People gather outdoors near tables and stacks of boxes labeled Food Box. Cars are parked in the background, suggesting a community distribution event in a parking lot.

Rapid Response Fund

From 2020–2023, Chicago Beyond’s Rapid Response Fund delivered unrestricted grants to hyperlocal organizations and individuals with solutions for their own communities. These investments strengthened partners’ wide-ranging work, including employment services, food security, re-entry supports, LGBTQIA+ safe spaces, art classes, environmental justice, wellness, and more. The Rapid Response Fund evolved from Chicago Beyond’s COVID-19 response initiative, through which we provided tens of thousands of families with basic necessities during the pandemic.

A group of people, including adults and children, gather around a tent set up outdoors. They are receiving backpacks and school supplies on a sunny day. A brick building and trees are visible in the background.

Rapid Response Fund Impact

$10M
Beginning in 2020, Chicago Beyond distributed more than $10M in Rapid Response funding.
91%
91% of Rapid Response Fund grants were made toward BIPOC-led organizations.
190
Chicago Beyond distributed grants to 190 Rapid Response Fund partners.

“Grants can be very programmatic. With one, I can’t even buy someone a biscuit. With Chicago Beyond’s grant, I can feed people when they attend programs. Other grants don’t think of the social aspect that sharing food and breaking bread together builds community.”
Celia Colon, Founder, Giving Others Dreams (G.O.D.)
"With the unrestricted award, we are reaching out to more BIPOC disabled folks of color and organizations that share our vision. We also have constant access to resources such as plain language materials, ASL interpreters, and live captioning. We wouldn’t have done it without the support of Chicago Beyond."
TIMOTHEUS “T.J. GORDON, JR. AND JAE JIN PAK, CO-FOUNDERS CHICAGOLAND DISABLED PEOPLE OF COLOR COALITION