
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.
Broken Winggz

G.A.N.G Transformation, LLC
MedReimagined
Mothers On A Mission 28
Chris Wilson Foundation
Vocal Justice
UCSF EMBRACE
The Chicago Torture Justice Center
Lighthouse Foundation
MedReimagined
Dish Roulette Kitchen
A New Day Mental Wellness Center
Black Researchers Collective
Amor Al Arte
1863FWD
360 Nation
ACCESS FREEDOM
Acting OutSide

ACT Yoga
Affinity Community Services
AirGo
Allen Metropolitan CME Church
The Answer Inc.
Ayodele Drum and Dance
Black Brown + Breathing
Black Roots Alliance

Blck Ink
Blocks Together
Black Community Collaborative
Blue Freedom Project
Boxing Out Negativity
Brown Books & Paintbrushes
Bronzeville-Kenwood Mutual Aid
Brave Space Alliance
Burst Into Books
Centreville Citizens for Change/Flooded and Forgotten
Centro de Trabajadores Unidos
Celestial Ministries Association/School of Fine Arts
Chicago Adventure Therapy
ChiFresh Kitchen & Urban Growers Collective
Chicago Black Doula Alliance
Chicagoland Disabled People of Color Coalition
Chicago Peace Initiative
Chi City Foods
Chi-Nations Youth Council
Circles & Ciphers
Clippers Change Communities
Coalition on Urban Girls
Concrete Rose 773
Community Healing Mercado
Communities In Schools

The Cost Of Dignity
Darren B. Easterling Center for Restorative Practices
Dion's Chicago Dream
Dream Hustle Code
DEMOISELLE 2 FEMME, NFP
The Dreamcatcher Foundation
El Paseo Community Garden
Earth's Remedies
EXxperts
En Las Tablas Performing Arts, NFP
Education Justice Project
Elevate
Englewood First Responders
Equity and Transformation
Escaping The Odds
Eye Love You

EYE AUM MOOR LLC
Edifye
Farm, Food, Familias
Fathers, Families and Healthy Communities
Firehouse Community Arts Center
Fres Oquendo Boxing Academy FOBA FOUNDATION INC
Forty Acres Fresh Market
Front Porch Arts Center
FRIEDA'S PLACE
F.O.C.U.O.S
Future Ties, NFP
Focus Fairies Mentoring
Gage Park Latinx Council
Girls Like Me Project
Giving Others Dreams (GOD)
Global Girls
Good Vibes Only
GODDESS Mentoring
Good Kids Mad City
Gyrls In The H.O.O.D Foundation
Grocery Run Club
Grounded in Trust
Grace Housing Complex

Hands Around the Hundreds
Healthy Place
Healing Hurt People - Chicago
Homie's Helping Humanity
The Happiness Club
Imagine Englewood If
Illinois Black Advocacy Initiative

I Dream Chicago
In Diamond's Hands
It Takes A Village
I Am Chi Foundation

The Iconic House of Ebony
The Jehovah Jireh #1 Outreach Ministry
John Pendleton Planks & Pistils
Justus Junkie
KY Production
Ladies of Virtue
Lead with Love
Legacy Disciple: Brotherhood Mentoring
Legacy Disciple: Hood Heroes
LetUsBreathe Collective
Light Up Lawndale
Life After Justice
LIVE FREE Chicago
Little Village Community Council

Living the Dream Youth Development
Lost Boyz Inc.
Love Unity & Values (LUV) Institute
Make Momma Proud
Market Box
Men Making a Difference
Mr. Nelson Movers
Mobilize Creative Connection

Mother Love Youth Connection
Noble Steps Chi
Not Me We
Nita’s Love Train
Natty Bwoy Bikes & Boards
Outreach International
Organic Oneness
Parents Overcoming Welfare-System Regulations (P.O.W.R)

