Advancing Racial Equity In Philanthropy, Non-Profit, and Fundraising
Advancing Racial Equity In Philanthropy, Non-Profit, and Fundraising
Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
Launched in 2003, the Breakin' It Down conference grew out of a desire to engage diverse nonprofit management and fundraising professionals in conversations about the present state and future of the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. Our programs are under the organizing rubric of racial equity and healing practices. This year, we are focused on "Redefining Leadership."
This one-day event incorporates concepts and strategies that enhance learning, such as:
For more information, please contact us at hello@breakinitdownchicago.org.
Arrival and Registration - Coffee and Morning Pastries
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM
Arrival and Registration (Lobby)
Coffee and Pastries (Pre-Meeting Room, 2nd Floor}
Welcome
9:00 AM - 9:15 AM (Auditorium, 2nd Floor)
Welcome and Housekeeping by
Amira Turner, Grants Manager/ Data Analyst and Business Development Consultant
Plenary Panel Session
9:15 AM - 10:30 AM (Auditorium, 2nd Floor)
Redefining Leadership with love, wisdom, courage and gratitude
A cross-sector conversation with leadership, who will offer reflection and inspiration on the definition of leadership and how they lead with love, gratitude and wisdom. Audience members will have the opportunity to ask questions of our speakers during the Q&A.
Speakers (in alphabetical order):
Dr. Rami Nashashibi, Executive Director - Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN)
Unmi Song, President - Lloyd A. Fry Foundation
Linda Xóchitl Tortolero, President and CEO - Mujeres Latinas en Accion
Moderator:
Rhea Yap, Breakin' It Down Planning Committee and Director of Strategic Initiatives - Chinese Mutual Aid Association
Break
Ice Breaker - Led by Lee Ann Eiland, Director of Strategic Partnerships - Hope Excel
10:30 AM - 10:40 AM
Denise Stennis Award Presentation
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM (Auditorium, 2nd Floor)
Break
11:00 AM -11:15 AM
Workshop Sessions (Concurrent)
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM (Classrooms, 4th Floor)
Workshop - Corporate Social Responsibility and Bank Philanthropy: Opening New Opportunities for Nonprofits
Presenters:
Lesly Flores, Vice President, Community Development Manager - Old National Bank
LaDonna Reed, Senior Vice President & Director of Community Accountability - Associated Bank
Moderator:
Juan Calixto, Breakin' It Down Planning Committee and Vice President, External Relations - Chicago Community Loan Fund
Banks' philanthropic giving has undergone a considerable transformation in the past few years. The explosive interest in corporate social responsibility (CSR) saw banks become more proactive in their approach to be a force for good while working to align their values across the corporate structure. Join us to explore the shifting environment of CSR and its impact on business, non-profit organizations and communities served. We will learn what expectations banking leadership have for its philanthropic impact and how CSR can be an opportunity for nonprofits serving people of color, particularly in under-represented and underserved communities, to collaborate and further embed equity and social change into existing organizational structures.
Workshop participants will:
Workshop - Winning Ways: Building Impactful Relationships with Foundations and Corporations
Presenters: Laura Jansen, Program Officer, Pierce Family Foundation and
Grantmaking Advisor, Cuore e Mani Foundation
Julio Paz, Chief External Affairs Officer - Chicago Commons
Securing grant awards from foundations and corporations is a strategic goal for many nonprofits seeking to reach their annual budget. Why are some nonprofits so successful and others just uploading applications for funding that seem to go into the internet abyss? In the increasingly competitive field of grant funding, building impactful relationships that will be mutually beneficial for nonprofits and funders is paramount.
In this cross-sector workshop, learn from seasoned experts on how you can best position your nonprofit to win grants from private sources. The workshop will examine relationship-building with funders and shaping your nonprofit in order to make a good partner for funders and stand out of the crowd. It explores what are the factors that contribute to impactful relationships.
The workshop will provide participants:
This workshop is designed for professional and volunteer representatives of nonprofit organizations to help improve their grant funding success.
