POAH has been selected as a recipient of the Community Progress Makers Fund, a $20 million grant initiative to support 40 visionary nonprofit organizations in their efforts to establish new approaches to long-standing urban economic challenges in the United States – including economic development, environment sustainability, urban infrastructure, and affordable housing.
As part of the program, POAH will receive a core operating support grant of $500,000 over the course of two years to continue its work in the community around providing comprehensive workforce development services by helping residents prepare for and finds jobs, connect to career services and access a range of life resources at their Woodlawn Resource Center.
This new injection of funds will help bolster existing initiatives while opening up the door to expand additional programs such as financial coaching, youth employment, continuing education and digital literacy.
In addition to the grant, POAH will also have access to technical assistance from leading national researchers and experts and will be provided opportunities to connect with other grantees to share and learn best practices.
“We realize that each person’s needs vary, therefore the Woodlawn Resource Center is committed to providing individualized planning tailored to each person’s specific skills, needs and career desires,” said Bill Eager, Vice President, Chicago Area, Preservation of Affordable Housing. “This award will allow us to extend our supportive services beyond our current operations.”
“The Citi Foundation feels privileged to support organizations that have demonstrated such strong commitments to their local communities and a willingness to share their experiences with others for the betterment of their neighborhoods,” said Brandee McHale, President of the Citi Foundation. “These organizations have a track record of implementing solutions that work for their communities because they know the people there, understand what resources to tap and, most importantly, feel deeply invested in the places where they live and work. We believe that’s the key to leading urban transformation efforts in Chicago and elsewhere across the country.”
The Community Progress Makers Fund builds upon the Citi Foundation’s commitment to identify and support innovative solutions and organizations that are helping build stronger, more resilient cities that are engines of economic opportunity for all. The flexibility of core operating support will allow organizations and their visionary leaders to deploy solutions that address a range of issues.