Thriving Youth, Stronger Communities Grant

Overview

The Initiative Background

Chicago’s school-aged population hovers just under 450,000, representing approximately 17% of the city’s population, with over 320,000 youth enrolled in Chicago Public Schools. Since 2021, the number of young people in Chicago has decreased, while varied negative health and crime statistics have increased over the same period. According to the city’s violence reduction dashboard, the percentage of Chicago youth aged 0–19 experiencing a shooting or homicide has increased since 2021, with nearly 20% of youth exposed to increased incidents of violence in 2023.

While a downward trend in shootings and violence exposure for 20–29-year-olds over the same period offers some hope for our community, this is not the case for Chicago’s youngest and most vulnerable population. It also does not represent the promise and potential we see for our youth across the city.

These data, as well as the extensive body of research on the positive impact of site-based youth and community development efforts has prompted the Lohengrin Foundation to launch, Thriving Youth, Stronger Communities, a youth and community center capital investment initiative.

Rooted in Community

The Lohengrin Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of Thriving Youth, Stronger Communities, a youth and community center capital investment initiative. In designing Thriving Youth, Stronger Communities, the Lohengrin Foundation utilized a community-centered and data-informed approach to guide the development and implementation of all aspects of the initiative.

From listening sessions, data reviews and strategy feedback sessions, to the development of a Community Advisory Council to support the application review process, the Foundation is centering community, every step of the way.

The design of the initiative:

* Incorporates feedback from listening and learning sessions with over 40 community and youth leaders, grantee partners, peer funders, and organizational collaborators.
* Utilizes data from youth specific research findings and quality-of-life/community plans across Chicago, highlighting the needs of youth and the community at large.
* Embeds a robust due diligence process to ensure the guidelines and request for proposal process is equitable and accessible to applicants.
* Brings together an Advisory Council composed of community leaders, funders, youth leaders, and developers who will advise the Foundation’s Staff and make recommendations on the application review and selection process.
* Engages an experienced network of nonprofit leaders with direct experience leading youth and community center development projects to serve as a peer network for applicants. All champions have successfully led projects from concept and fundraising to construction and occupancy.

Grant Size & Funding Schedule

The Foundation anticipates awarding one grant, totaling up to $15M, to support our grantee partner throughout the pre-development, construction, and occupancy phases of their project.

Funds are expected to be disbursed in five installments, aligned to various project phases, including:

* Pre-development.
* At the beginning of construction.
* At an agreed-to funding milestone during construction.
* At occupancy.
* At post-occupancy to support the center operations.

Eligibility

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

* Who is eligible to apply?
* 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.
* We fund organizations of various sizes.
* Project eligibility requirements:
* Project sites must be in Chicago.
* Projects should be able to be realized in 3–5 years.
* Projects must focus on a new construction youth and community center or the conversion of an existing building into a youth and community center.
* We will consider projects ranging from stand-alone youth and community centers to centers that are part of a larger economic or community development strategy or capital projects such as a housing or health center.
* The Foundation will only allocate funding to the youth and community center aspect of any larger strategy.
* The Foundation seeks to invest in the development of a youth center that also provides wraparound services and programming for community members of all ages. 
* The Foundation seeks to offer capital and programmatic operating support to a nonprofit partner for the development or creation of a new youth and community center.
* We aim to serve as an early investor in a capital investment project leading to a comprehensive youth and community center.
* The Foundation will cover allocated costs associated with any technical assistance received from partners.
* The Lohengrin Foundation only makes one grant per organization per 12- month period, except in the case of special initiatives.
* Thriving Youth, Stronger Communities is a special initiative.
* To that end, current grantee partners, as well as prospective grantee partners are eligible to apply for this special capital investment opportunity. 
* Portion of the funds can be used on agency staff if those costs are directly associated with the development of the site. 
* Projects can also include residential uses.

Ineligibility

* Who is not eligible to apply?
* For-profit organizations.
* Individuals.
* Schools, though schools may apply in collaboration with a nonprofit partner.
* The Foundation does not seek out or encourage naming rights on behalf of the Foundation, its board, staff, or predecessors.
* While we seek out partners who propose projects that meet the specific needs of their communities, projects that exclude potential participants or limits engagement of community members in programming or use of the facility because of their ethnicity, religion, gender, spiritual beliefs, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability, or immigration status will not be considered. 
* The Foundation does not expect its funding to support more than 50% of the overall project’s total development costs.
* The Foundation is not providing direct funding for technical assistance support.
* Organizations are encouraged to utilize a partner within the network of partners available.