West Cook News

Cook County Announces Nearly $3 Million in Additional Starting Block Grant Awards for Community-Based Organizations

Jun 21, 2024

(Cook County, IL) - Today, the office of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and the Cook County Justice Advisory Council announced an additional $3 million in grant awards under the Cook County Starting Block Grant Initiative. The capacity-building grant initiative supports small to medium-sized non-profit organizations looking to develop their infrastructure to increase organizational health, growth, and sustainability.

“Cook County has long recognized the impact community-based organizations have in the lives of individuals and the vital role they play in communities, particularly those that have been historically underserved,” said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. “Despite being key stakeholders that advance the health, safety and economic success of residents and communities, funding for these organizations to address key operational needs has been limited. We are proud that the Starting Block Grant initiative fills this critical gap and will help many non-profit organizations achieve greater stability now, and for the future.”

The almost $3 million in new Starting Block Grant awards will support a cohort of 31 community-based non-profit organizations working in diverse sectors from Arts and Culture to Health and Human Services, serving communities across Cook County. This funding builds on nearly $5 million of grants awarded to a cohort of 50 organizations in December 2023. The second cycle of funding brings the total investment to $7,838,762 in capacity building grants under the Starting Block Grant Initiative.

The grant initiative aims to increase equity in grantmaking in Cook County by supporting the individualized capacity-building efforts of non-profit organizations with annual operating budgets under $1 million. The initiative is funded by the Cook County Equity Special Purpose Fund and the Cook County Justice Advisory Council (JAC). It recognizes that smaller grassroots organizations play important roles in communities but often face barriers to securing consistent funding or meeting goals for growth.

“The Starting Block Grant initiative was designed in response to feedback and observation that many smaller community organizations are held back by operational limitations or lack the funding to meet meaningful goals that are just out of reach,” said Avik Das, Executive Director of JAC. “We see these organizations doing incredibly impactful work in communities with limited resources and support. Starting Block Grants are an investment in their long-term sustainability and success, designed to help them innovate and thrive in a changing world and ultimately serve the community at a higher level.”

Awarded organizations are receiving funding for eligible capacity-building priorities including strategic planning and partnership development; creation of diversity, equity, and inclusion plans; staff training; improvements in bookkeeping; data management; technology; and more.

Susan Klumpner, Executive Director of The ACE Project shared: “With capacity funding through the Cook Country Starting Block Grant, ACE will make critical infrastructure improvements so this grassroots movement can continue supporting local leaders within our organization.” She added that after celebrating a decade of success last year: "ACE is excited to see how this grant will shape our growth over the next 10 years by creating more economic opportunities."

"Our organization believes that midwives when empowered to work in community-based settings are a viable solution," said Star August, Executive Director of Black Midwifery Collective. "In Cook County... we are working...by collaborating with City Colleges of Chicago." She noted: "The Cook County Starting Block Grant will support this goal by enabling us to increase our team's administrative capacity at a critical moment."

"We are a grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting residents," said Schanel Princess Shaw, Executive Director of Light Up Lawndale. "With [this] Award...Light Up Lawndale will sustain a full-time executive director...marking a pivotal transition from entirely volunteer-run operations." She emphasized: "This strategic advancement will not only amplify our ability...but also fortify our capacity."

The top service sectors for awarded organizations include Education; Violence Prevention; Community & Economic Development; Arts & Culture; Human Services. These 31 awarded entities serve over 130 different Chicago neighborhoods/suburban municipalities within Cook County.

To learn more about this initiative or view all recipients visit: [CookCountyIL.gov/JACGrants](http://www.cookcountyil.gov/jacgrants).