• Women, femmes, and women identifying, gender non-binary, trans, or two-spirited persons of color.
• Emerging leaders in a nonprofit organization in greater Chicago.
  • Examples of these positions include: Executive Directors, Program Directors, Organizing Directors, Policy Directors, Lead Organizers, Managers, etc.
• Funded within the last 3 years by a Cultivate participating foundation:
  • Crossroads Fund
  • Chicago Foundation for Women (CFW)
  • Woods Fund Chicago
  • Walder Foundation
  • Chicago Community Trust
• 2-6 years of leadership experience in the non-profit, community organizing, public policy and/or advocacy
• Can commit to Cultivate Program calendar //VIEW CALENDAR//
• Can commit to participating in individual coaching with an Executive Coach for a minimum of 10 hours.

APPLICATION OPENS SEPTEMBER 16, 2024

The application for the program is currently CLOSED and is set to open soon. Please stay tuned!

For questions or inquiries contact Nouha Boundaoui, Program Manager at nouha@crossroadsfund.org

The foundation partners hope that this work will build the institutions in which these women work by cultivating an intentional gender and racial equity lens and lead to the development of other women leaders within their organizations, especially at the community level. The goals of Cultivate are to:

1. Support the personal and professional development of women of color leaders, working in advocacy, community organizing and movement building.
2. Reclaim a framework that intentionally utilizes an intersectional racial, economic and gender justice framework.
3. Build a brave and healthy space for all women of color to discuss and learn about indigenous models of leadership and organizational development.
4. Advance the sustainability and longevity of individual women of color leadership, while enabling a pipeline for leaders to emerge
5. Nurture relationships to create a connected community across organizations, foundations, program alumni and their various fields of work.
6. 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.

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.

Sessions focus on topics of:

• Leadership Development
• Capacity Building
• Movement Building

The Cultivate program is a one-year program supporting the personal and professional development needs of each participant. The program participants selected to Cultivate:

• Receive up to 10 hours with a personal Executive Coach
• Attend 8 sessions co-created by participants and Cultivate staff