Padres Angeles
Pastor Wayne Fricks / Men of War Ministries
People for Community Recovery
Perfect Vision Empowered
Pull Up The City/BLK Rising
The Pilsen Neighbors Community Council
Project LOVE Chicago
Praize Productions, Inc.
Rebel Bells
R.E.A.L Youth Initiative
Roseland Community "Good News" Day Care
The Roots Initiative
The Restorative Project
Root2Fruit Youth Foundation
Safe & Sound
Southeast Youth Alliance
Seeds of Roseland
Sista Afya Community Care
S.L.A.Y.
Storycatchers Theatre
Space Share Lab
Swish Queer Basketball Club
Telpochcalli Community Education Project
Think Outside Da Block
TGi Movement
TOTALLY POSITIVE PRODUCTIONS
True Star Media & Foundation

Unity Park
Unique Sweets Inc. NFP
Teamwork Englewood
The TRiiBE
Únete La Villita
Urban Growers Collective
Watch Guard
We Sow We Grow
Woke Chicago
Work Foundation
YAP
Young, Black and Lit
Youth Empowerment Performance Project (YEPP)
Yameen’s Dream
Youth Peace Center of Roseland
A New Day Mental Wellness Center
1863FWD
360 Nation
ACCESS FREEDOM
Acting OutSide
Affinity Community Services
AirGo
Allen Metropolitan CME Church
Amor Al Arte
The Answer Inc.
Ayodele Drum and Dance
Black Brown + Breathing
Black Roots Alliance

Blck Ink
Blocks Together
Blue Freedom Project
Boxing Out Negativity
Brown Books & Paintbrushes
Bronzeville-Kenwood Mutual Aid
Brave Space Alliance
Burst Into Books
Centro de Trabajadores Unidos
Celestial Ministries Association/School of Fine Arts
Chicago Adventure Therapy
ChiFresh Kitchen & Urban Growers Collective
Chicago Black Doula Alliance
Chicagoland Disabled People of Color Coalition
Chicago Peace Initiative
Chi City Foods
Chi-Nations Youth Council
Circles & Ciphers
Coalition on Urban Girls
Concrete Rose Chicago
Community Healing Mercado
Communities In Schools

The Cost Of Dignity
Darren B. Easterling Center for Restorative Practices
Dion's Chicago Dream
Dream Hustle Code
DEMOISELLE 2 FEMME, NFP
The Dreamcatcher Foundation
El Paseo Community Garden
Earth's Remedies
EXxperts
En Las Tablas Performing Arts, NFP
Education Justice Project
Elevate
Englewood First Responders
Equity and Transformation
Eye Love You
Farm, Food, Familias
Firehouse Community Arts Center
Fres Oquendo Boxing Academy FOBA FOUNDATION INC
Forty Acres Fresh Market
FRIEDA'S PLACE
Future Ties, NFP
Farm, Food, Familias
Focus Fairies Mentoring
Gage Park LatinX
Girls Like Me Project
Giving Others Dreams (GOD)
Global Girls
Good Vibes Only
GODDESS Mentoring
Good Kids Mad City
Girls Like Me Project
Gyrls In The H.O.O.D Foundation
Grocery Run Club
Grace Housing Complex
Healthy Place
Healing Hurt People - Chicago
Homie's Helping Humantiy
The Happiness Club
Imagine Englewood If
Illinois Black Advocacy Initiative
In Diamond's Hands
I Am Chi Foundation
John Pendleton Planks & Pistils
The Jehovah Jireh #1 Outreach Ministry
Ladies of Virtue
Lead with Love
Legacy Disciple: Brotherhood Mentoring
Legacy Disciple: Hood Heroes
LetUsBreathe Collective
Life After Justice
LIVE FREE Chicago
Little Village Community Council

Living the Dream Youth Development
Lost Boyz Inc.
Love Unity & Values (LUV) Institute
Make Momma Proud
Market Box
Men Making a Difference
Mr. Nelson Movers
Noble Steps Chi
Not Me We
Nita’s Love Train
Natty Bwoy Bikes & Boards