Workshop - Newsworthy: Getting your nonprofit story on TV, radio and in print
Presenter: Deborah Olivia Farmer, President - Brown Farmer Media Group Inc.
Competing for the attention of the media is a challenge for all nonprofits especially those with little to no advertising dollars. How can your mission capture the attention of a news reporter? How can you prepare if a reporter does want to follow-up on a press release?
In this workshop, you will learn from a seasoned public relations expert how to get your projects and programs in the media. This workshop will help you establish third party credibility for your mission which can be used to leverage funding opportunities, increase program participation and even help recruit Board members.
The workshop will provide participants:
This workshop is designed for professional and volunteer representatives of nonprofit organizations to help improve their presence in the media
Lunch
12: 15 PM - 1:00 PM (Student Lounges, Lower Level)
Speed Networking With Funders
1:15 PM - 2:45 PM (Lower Level)
End of Event
3:00 PM
*Please note that agenda and schedule are subject to change.
Each year the Breakin' It Down Planning Committee brings individuals to our conference who focus on areas of nonprofit, philanthropy, and fundraising. We are very pleased for 2022 to present our participants with distinguished industry and community leaders.
Dr. Rami Nashashibi
Executive Director
Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN)
Dr. Rami Nashashibi is a MacArthur Fellow, a Doctor of Sociology from the University of Chicago, and the founder and Executive Director of the InnerCity Muslim Action Network (IMAN), a non-profit organization incorporated in 1997 that fosters health, wellness and healing on Chicago’s South Side & Atlanta’s west end by organizing for social change, cultivating the arts and operating a holistic health center.
As a community leader building bridges across racial, religious, and socioeconomic divides to confront the challenges of poverty and disinvestment in urban communities, Rami has successfully unified a diverse set of constituencies around a shared focus of social justice. He serves on the board of directors of the Margaret Casey Foundation and in 2020, Rami made his debut as musician, song-writer and executive producer of “THIS LOVE THING”, a soul-stirring LP. The album’s first single “Mama Please” was dedicated to raising the profile of and advocating for Cariol’s Law, legislation which passed in late 2020 to help transform police accountability in Buffalo, New York. He has worked with several leading scholars in the area of globalization, African American studies and urban sociology and has contributed chapters to edited volumes by Manning Marable and Saskia Sassen.
Rami has lectured around the world on a range of topics related to American Muslim identity, community organizing and social justice issues and has received many prestigious community service and organizing honors. He has been featured in several prominent media publications including the New York Times, the Washington Post, The Atlantic, the Chicago Tribune, and multiple stories on PBS, CBS, and National Public Radio. Rami has also taught at the Chicago Theological Seminary, where he was a visiting professor of the Sociology of Religion and Muslim Studies ..
Unmi Song
President
Lloyd A. Fry Foundation
Unmi Song is President of the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, a private foundation that supports nonprofits serving low-income communities in Chicago in the areas of Arts Learning, Education, Employment, and Health. Across all of its funding areas, the foundation’s focus is on helping organizations: Build capacity; Develop successful program innovations; and Share knowledge. It is especially interested in efforts to test models or develop knowledge that can contribute to advancements in the field.
Ms. Song holds a B.A. in Economics and an M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Chicago. Ms. Song was a vice president at Bankers Trust Company and held positions at Citicorp Investment Bank in New York City, at the First National Bank of Chicago and at Gold Star Tele-Electric Company, in Seoul, Korea. Prior to joining the Fry Foundation, she directed grantmaking focused on job training and welfare policy issues at the Joyce Foundation.
She currently serves on the board of the Metropolitan Planning Council. She was appointed by President Obama to serve on the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. She has served on the boards of the Alliance for the Great Lakes, Forefront (Donors Forum of Illinois) and Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy, and she has served as board chair for Asian Americans Advancing Justice, a national civil rights organization.
