Cultivate: Women of Color Leadership Grant

Since 2013, Cultivate has and continues to build a cadre of emerging women of color leaders engaged in social, economic, and racial justice movements and whose collective voice and power can be leveraged to a shared vision of the Chicago region’s future. By bringing together women who lead intersecting but separate justice efforts–gender and racial equity, labor rights, civil rights, LGBTQ rights, and immigrant rights, among others–Cultivate aims to transform these movements from the inside, fortify relationships among participants, and foster collaborations across organizations to advance a shared vision towards equity and justice for all. The Cultivate program is a one-year program supporting the personal and professional development needs of each participant.

Cultivate: Women\* of Color Leadership (Cultivate) Program

Cultivate: Women\* of Color Leadership (Cultivate) program is a joint effort of the Chicago Foundation for Women (CFW), Crossroads Fund, Walder Foundation, Woods Fund Chicago and the Chicago Community Trust. Cultivate envisions a world where women of color are wielding their innate and collective leadership to free society from structural racism and all systems of oppression. Through this work, they will bring forth a world where women of color are fully accepted, celebrated, respected and valued.

\* trans and cis women, gender-nonconforming and nonbinary individuals.

The goals of Cultivate are to:

• Support the personal and professional development of women of color leaders, working in advocacy, community organizing and movement building.
• Reclaim a framework that intentionally utilizes an intersectional racial, economic and gender justice framework.
• Build a brave and healthy space for all women of color to discuss and learn about indigenous models of leadership and organizational development.
• Advance the sustainability and longevity of individual women of color leadership, while enabling a pipeline for leaders to emerge
• Nurture relationships to create a connected community across organizations, foundations, program alumni and their various fields of work.
• Model promising practices on supporting women of color working in philanthropy, both in their personal and professional growth, as they influence the sector.

Additionally, Cultivate supports the personal and professional development needs of each participant through 10 hours of Executive Coaching.

Eligibility

_You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website._

• Woman, woman identifying, non-binary, and two-spirited persons of color.
• Emerging leadership position in a nonprofit organization in greater Chicago Examples of these positions include new executive directors, program directors, organizing directors, policy directors, lead organizers, etc.
• Funded within the last 3 years by a Cultivate participating foundation (Crossroads Fund, Chicago Foundation for Women, Chicago Community Trust, Walder Foundation, or Woods Fund)
• 2-6 years of leadership experience in community organizing and policy advocacy
• Can commit to participating in all Cultivate program sessions
• Can commit to participating in ten (10) hours of individual coaching with an Executive Coach.