The Field Foundation of Illinois

We had a wonderful evening at AMPT: Advancing Nonprofits' Fête a few weeks ago! A Field grantee, AMPT is focused on redefining capacity building and ushering forward an antiracist framework for nonprofit management in Black- and Latine-led organizations within Field’s defined heat maps on the South and West Sides of Chicago.?This past June, Executive Director ángela m. munguía was recognized by Field and the MacArthur Foundation as a 2024 #LeadersForANewChicago awardee. Pictured from left to right: Field’s Arts Program Officer Richard Tran; Tony Alvarado-Rivera, Executive Director, Chicago Freedom School (Leaders for a New Chicago 2021)l; Field’s Leadership Investment Program Officer analía rodríguez; ángela m. munguía, Executive Director, AMPT: Advancing Nonprofits; Edith Z., Field Fellow (2023-2024), Antonio Gutierrez, Strategic Development & Operations, Organized Communities Against Deportations (Leaders for a New Chicago 2022); Vivien Tsou, Innovation Director, Wieboldt Foundation. #community #powerbuilding #philanthropy #chicago

“As Black dance organizations, we still have to work twice as hard to get half as much,” – Makeda Crayton, Executive Director, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater. As part of the 2024 Grantmakers in the Arts (GIA) Conference in Chicago this week, the Field Foundation hosted a panel of Field grantees to discuss the theme, “Over-Mentored & Under-Funded: A journey to equitable funding for Chicago’s Black dance companies.” A group of funders and artists from across the country gathered for the panel at Deeply Rooted’s rehearsal studio and were welcomed with a performance of “Sacred Spaces," Artistic Director Nicole Clarke-Springer’s new work. Field’s Arts Program Officer Richard Tran, a member of the GIA conference host committee, introduced the panel and handed to Field President Daniel O. Ash, who moderated a candid conversation about the challenges facing local Black dance organizations. Crayton, along with Brandon Calhoun Co-Founder of the Era Footwork Collective and Sekou Tepaka Lunda Conde, Executive Director of Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago, described issues from competing for funding dollars to time-consuming grant application and reporting processes—as well as a common desire to position their organizations to serve the next generation of artists and audiences. The panel also shared examples of beneficial models, such as multi-year funding, general operating support, and working strategically with funding partners to advance their missions. “It’s our responsibility in philanthropy to be strategic partners to help companies like these access and stack the capital they need to realize their vision,” said Ash, who noted his role as Deeply Rooted's Board Chair gives him a unnique perspective of the dance ecosystem. “I’m in the best position to help others in Chicago understand the value these companies bring to community. It’s not just the brilliant art. It’s the community anchor they are for mental health issues, healing, youth expression, education, you name it,” Ash said. #dance #art #community #powerbuilding #philanthropy #chicago

Sharing this well-deserved recognition of Gloria Castillo, Vice Chair of the Field Foundation's Board of Directors. #HispanicHeritageMonth

Some takeaways from Field's Journalism & Storytelling Program Officer, Maudlyne Ihejirika, on activities related to this week's Grantmakers in the Arts (GIA) conference in #Chicago. Field's Arts Program Officer Richard Tran is a member of the conference's host committee. More to come! #arts #community #philanthropy #GIA2024

As part of a collaborative reporting project led by the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN), this story from Field grantee Cicero Independiente?reports that a new ability-inclusive playground at a former Cicero industrial site is raising alarms among local residents and experts about how the town is handling toxic soil beneath the surface. While the $2.7 million project promises much-needed green space to combat rising temperatures from climate change, concerns linger about multiple environmental challenges, including toxic contaminants still on site, such as arsenic and lead, pollution, flooding and 12% tree canopy coverage — well below the recommended 40%. We were proud to support this work, which published as a 4-part series, including stories from Field grantee Borderless Magazine and Inside Climate News. INN is also a Field grantee. #journalism #storytelling #climate #community #philanthropy #chicago

“When I heard about the opportunity to sponsor an exhibit that featured the Tuskgegee Airmen, it was easy to say yes ... because storytelling begins with experiences like this. This is an opportunity to create an experience for young people to learn through play but also to unlock their imaginations about what’s possible in the world.” - Field President Daniel O. Ash On Thursday evening, we celebrated the arrival of the "AIM HIGH: Soaring with the Tuskegee Airmen" exhibit at the Chicago Children's Museum. The exhibit honors the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, the nation’s first Black American military pilots, who?flew more than 15,000 individual missions during World War II?and played a vital role in the war and in ending segregation in the U.S. military. Daniel shared a story from his childhood about hearing his father, a World War II veteran, talk about the Tuskegee Airman and how important their service was to him and his mates in the segregated Army. Thursday's event featured a wonderful conversation between Field Board member and Chicago Children's Museum Board member Nicholas Pearce and John W. Rogers, Jr., Founder, Chairman, Co-CEO and Chief Investment Officer of Ariel Investments, whose father served as a Tuskegee Airman. The Field Foundation is the proud local sponsor of the Tuskegee Airman exhibit, which opens to the public on Saturday, September 28. Learn more here:?https://lnkd.in/gUWAT3vH #storytelling #community #philanthropy

This story from Field grantee Borderless Magazine is part of a collaborative reporting project led by the Institute for Nonprofit News & including another grantee, Cicero Independiente, and Inside Climate News. They compare Chicago’s climate resilience plans with similar efforts elsewhere and explore sustainable solutions to climate-related challenges facing BIPOC neighborhoods. We were proud to support this work, which publishes this week as a 4-part series. Field's Journalism & Storytelling Program Officer Maudlyne Ihejirika hosted the team at Impact House in July. See photo in the comments. #journalism #storytelling #climate #community #philanthropy

Always great to see #ChicagoPoetLaureate avery r. young in action. avery is a 2022 recipient of the #LeadersForANewChicago Award, our partnership with MacArthur Foundation that recognizes leaders who are designing new and impactful approaches to civic discourse and action. #art #poetry #storytelling #philanthropy #community #chicago

Dispatch from Atlanta as Field's Journalism & Storytelling Program Officer Maudlyne Ihejirika completes a circuit of 5 #jounalism conferences in 3 cities over 3 weeks. Adding our congratulations to Field grantee partners Block Club Chicago, Borderless Magazine, City Bureau, Injustice Watch, and Invisible Institute, who were recognized with 2024 Nonprofit News Awards from the Institute for Nonprofit News, also a Field grantee. Congrats as well to all winners and nominees. #localnews #stortyelling #community #philanthropy

Field’s Arts Program Officer Richard Tran recently attended the PNAP Gala at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen to support?Prison + Neighborhood Arts/Education Project (PNAP). PNAP is a visual arts and education project that connects teaching artists and scholars to incarcerated students through classes, workshops, a policy think tank, and guest lectures.?In 2023, PNAP received a 3-year grant through “A Road Together" (ART), Field’s initiative with?MacArthur Foundation. Pictured with Richard are Chicago arts sector leaders (from left to right) Frida Charriez Rivera, Karla Estela R., and Vincent Uribe—all of whom contributed to the ART initiative's 2023 participatory grantmaking panel. #art?#community?#powerbuilding?#philanthropy?#chicago