Linda Xóchitl Tortolero
President & CEO
Mujeres Latinas en Accion
Linda is delighted to serve as President and CEO of Mujeres Latinas en Accion, the nation’s longest standing Latina organization. She has dedicated much of her professional career in fundraising, building strategic relationships, and organizational and program management in the nonprofit sector. Linda is responsible for carrying out Mujeres’ strategic plan to address effectively the immediate needs facing Latinas and their families. Under Linda’s leadership, Mujeres is a fierce advocate on key issues such as gender-based violence, women’s health and economic security, immigration, and reproductive justice. Moreover, Mujeres’ annual budget size has grown to $4.5M with over 60 employees. In 2019, Mujeres opened its third office in Brighton Park with its partner Esperanza Health Centers, a Federally Qualified Health Center, and expanded its second office in North Riverside. She is a first-generation Mexican American and is a very proud Chicagoan. Linda serves on the Action Council of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, and the Women’s Advisory Council and Gender Based Violence Implementation Taskforce of the Mayor’s Office for the City of Chicago.
Linda has a Bachelor of Arts from Brown University in Political Science and History of Modern Latin America and a Juris Doctor from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. In 2019, Chicago Community Trust presented Linda with its inaugural Fellowship Award for the Leadership Greater Chicago Signature Fellows program. She was awarded the 2020 Public Service Award from the National Association of Women Lawyers. Linda serves on the Board of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice.
Deborah Olivia Farmer
President
Brown Farmer Media Group Inc.
Deborah Olivia Farmer is president of Brown Farmer Media Group Inc., a full-service, Chicago-based communications firm. Established in 2014, the fast-growing firm provides strategic media advice and counsel to a select clientele that includes small businesses and entrepreneurs, faith-based and community organizations, media personalities, and more throughout the Chicagoland area and nationwide.
Deborah Olivia was born into a family that stressed loyalty to kin, community, church, and country. With that mantra instilled in her from birth, she has made a conscious, persistent effort to use her talents and hard work to reach personal goals, while assisting others in achieving theirs.
Prior to forming her company, Deborah Olivia was named Director of Station Relations in 2006 at NBC5-TV Chicago, an NBC Universal-owned and operated broadcast station. Serving as the link between the station and the community, she provided media exposure for hundreds of underserved, non-profit organizations across the city of Chicago and surrounding suburbs. Under her leadership, NBC5 sponsored several community initiatives focusing on health & wellness, youth & education, and arts & culture, including the Making A Difference Campaign, which raised awareness of those giving back to the community. Deborah Olivia also spearheaded the Community Action Board, which served as the moral compass of the station, comprised of over 85 civic, business, and community leaders from around the city. In addition, she launched NBC5's first-ever Women's History Month clothing drive benefiting WRAP, Clara’s House, and The Primo Center for Women and Children, which became a model for drives across all the station groups.
Deborah Olivia earned a Bachelor’s degree in Radio-TV Broadcasting from Lewis University in May 1995 and also received the Father Aquinas Colgan Award in recognition of a stellar academic career. During her college years, she participated in student government, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the Pan-Hellenic Council, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Her degree opened the door to an internship with World’s Greatest News (WGN-TV), where her goal was to learn from and add to, the station’s reputation as a national broadcast powerhouse.
She worked the assignment desk, a bit of a juggler in the circus-like world of television news-- researching facts, getting wind of breaking news and sending reporting crews out to get the story, setting up video shoots, and even conducting interviews for airing. As her talent was increasingly recognized, Deborah Olivia was promoted to several positions, including segment producer for WGN’s Morning News. In that capacity, she developed special segments and features such as “Unsung Heroes,” which touted noteworthy individuals who give back to the community, mirroring her own sense of commitment.
With a strong conviction to give back, Deborah Olivia works tirelessly in the community. She is a member of Rotary Southeast, where she lives out their motto, “Service Above Self." She sits on the boards of The YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago’s Achievers program, Black Perspectives, and the United Way Diversity Committee, to name a few. Deborah Olivia was also recognized as one of “12 Women We Admire” by N’DIGO magapaper, as well as one of the WVON 1690AM Radio and Ariel Investments “40 Under 40 Game Changers.”
