Rapid Response Fund

Rapid Response Logo 4

Chicago Beyond’s Rapid Response Fund quickly delivers resources to hyperlocal community organizations and individuals creating a better future for our young people and communities. There is no application process to become a Rapid Response Fund partner, which allows organizations more time to focus on the critical work of advancing their missions. The investment is unrestricted to help leaders to do what they deem is most critical and impactful based on their experience working with their colleagues and living in their communities. Rapid Response Fund partners also receive: 

  • A healing stipend, to help leaders care for themselves and their teams.   
  • Access to space, Chicago Beyond’s Home for Social Innovation, for meetings and special events. 
  • Extended visibility to their organizations. 
  • Invitations to Chicago Beyond events. 

To date, over 160 organizations have become our Rapid Response Fund partners.

The Rapid Response Fund is also an example of how the Abundance Movement can be brought to life.  The Abundance Movement is a nationwide movement that asks funders to acknowledge that there are numerous Black-led organizations working to overcome systemic inequities and to address the funding disparity for Black-led organizations by shifting how philanthropic dollars are allocated.  Chicago Beyond recognizes that there is a multitude of Black-led community organizations in Chicago and supports some of these organizations through the Rapid Response Fund. 

One of the ways Chicago Beyond identifies and reaches these hyperlocal community organizations, is through Chicago Beyond’s People’s Assembly. The People’s Assembly is a group of Chicagoans who share their experiences about impactful organizations doing invaluable block-by-block work in their own communities. This group plays a crucial role in recommending organizations that often go unnoticed and unfunded to receive support as a part of the Rapid Response Fund.   

Read on to learn more about the critical work of our Rapid Response Fund partners. 

Hover your mouse over any image below to read a description of the organization.  You can click on any image or any organization’s title to visit their websites or Facebook pages. 

To learn more about our funding opportunities or to nominate an individual or organization, please click here.