In the fifth edition of NBC5 Chicago’s “The Path Forward”, three female philanthropic leaders in Chicago, including our President Maria Pesqueira, share their personal stories about how they have been impacted by racism. Watch this episode of “The Path Forward: Personal Stories About Race and How We Can Make a

Twenty women of color leaders in philanthropy, including our President Maria Pesqueira, recently came together to call out anti-Black racism and provided tangible ways the civic and philanthropy sectors can address it for the Black community and all people of color. This year has been brutal for Blacks in Chicago.

Philanthropy for a Racially Equitable Greater Chicago (PREGC), a philanthropic and collaborative effort, seeks a 12-month project manager.  PREGC will play a strategic role in advancing racial equity across Cook County by supporting people of color-led organizations, individuals, and advocates to strengthen their capacity to promote dialogue, advocate for and

We and our partners – Community Mental Health Board of Oak Park Township, Community Memorial Foundation and River Forest Township – are seeking a Project Manager for The HUB, a free, digital resource directory and referral platform.   As The HUB’s footprint in Chicago and western suburban Cook County and

Systemic and institutional racism is intricately woven into the fabric of our society. The senseless murders of George Floyd, Tony McDade, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor—and countless others whose lives were stolen throughout the history of this country—are tragic testaments to this. At Healthy Communities Foundation, our commitment to health goes beyond the absence of illness or disease. It is about creating the conditions for all

Grantmakers in Health named our Director of Programs, Nora Garcia, as a Terrance Keenan Institute for Emerging Leaders in Health Philanthropy Fellow! Nora will join 17 other health philanthropy emerging leaders from throughout the country. She will have the opportunity to connect with established figures in the field and reflect

Many nonprofit organizations, including our grantee partners, have been exploring loans from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). There are several questions about the loan forgiveness process and how it will work. In partnership with Fiscal Management Associates and IFF, we would like to share some nonprofit-focused PPP resources that can help

We have seen the unfortunate and disproportionate effect of COVID-19 in our region and are bracing ourselves for its continued impact on our healthcare system, social service sector and individuals and families in our communities. Guided by our values and mission focused on health equity, access and quality, the HCF

As has been our grantmaking approach these past two years and especially during this pandemic, we remain committed to providing the majority of our funding towards general operating support. We firmly believe in strengthening our partners from within so their energy and focus can be on serving and protecting our communities during this pandemic and

Guided by our values and mission focused on health equity, access and quality, we are proud to announce the HCF COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund to provide emergency funding to nonprofit organizations that are directly addressing critical health needs in this crisis.  This pandemic has revealed the gaps and inequities in

Equity is everywhere. More than ever, organizations are asked to demonstrate how they address social inequities, not just by what they do, but by who they are and how they do it. Funders are no exception. How does an organization start? How can equity be embedded in grantmaking, policies, and

The newest member of the HCF team, Gillian Knight, introduces herself and talks about her work to help establish an evaluation framework for the Foundation that is rooted in equity.  My name is Gillian Knight and I am the new Program Associate at Healthy Communities Foundation. My role is to

Our Director of Finance, Elva Gonzalez, provides some guidance for nonprofit organizations to maintain financial health as we navigate the challenging times of COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought on unprecedented disruption to our lives and in our work. For our grantee partners, they are diligently adjusting their operations to

In early November, Healthy Communities Foundation sponsored two members of Proviso Partners for Health (PP4H) as Fellows at Upswell Chicago, a three-day convening that gathered changemakers from all over the United States to share ideas and solution-based approaches to issues our communities face each day. Our two Fellows, Deniene Willis,

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and there is very encouraging news about breast health equity for our region. Since 1990, there has been incredible progress in narrowing racial disparities in prostate, colorectal and lung cancer deaths between Black and White patients in the US. However, racial disparities in breast

When I teach the “Maternal and Child Health Delivery Systems” class at the University of Illinois at Chicago each spring, I always get anxious during the week I facilitate a case study exercise on Shalon Irving’s life and tragic death. Shalon was a Centers of Disease Control (CDC) epidemiologist and

Everyone deserves a safe and healthy home to live in. Housing is one of the several factors that heavily influence the health and well-being of individuals, children and their families. However, on May 10, 2019, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) proposed a rule that would threaten

Our Director of Programs, Nora Garcia, explains why the Foundation moved to a two-stage application process this grant cycle. It is hard to believe that less than a year ago, our staff and Board of Directors came to the end of a learning-focused planning process and approved a new strategic

  Our Director of Finance, Elva Gonzalez, walks you through the impact that the recently enacted Jobs Act will have on your 2018 tax filings as a non-profit organization. It’s tax season and while you may be getting ready to file your personal taxes (or may have already done so—kudos!),

Nora Garcia, one of our Program Officers, writes about the importance of ensuring an accurate count of individuals living in our service region in the upcoming 2020 Census. Read about what this means for our communities and about a grant opportunity to help increase awareness, participation, and, ultimately, representation. As