Deborah Olivia currently sits on the board of directors for Goodcity Chicago, which serves to identify high-potential, community-based entrepreneurs whose goals are to create and enhance the neighborhood and faith-based programs that promote self-sufficiency, hope and a sense of purpose in the lives of individuals in under-resourced communities. She and her adopted son, Joshua Daniel, reside in Chicago and are members of Living Word Christian Center in Forest Park, IL.
Lesly Flores
Vice President, Community Development Manager
Old National Bank
Lesly Flores is Vice President, Community Development Manager at Old National Bank, previously known as First Midwest Bank.
Lesly has over 15 years of community development background where she focused on building strong community partnership within the Illinois, Wisconsin, and Northwest Indiana markets. She has an intensive wealth of knowledge in charitable foundation management, Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) requirements and initiatives, nonprofits operations and banking regulatory compliance. She has been personally responsible for bank-sponsored charitable foundation grant request.
Lesly has continued to focus on supporting nonprofit organizations with the growth of their programs. She is on the Board of Directors of several leading non-profit organizations and values the opportunity this gives her to help empower individuals and improve communities. She holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Northeastern Illinois University.
Laura Jansen
Program Officer, Pierce Family Foundation
Grantmaking Advisor, Cuore e Mani Foundation
Laura Jansen is currently the Program Officer for Pierce Family Foundation and the Grantmaking Advisor for Cuore e Mani Foundation, both based in Chicago. Laura began her career as box office manager and children’s theatre producer at Moraine Valley Community College and continued working in the arts at Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, and Urban Gateways. For 20 years, Laura has been a consultant for nonprofits and small foundations that work in the arts, education, youth development, homelessness/housing, and more. Laura holds a bachelor’s degree magna cum laude from Ball State University and a master’s degree from University of Alabama. She lives in Chicago with her husband, stepson, two dogs, and a hermit crab.
.
Julio Paz
Chief External Affairs Officer
Chicago Commons
Julio Paz joined Chicago Commons in 2018 and works closely with the executive team in driving the organization’s strategies for fundraising, communications/marketing, and government relations. Prior to joining Chicago Commons, Julio served in leadership fundraising positions at The Resurrection Project, Mercy Housing, and Project Exploration. Paz and his teams have generated more than $41 million in philanthropic and public support to expand the missions of innovative and entrepreneurial 501(c) (3) organizations. He is passionate about community development, philanthropy, and partnerships as tools to achieve social justice. He holds a BA in English from the University of Chicago and an MBA from DePaul University’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business. Julio is a Leadership Greater Chicago Fellow (2022) and a University of Chicago’s Civic Leadership Academy Fellow (2016).
.
LaDonna Reed
Senior Vice President and Director of Community Accountability
Associated Bank
LaDonna Reed is currently Senior Vice President and Director of Community
Accountability for Associated Bank. The Community Accountability Department,
established in January 2018, works across lines of business and with corporate risk and
compliance partners to achieve objectives across an array of community and corporate
social responsibility success criteria.
LaDonna’s professional background includes over 30 years of banking experience
including over 20 years of CRA compliance and community lending experience in the
private sector. She received her MBA in Finance from DePaul University and holds a
BS in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from Governors State
University. Crain’s has recognized her as one of Chicago's Notable Women in
Commercial Banking.
LaDonna currently serves as Board Member and Treasurer for the Urban League of
Greater Madison. She also serves as a Board Member for the Wisconsin Philanthropy
Network and Take Root Wisconsin which works to ensure residents of Wisconsin can
achieve and maintain homeownership.
She currently lives in Oak Forest, IL and enjoys spending time with her family.
.
