UNITED WAY OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO INC

IMPACT GRANTSFOR MORE THAN 90 YEARS, UNITED WAY OF METRO CHICAGO ("UNITED WAY") HAS MOBILIZED PRIVATE AND PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT, AS WELL AS PUBLIC SECTOR RESOURCES, TO BUILD THRIVING COMMUNITIES. WE INVEST IN ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE REGION TO PROVIDE THE BUILDING BLOCKS TO STABILIZE HOUSEHOLDS AND ACHIEVE COMMUNITY-IDENTIFIED GOALS VIA ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, HOUSING, SAFETY FROM ABUSE, FOOD ASSISTANCE, EARLY LEARNING, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND LEGAL ASSISTANCE.UNITED WAY OF METRO CHICAGO GROUNDS ITS GRANTMAKING IN LOCAL DATA, COMMUNITY INPUT, AND INSIGHTS FROM ORGANIZATIONS AND LEADERS WITH DEEP KNOWLEDGE OF COMMUNITY NEEDS. WE FOCUS ON SUPPORTING (SEE SCHEDULE O) HIGH-QUALITY DIRECT SERVICE PROGRAMS THAT RESPOND TO THE MOST PRESSING NEEDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS ACROSS OUR KEY FOCUS AREAS.WE BELIEVE IN A COLLABORATIVE AND COMMUNITY-LED APPROACH TO PHILANTHROPY ONE THAT VALUES THE EXPERTISE OF THOSE DELIVERING SERVICES AND CREATES SPACE FOR ONGOING FEEDBACK, SHARED LEARNING, AND INNOVATION. OUR GRANTS ARE UNRESTRICTED, SO PARTNERS CAN APPLY FUNDING WHERE IT IS NEEDED MOST FROM STAFFING AND SERVICE DELIVERY TO ORGANIZATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND GROWTH. UNITED WAY OF METRO CHICAGO'S ROLE IS NOT ONLY TO FUND BUT ALSO TO SERVE AS A CONNECTOR, CAPACITY BUILDER, AND PARTNER IN ADVANCING COMMUNITY-LED CHANGE.MORE THAN $6 MILLION WAS INVESTED FROM JULY 1, 2024, TO JUNE 30, 2025, TO SUPPORT THE OUTLINED IMPACT GRANT STRATEGIES ACROSS THE CHICAGO REGION.JULY 1, 2024 - JUNE 30, 2025, INVESTMENTS / OUTCOMESUNITED WAY OF METRO CHICAGO ("UNITED WAY") AWARDED IMPACT GRANTS ACCORDING TO THE STRATEGIC FOCUS AREAS OUTLINED BELOW. UNITED WAY'S 2024-25 FUNDING SUPPORTED FOUR GRANT STRATEGIES: PLACE-BASED WRAPAROUND SERVICES, PLACE-BASED ISSUE-FOCUSED SERVICES, REGIONWIDE WRAPAROUND SERVICES, AND REGIONWIDE ISSUE-FOCUSED SERVICES. THESE GRANT STRATEGIES EACH EMPLOY DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO ACHIEVING UNITED WAY'S ULTIMATE GOALS OF STABILIZING LOW-INCOME FAMILIES IN CRISIS AND BUILDING STRONGER COMMUNITIES.IN ALL UNITED WAY IMPACT GRANTS, WE ARE SEEKING TO ACHIEVE GOALS IN AT LEAST ONE OF OUR FOCUS AREAS:- BASIC NEEDS: THE FOCUS AREA INCLUDES PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES TO HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, HOUSING, SAFETY FROM ABUSE, FOOD ASSISTANCE, AND LEGAL ASSISTANCE SUPPORT.- EARLY LEARNING: PROVIDING SUPPORT SO THAT CHILDREN AND FAMILIES CAN BUILD A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR THE START OF SCHOOL.- WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: PREPARING INDIVIDUALS FOR SUCCESS AND LONG-TERM LIVING WAGE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES.SOME OUTCOMES FOR JULY 1, 2024 - JUNE 30, 2025- FOOD SECURITY: 260,000+ MEALS TO PEOPLE EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY- WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: # 19,000+ INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATED IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS; # 5,000+ INDIVIDUALS WERE PLACED IN LIVING-WAGE JOBS- HEALTH CARE: 24,000+ INDIVIDUALS RECEIVED ONGOING BEHAVIORAL AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES LEADING TO IMPROVEMENT- EDUCATION: # 10,000+ CHILDREN PARTICIPATED IN EARLY-LEARNING PROGRAMS; # 92% OF CHILDREN AGES 0-5 IN EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS IMPROVED ACROSS DEVELOPMENTAL DOMAINS, SUCH AS FINE MOTOR SKILLS AND COMMUNICATION

NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKS AT UNITED WAY OF METRO CHICAGO, WE WORK ALONGSIDE LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS TO HELP IDENTIFY COMMUNITY PRIORITIES AND CREATE A RESIDENT-DRIVEN NEIGHBORHOOD STRATEGY. THIS PLACE-BASED APPROACH IS LED BY THE COMMUNITY QUARTERBACK, AN AGENCY THAT HELPS BRING TO THE TABLE ALL THE PEOPLE, RESOURCES, AND IDEAS NEEDED TO EXECUTE COMMUNITY PLANS. UNITED WAY PROVIDES FUNDING, CAPACITY BUILDING, AND CONNECTIONS. WE THEN WORK ON THE GROUND WITH THE COMMUNITY QUARTERBACK TO DEVELOP AND SUPPORT THEIR WORK IN THE AREAS OF ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION, HOUSING, SAFETY, AND MORE. UNITED WAY OF METRO CHICAGO SUPPORTS NETWORKS IN 17 NEIGHBORHOODS: AUBURN GRESHAM, (SEE SCHEDULE O) AUSTIN, BLUE ISLAND/ROBBINS, BRIGHTON PARK, BRONZEVILLE, CHICAGO HEIGHTS/FORD HEIGHTS, ELGIN, ENGLEWOOD, EVANSTON, FAR SOUTH, GARFIELD PARK, HARVEY, LITTLE VILLAGE, PARK FOREST/RICHTON PARK, SOUTH CHICAGO, SUMMIT, AND WEST CHICAGO.SOME MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS & OUTCOMES:- UNITED WAY PARTNERS IN WEST GARFIELD PARK BROKE GROUND ON SANKOFA VILLAGE WELLNESS CENTER, A NEW HUB THAT WILL BRING ESSENTIAL HEALTH RESOURCES, EDUCATION, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. - THE PARK FOREST/RICHTON PARK NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORK CELEBRATED THE RIBBON CUTTING OF THE NICI SOUTHLAND CLEAN ENERGY TRAINING CENTER, PROMOTING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC GROWTH.- THE ASPIRE CENTER FOR WORKFORCE INNOVATION CELEBRATED THE GRAND OPENING IN THE AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORK.CATALYTIC INVESTMENTSUNITED WAY OF METRO CHICAGO CREATED A CRITERION FRAMEWORK TO ASSESS LARGE, CATALYTIC INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORK COMMUNITIES. WHEN MAKING AN INVESTMENT DECISION, UNITED WAY CONSIDERS A PROJECT'S ALIGNMENT WITH A NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORK'S OVERARCHING GOALS, HOW PARTNERS AND COMMUNITY RESIDENTS WILL UTILIZE THE SPACE, THE RIPPLE EFFECT ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND ITS LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY.CATALYTIC INVESTMENT DECISIONS CONSIDER THE PROJECT'S IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM IMPACTS ON THE COMMUNITY, RANGING FROM LOCAL HIRING DURING CONSTRUCTION TO PERMANENT JOBS, AND HOW SERVICES CAN SERVE AS A SPRINGBOARD FOR FAMILY STABILITY.CATALYTIC INVESTMENT IMPACTS:- IN AUBURN GRESHAM, UNITED WAY'S CATALYTIC INVESTMENT SUPPORTED PHASE TWO OF THE GREEN ERA CAMPUS.- IN THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY, UNITED WAY'S CATALYTIC INVESTMENT SUPPORTED THE OPENING OF THE ASPIRE CENTER FOR WORKFORCE INNOVATION.- UNITED WAY INVESTED IN THE SOUTH CHICAGO QUALITY OF LIFE PLAN AND ENGLEWOOD MASTER PLANMORE THAN $8.5 MILLION WAS INVESTED TO SUPPORT THE NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORK INITIATIVE FROM JULY 1, 2024, TO JUNE 30, 2025.