December Non-Profit Grants & Opportunities
The City of Chicago, nonprofit organizations, and private organizations are accepting grant applications from businesses and nonprofits. If you are interested in growing your business check out some of the opportunities below and open grant funding.
The City of Chicago Nonprofit Capacity Building Program
The Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) has launched The City of Chicago Nonprofit Capacity Building Program (NCBP). This program was designed to provide access to curated coaching and education programs for Chicago area nonprofits in an effort to support nonprofit organizations gain access to capital, funding, and other resources to counteract the effects of the pandemic. Here are some of the program offerings:
Readiness Summit: Informs organizations so they can prepare to apply for grants and contracts funded by the Chicago Recovery Plan and other economic recovery funding.
Recent Summit Recordings: https://publichealth.uic.edu/community-engagement/collaboratory-for-health-justice/nonprofit-capacity-building/
Upcoming events:
Wednesday, December 13th @ 9:00 AM
Webinars: Webinars feature different topics related to applying for grant opportunities.
View Past Webinars presented by Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC)
View Past Webinars presented by Greater Auburn Gresham Development Corporation (GAGDC)
Upcoming events:
Leveraging Social Media for Fundraising
Tuesday, December 5th @ 10:00 AM (hosted by GAGDC)
Workshops: Held weekly, workshops provide an opportunity to connect with your peers and subject matter experts to discuss specific organization challenges.
Upcoming events:
Best Practices Writing City/Government Grants
Friday, December 8th @ 2:00 PM (hosted by GAGDC)
Contract Execution
Wednesday, December 13th @ 11:00 AM (hosted by WBDC)
Nonprofit Capacity Building Master Class (IN PERSON)
Wednesday, December 6th @ 11:00 AM (hosted by GAGDC)
Tuesday, December 12th @ 11:00 AM (hosted by GAGDC)
Vouchering
Wednesday, December 6th @ 11:00 AM (hosted by WBDC)
One-on-one counseling: A one-on-one meeting with a subject expert who can help you with specific grant application issues.
The Nonprofit Capacity Building Program is designed to empower your organization through…
Technical Assistance: Whether you're a newcomer or an experienced hand with the City's RFP system, our guidance ensures your success when applying for Recovery funding.
Capacity Building: Scale your operations with insights and coaching from experts who understand your unique challenges.
Networking: Forge meaningful collaborations with fellow nonprofits, experts, and potential partners, establishing a robust support network.
Equitable Recovery: Join us in contributing to Chicago's recovery plan by fostering equitable and thriving communities through your nonprofit's impactful work.
For support registering for these opportunities using the Nonprofit Capacity Building Intake Form, please contact Nonprofit Capacity Building Coordinator, Julia Riley, at julia.riley@lrvcc.org. If this is your first time completing the intake form, please select Lakeview Roscoe Village Chamber of Commerce when asked how you heard about this program!
ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES:
BoardLead
BoardLead is the signature program of Cause Strategy Partners. Their network is designed to help your organization meet talented board members who are passionate about helping you drive your mission forward while also gaining access to governance resources – all at no cost to nonprofits. Reduce friction in your board development process by creating a compelling board member recruitment profile on our BoardLead platform. Represent your nonprofit to corporations and potential board candidates in ways that attract the diversity and depth of talent you seek. Experience a faster and easier way to attract and elect exceptional new board members. They vet potential board members for cause alignment and readiness to serve, and train them for effective board service. They also vet the companies candidates work for to ensure values and mission alignment.
For more information and to apply for the BoardLead network: https://causestrategypartners.com/boardlead
Capital One Café – Southport
Capital One Café has meeting rooms available for nonprofits to book, free of charge. You can book this free meeting space dedicated for nonprofit organizations and student groups directly through their LiquidSpace portal. The room itself fits up to eight people.
To reserve this space, please follow this link: https://liquidspace.com/us/il/chicago/capital-one-chicago/meeting-room-2?StartTime=&ReservationStart=&WorkspaceCapacity=&Amenities=&SpaceTypes=0&ReservationMethod=0&SortOrder=0&ReservationLengthMinutes=60&src=srp#wp-hourly
Canva Pro for Nonprofits
Canva for Nonprofits has everything you need to create powerful marketing campaigns. Create social media posts, presentations, infographics, websites, reports, posters, flyers and signage. With over 500,000 nonprofits in our community, we at Canva want to continue to empower nonprofits to achieve their goals with free access to Canva's premium features.
