Apply for a Grant
A Springboard grant is often part of a multi-year, long-term investment intended to help the grantee enhance its organizational stability, expand the reach of its programs, and provide bridges to long-term sources of funding. We solicit proposals from outstanding, small, community-based programs working in disadvantaged communities and our members visit each prospective grant recipient prior to making annual funding decisions. Our members individually monitor the impact of each grant, and work on an ongoing basis to gauge further funding requirements. We have made grants primarily to organizations that provide after-school and summer-school programs to Chicago's youth. Our grants have been used to expand program capacity, staffing, transportation, and for general program operations. Grants range in size from $5,000 to $20,000.
- We will not fund:
- Scholarships
- Individuals
- Religious proselytizing
- The sole purpose of writing, publishing, producing or distributing audio, visual or printed material
- The sole purpose of conducting conferences, festivals, exhibitions or meetings
- Reducing operating deficits or liquidating existing debt
- To be eligible for a Springboard grant the organization must:
- Be a Chicago-based and/or serving 501(c)3 nonprofit organization
- Have a program budget less than $500,000
- Provide after school programs
Management Suite Grants
Springboard also provides funding for services to assist you with management training, organizational development and capacity building through Springboard’s Management Suite of Services. Springboard has developed relationships with a number of local nonprofit and for profit service providers and will fund 70% of up to $5,000 worth of these services for your organization. You would be required to pay the remaining 30%. We strongly encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity, as we believe that effective use of these resources is an important step toward the stability and self-sufficiency that our grants are intended to foster. Please send your project description and cost estimates to Sejal Shah-Myers via email. Springboard Management Suite grants are only for current Springboard grantees.
Samples of Managememt Suite grants include:
- Trainging for key leadership
- Board development
- Strategic planning
- Core function improvements (Accounting, fundraising etc.)
Grant Calendar
- Current cohort site visits - February through early April
- New and Current Grantee Grant Application due - mid-February
- New Grantee Site Visits and Decision - May and June, respectively
- All Grantees Awards - Distributed in September/October
Organizations that are interested in submitting a proposal for funding consideration should contact Sejal Shah-Myers at 312.616.8000 ext. 183 or sejals@cct.org This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .
Program Spotlight
Erie Elementary Charter School (EECS) provides children in grades K-5 with a high-quality education that values their unique life experience, language and culture. Our innovative curriculum, infused with the Spanish language, the arts, and an emphasis on lifelong learning, creates a culture of high expectations for our students. EECS offers enriching learning opportunities both during and after school, including dual language instruction, technology access, Judo training, field trips, music, and now, visual arts with a professional artist.
Website: www.eriecharterschool.org
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University concluded that two-thirds of the achievement gap between lower- and higher-income youth results from unequal access to summer learning opportunities. (American Sociological Review, Vol. 72, April 2007)