The Denise Stennis Awards recognize an individual in the nonprofit, philanthropy, and fundraising field and a nonprofit organization who are serving under-represented and underserved communities in the Chicago area, who have integrated racial equity with sustained strategic collaborations, and who lift pragmatic, action-oriented, and tenacious change makers. Denise Stennis Award recipients are credited with sustained contribution of leadership excellence and service in their communities and inspiring others in the field to do the same. The objective of this Denise Stennis Awards program is not only to recognize those who do contribute, but also to inspire others to make similar contributions to the field.
Networking skills have never been more crucial to ensure success for nonprofit fund development professionals, including those serving traditionally under-represented and underserved communities. At the Speed Networking with Funders, take advantage of the opportunity to meet philanthropic leaders for approximately 20 minutes and learn about the foundation's funding priorities, parameters and grant application review process, and then move on to connect with the next philanthropic leader. There will be three "meet and greet" rounds formatted in a small group setting. We encourage participants to prepare two to three questions they would like to ask and bring with them to the session. Nonprofit and fundraising professionals of all backgrounds are encouraged to attend the 2022 BID event!
The "Speed Networking with Funders" has been an overwhelmingly popular element at our BID events featuring area funders, which enable an introduction quick enough for participants to meet philanthropic leaders, but long enough for each session to be valuable. In order to achieve this meaningful goal, the BID Conference has a Non-Solicitation Policy.
Paul M. Angell Family Foundation
The mission of the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation is to advance society through the performing arts, conservation of the world’s oceans, and alleviation of poverty. The foundation was created in 2011 to honor Paul M. Angell, and strives to embody the legacy of his compassion, ingenuity and industriousness.
https://pmangellfamfound.org/for-applicants/what-we-fund/
The Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation
The Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation is committed to improving the health and well-being of individuals and families in Chicago and collar counties. ...The role of the nonprofit sector is more important now than ever before. The Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation’s funding focus is to: 1. Improve the health of the uninsured, underinsured and low-income metropolitan Chicago residents and the community through increased access to community-based preventive and primary health services, such as medical, dental, vision, mental health, and case management; and 2. Support housing programs and services that provide access to prevention, intervention, follow-up, supportive services, and employment training for individuals and families who are homeless or at-risk of being homeless. Grants will be made to organizations in the City of Chicago and the six collar counties (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will). http://www.blowitzridgeway.org/information/information.html
Builders Initiative
Builders Initiative invests in and collaborates with non-profits, businesses, and others working towards sustainable solutions to societal and environmental challenges. We engage with our partners in these primary impact areas: Food and Agriculture, Climate and Energy, Oceans, and Community. Inclusiveness and equity are key to vibrant, thriving communities. We amplify the efforts and visions of those on the ground who are working towards equitable access to resources and opportunity throughout urban and rural communities across the Midwest. https://www.buildersinitiative.org/what-we-do
The Chicago Community Trust
The mission of The Chicago Community Trust is to improve the lives of the people in metropolitan Chicago. We believe that the diversity of our community is a fundamental strength of our region. Our mission is best fulfilled when we embrace diversity as a value and a practice. Through the years, the Trust has created many types of initiatives to help our region—and its foundations, businesses, civic leaders, and individuals like you—most effectively engage with the issues they care about. Through special task forces like these, we tackle issues of concern from innovative angles, or harness the power of civic collaboration for greater impact. Honoring the rich traditions of caring and mutual support within many communities, the Trust’s Affinity Fund giving groups invite individuals and families to join together in philanthropy inspired by a shared heritage or a common cause. www.cct.org/affinity-funds/
Christopher Family Foundation
Based in Westmont, Illinois, the foundation engages in philanthropic outreach in line with its mission and is governed by the Christopher Family Foundation Distribution Committee, which includes multiple generations of the Christopher family. Much of the Christopher family’s philanthropy is centered on the Chicago area and the Midwest. The mission of the Christopher Family Foundation is to support family well-being. The Foundation views its work through two key lenses: the Christian perspective of its founders and principals, and an emphasis on access and equity. https://christopherff.org/what-we-do/programs/
Conant Family Foundation
Conant Family Foundation carries forward a legacy of promoting basic human needs by supporting racial, economic and gender equity. CFF is a founding member of the Chicago Racial Justice Pooled Fund, which will raise and move $10,000,000 to Chicago organizations building and sustaining movements for justice that center Black lives and address anti-Blackness. /www.conantfamilyfoundation.org/grants
Crossroads Fund
Our Approach: Change Not Charity. Crossroads Fund supports community organizations working on issues of racial, social and economic justice in the Chicago area. Crossroads Fund leads in the philanthropic sector by supporting innovative organizing models that build strong movements for racial, social and economic justice. By creating relationships between donors, grantees, grassroots groups and community members, we strengthen leadership, build sustainable communities and transform unjust conditions, institutions and policies to create greater equality and opportunity for all.