https://www.canva.com/canva-for-nonprofits/
Forefront
Forefront is Illinois’ statewide association representing both grantmakers and nonprofits, as well as their advisors and allies. Their mission is to build a vibrant social impact sector for all the people of Illinois. They provide education, advocacy, thought leadership, and facilitate collective action around issues that are important to their Members and to the sector. For a full calendar of Forefront events: https://myforefront.org/events/
Upcoming December FREE events:
Advancing Strategy Through Partnership (Webinar) – Thursday, December 7th @ 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
This webinar presentation, featuring Scott Cotenoff and Ali Carella from La Piana Consulting and Aina Gutierrez from the Rebuilding Exchange, will explore a range of strategic partnership options, discuss how strategic partnerships can be an effective tool for growth and sustainability, and provide tools for organizations to further pursue potential relationships with other nonprofits. Leaders will learn about the “why” and “how” of partnership development and come away with some approachable next steps.To continue the conversation, this winter, the MSI will host an opportunity for organizations to use La Piana’s Mergers and Alliances Assessment Tool (MAAT) to explore their organizational readiness for partnership. Those interested in applying for MAAT support are encouraged to attend this December 7 webinar.
For details and registration: https://myforefront.org/event/advancing-strategy-through-partnership-webinar/
Introduction to Prospect Research, Grants (Webinar) – Wednesday, December 13th @ 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
This workshop will provide a brief overview of the Forefront Library’s databases, print collection, and online research guides, with a focus on the Candid’s Foundation Directory Online. This introductory program is ideal for grantseekers who are new to the process or who would like to refresh their skills.
For details and registration: https://myforefront.org/event/introduction-to-prospect-research-grants-webinar-2/
Savvy Fellowship
Savvy is a 12-week virtual fellowship program for young professionals seeking to be part of the new generation of impact entrepreneurs. No cohort. No application deadline. Designed for applicants ages 18-40.
For more information and to apply: https://savvyfellows.com/
COHORT OPPORTUNITIES:
Allstate Foundation Nonprofit Leadership Center, Nonprofit Management Essentials
This program was developed for emerging nonprofit leaders and those new to the sector. The content is designed to broaden awareness across a breadth of management topics in a flexible, online offering. Learn from faculty and practitioners and apply these nonprofit management essentials to your position. Nonprofit Management Essentials is fully funded by The Allstate Foundation and powered by content from the Kellogg School Center for Nonprofit Management.
GRANT FUNDS:
Atomic Grants
Application Deadline: 12/15/23
Atomic Grants are available to those who identify as a woman, and who are 21+. You can live anywhere in the world - as long as you have a way to receive the money digitally, and you are connected via email and social media. Passion Collective’s Atomic Grant program awards four grants each year — $1,500 to one winner each quarter — to women seeking funding for their professional passions. Grant recipients will also have access to professional coaching sessions and one free year of Passion Collective On Demand.
https://www.passioncollective.co/atomic-grants
Awesome Foundation
Application Deadline: Rolling
The Awesome Foundation is an ever-growing worldwide community devoted to forwarding the interest of awesome in the universe. Created in the long hot summer days of 2009 in Boston, the Foundation distributes $1,000 grants, no strings attached, to projects and their creators. At each fully autonomous chapter, the money is pooled together from the coffers of ten or so self-organizing “micro-trustees” and given up front in cash, check, or gold doubloons.
https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en
Clean Energy to Communities Program
Application Deadline: Rolling
C2C connects local governments, tribes, electric utilities, and community-based organizations with national laboratory experts and customized, cutting-edge analysis to achieve clean energy systems that are reflective of local and regional priorities.
https://www.nrel.gov/state-local-tribal/clean-energy-to-communities.html
Flexible Funding Program
Full Application: Dependent on flexible funding type
Equitable investment in neighborhoods cannot happen without the leadership of community-based organizations. That means these organizations need access to funding that is focused solely on the state of the organization rather than its programs and initiatives. The Flexible Funding Program provides three distinct types of “flexible” dollars to organizations in Black and Latinx neighborhoods.
To receive Flexible Funding support, the organization must be Black or Latinx-led, and its work must align with the Trust’s Catalyzing Neighborhood Investment strategy.
https://www.cct.org/grants/opportunities/flexible-funding-program/
Illinois Art Council Agency - Artstour & Live Music
Application Deadline: Rolling
Artstour & Live Music provides support to eligible Illinois not-for-profit organizations seeking to present Illinois performing artists, companies, or groups for performances, collaborations, or short residencies held in conjunction with performances. This program can not be used to support events that are part of a regular series by organizations already receiving Program Grants in the discipline of Presenters.