUST CHICAGO. THE COHORT-BASED PROGRAM INCORPORATES THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS: - FUNDING - TWO-YEAR GENERAL OPERATING GRANT AWARD ($50,000 TOTAL) - COHORT - LEADERS FROM 10 COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS (WITH BUDGETS OF <$1M) SERVING THE COMMUNITIES ALIGNED WITH THE UNITED WAY NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORK INITIATIVE - CAPACITY BUILDING - INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP CAPACITY-BUILDING CURRICULUM AIMED TO STRENGTHEN ORGANIZATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE - RELATIONSHIP BUILDING - CROSS-SECTOR RELATIONSHIP BUILDING THROUGH A PEER COHORT MODEL, CORPORATE SPOTLIGHT, AND NETWORKING WITH POTENTIAL FUNDERS AND INVESTORS THROUGH A SERIES OF WORKSHOPS AND CANDID CONVERSATIONS WITH GRANTEES, FUNDERS, AND CORPORATE PARTNERS, WE AIM TO CREATE A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF RACIAL DISPARITY IN FUNDING, FOSTER CHANGE IN THE PHILANTHROPIC SECTOR, AND ADDRESS RACIAL INJUSTICE. INITIAL PROGRAM SUCCESSES: - INITIAL COHORT OF 10 BLACK AND LATINX-LED NONPROFITS SELECTED IN SEPTEMBER 2021 - SIGNIFICANT CORPORATE SUPPORT FROM PEOPLE GAS, NICOR GAS, TARGET, AND UL - DEPAUL UNIVERSITY SERVES AS ACADEMIC PARTNER FOR THE PROGRAM