Chicago South Side Initiative

Shaped by an internal mapping project and informative research findings from a commissioned Center for Impact Research Report, the South Side Initiative seeks to increase organizing capacity and activity on the South Side of Chicago through:

• Funds for training and mentoring
• Regular convenings
• Technical Assistance
• Collaboration and coalitional work

Phase 1 (2004-2006)

During this pilot phase, the Woods Fund implemented an outreach strategy that included the introduction of a request for proposals, offered training stipends and identified a cohort of eight organizations that received grants totaling $222,000 over two years in support of capacity building activities such as developing a leadership training curriculum, advancing organizing campaigns, strategic planning, increasing membership, grants development and fundraising.

Increasing Organizing Capacity on the South Side

Phase 2 (2007 to Present)

Building on lessons learned in the first three years of the Initiative and conversations with grantees and other South Side organizers, we realized that strengthening the capacity of South Side organizing requires more than funding individual organizations. We believe it will require looking at South Side organizing as a field - a system of organizers, advocates, relationships, institutions and methods that together advance social justice and change. Training and mentoring stipends will continue to be offered to Initiative participants. We will also include a Learning Table to support the work that happens between and across organizations, including issue analysis, best practices, action strategies and building common ground.

Current Initiative Participants:

Arab-American Action Network
Alianza Leadership Institute
Brighton Park Neighborhood Council
Developing Communities Project
Grand Boulevard Federation
Inner-City Muslim Action Network
Kenwood Oakland Community Organization
LeClaire Courts CDC
Lugenia Burns Hope Center
Metropolitan Area Group for Igniting Civilization
Southside Together Organizing for Power
Southwest Organizing Project
TARGET Area Development Corporation

South Side Neighborhoods as defined by this Initiative

South: Avalon Park, Burnside, Calumet Heights, Chatham, Douglas, Grand Boulevard, Greater Grand Crossing, Hyde Park, Kenwood, Oakland, South Chicago, South Shore, Washington Park, Woodlawn

Far South: Auburn-Gresham, Beverly, East Side, Hegewisch, Morgan Park, Mount Greenwood, Pullman, Riverdale, Roseland, South Deering, Washington Heights, West Pullman

Southwest: Archer Heights, Ashburn, Bridgeport, Brighton Park, Chicago Lawn, Clearning, Englewood, Gage Park, Garfield Ridge, McKinley Park, New City, West Elsdon, West Englewood, West Lawn