https://crossroadsfund.org/content/funding-programs
The Field Foundation of Illinois
Founded in 1940 by Marshall Field III, the Field Foundation is a private, independent foundation that has been dedicated to the promise of Chicago for over 80 years. The Field Foundation aims its grantmaking toward the goal of Community Empowerment through funding nonprofits working in Justice, Art, Media & Storytelling and Leadership Investment. Grantmaking - The Field Foundation of Illinois
Lloyd A. Fry Foundation
The Lloyd A. Fry Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of the people of Chicago faced with challenges rooted in the systems of inequity. We partner with effective nonprofit organizations that share our commitment to building a community in which all individuals and families have the opportunity to thrive. https://www.fryfoundation.org/program-areas/overview/
Lohengrin Foundation
For over 50 years, the Lohengrin Foundation has invested in organizations and initiatives that advance racial, social, and economic justice, education, workforce development, the arts, medical research, arts education, humanitarian response, and international development. The Lohengrin Foundation primarily supports organizations, initiatives, and programs aligned with our areas of interest. We believe that effective organizational leadership, coupled with promising and proven practices that address root causes and systemic barriers, leads to results that deliver social impact and change lives.
https://lohengrinfdn.org/?page_id=153
Old National Bank
Throughout our more than 180-year history, Old National Bank has been focused on strengthening the communities we serve through corporate sponsorships and Foundation grant awards. This commitment to charitable giving serves as the cornerstone of our identity and helps define our mission as a community bank. www.oldnational.com/about/community/giving
Albert Pick Jr. Fund
The Albert Pick, Jr. Fund is a private, independent foundation established in 1947. While grantmaking interests and procedures have been updated over the years to reflect changing times, the Fund’s mission remains faithful to the intent of its founders, Corinne and Albert Pick, Jr.: to provide under-resourced Chicago residents with the tools they need to improve their lives. Today, the Fund concentrates on neighborhoods and/or people who are economically or otherwise disadvantaged or who face discrimination. Chicago should be a city of hope, safety and opportunities for those who live here. We believe that people should be empowered to identify and define the problems they confront and work towards solutions. Our role is to ensure that community residents have the resources and support they need to undertake this work. https://www.albertpickjrfund.org/guidelines
Woods Fund Chicago
Woods Fund Chicago seeks to support and promote community organizing and public policy advocacy that advances racial equity and economic justice. Woods Fund Chicago recognizes the important role smaller, grassroots organizations play in movements for social and economic justice. We further invest in our grantee partners by providing high-quality, technical assistance and support to emerging grantee partners so that their work towards social and economic change is built on a strong foundation and is sustainable.
Through partnerships with other foundation colleagues, Woods Fund Chicago offers two programs to current grantee partners: Capacity Building Initiative (CBI) and Cultivate: Women of Color Leadership Program. https://www.woodsfund.org/types-of-grantmaking
*Participating Foundation list is subject to change without notice.
SILVER.
.
BRONZE
Copyright © 2024 Breakin' It Down Chicago - All Rights Reserved.