The Chicago Fund for Safe and Peaceful Communities

Tap into your power, experience and knowledge.

Apply for a grant from The Chicago Fund for Safe & Peaceful Communities, and show Chicagoans what you can do for Chicago.

If you run – or can create – a summer program in one of our prioritized Chicago communities that is designed to promote peace, build trust and strengthen relationships across ages, and if your organization’s annual operating budget is less than $500,000, then we want to empower you with funding from $1,000 to as much as $10,000. There is a straight-forward process to applying for a grant. Follow these recommended steps.

NOTE: The application period for the 2024 PSPC Chicago Fund has closed. Please stay tuned for details about the 2025 PSPC Chicago Fund.

4 easy steps to apply

1

Define your project

Review the 2024 PSPC Chicago Fund RFP, then develop a clearly worded description of your project. This should include its name, who it is for (for example, young children, teens or all ages), what its main activities will be, where it will happen and what you anticipate its results will be. Remember: We are funding projects that are specifically in one of our prioritized Chicago communities.

2

Enhance your project

We believe that powerful things happen when people work together, so we encourage collaborations among organizations, agencies and civic groups that can lead to great community activities. We also strongly the inclusion of the Seven Field Principles (7FP) in your project. The 7FP is a proven tool for fostering strong communities and reducing violence, and is very effective when used in a comprehensive and coordinated way within communities. The Fund will strive for that kind of coordination among all funded projects.

3

Assemble your data

You’re almost there – let’s put some numbers together. Develop a budget for your project. Have your organization’s Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) available, or have approval to use the FEIN of your collaborating partner that will serve as the fiscal sponsor for this grant. Watch a recording of the 2023 PSPC Chicago Fund information session to gain more insight and ask questions about your application.

4

Make it happen

When you’re ready to submit your application, it’s best if you do the work from a computer with a strong Internet connection. (We do not recommend submitting via a smart device.) To ensure you have everything you need to apply, print out this checklist. When you’re ready, go to Grant Central, create a username and password, and follow the prompts.

Checklist for Applicants

You will need access to the internet to complete and submit your application.

FEIN (Your Organization’s or a Fiscal Sponsor’s)

Grant Central Username & Password

Organizational Information (Name, Main Contact Information)

Project Name & Description

Project Budget

Prioritized Communities

The following community areas have been prioritized for support from the Fund based on data compiled by the University of Chicago Crime Lab for highest number and rate of homicides:

Austin

Auburn Gresham

Burnside

Chatham

Chicago Lawn

Englewood

West Englewood

Fuller Park

Gage Park

East Garfield Park

West Garfield Park

Greater Grand Crossing

Humboldt Park

Lower West Side (Pilsen)

New City (Back of the Yards)

North Lawndale

South Lawndale (Little Village)

Riverdale

Roseland

South Chicago

South Shore

Washington Park

West Pullman

Woodlawn

Fiscal Sponsors

You can select a fiscal sponsor on your own, or you can consider one of these organizations, which have agreed to serve as fiscal sponsors for funded organizations, if needed.

Resilience Partners NFP

Contact: Deirdre Bates and Brittany Blackwell

dbates@resiliencepartnersnfp.org

bblackwell@rpnfp.org

www.resiliencepartnersnfp.org

312-281-6552

The Monroe Foundation

Contact: Otis Monroe

omonroe@themonroefoundation.org

www.themonroefoundation.org

773-315-9720

Looking for help with your application?

Virtual sessions to help guide organizations through the application process will be held on Thursday, February 8 at 12pm and on Thursday, February 22 at 6pm. Attending these sessions is not a requirement to apply for funding. Anyone interested in attending should register in advance.

Watch a recording of an information session we held about the 2023 PSPC Chicago Fund application process.