The Eleanor Network | 2010 Grants Total $1.2 Million to Innovative Programs in Eleanor Network

A network of resources to support economic self-sufficiency

2011 Grant Round

During 2011 and 2012, the Eleanor Foundation will continue its grant-making program to expand The Eleanor Network in Chicago.

We are now seeking grant applications from organizations that will partner with us to create programs that promote sustained economic self-sufficiency for single working female heads-of-households who earn between $10,000 and $40,000.

Our 2011 grants will focus on programs that offer practical, skills-based job training and access to jobs that pay living wages. We will also continue to support programs that provide wrap-around services that help them succeed.

Interested organizations can apply as Hub Partners that operate as single-points-of-access to integrated services, or as Resource Partners that offer specialized services, especially employer-driven skills training. Learn more.

Eleanor Awards $1.2 Million to Innovative Programs

Expands Eleanor Network to Service Women in Chicago

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May 4, 2011

Grants support job skills training

The Eleanor Foundation recently awarded $1,271,000 to 11 nonprofit organizations to expand the Eleanor Network—the citywide system of services we are building to help Chicago's working female heads-of-households become economically independent.

Our most recent investments seek to meet the needs of a steadily growing population. According to our recent research report, the number of women-led households not yet economically self-sufficient in the Chicago region grew 18.5% from 2000 to 2008. These households now number 332,648.

The Eleanor Foundation is meeting with regional leaders to identify collaborative opportunities to address the challenge presented by this growing population—and the challenges faced by our women. Our latest round of grants reflects our evolving focus on what we see as a vital priority for the women in our target population: market-driven skills-based training to get women on career tracks that lead to a livable wage.

Established in 2006, our Eleanor Network now comprises 13 programs involving 16 proven nonprofit organizations, and our investments in the Network now total more than $5 million.

Below is detail on our grants in December 2010:

New Grants

Centers for New Horizons (Centers)
A $160,000 two-year grant to pilot the "Women Employed Project," a new skills training program that prepares local teachers' assistants for positions as early childhood development teachers. As a new resource partner of the Eleanor Network, Centers works with area childcare centers and its own early education programs to propel women into teaching careers—providing greater economic stability to women-led households and building the community's capacity to provide quality childhood education for working families.

Renewed Support

Chicago Women in Trades
A $40,000 one-year grant to expand the Technical Opportunities Program, first funded as a Network resource grant in 2009. The program prepares single working women for the building trades through skills training, apprenticeship placement, and mentoring to secure work in the industry.

Heartland Human Care Services
A $250,000 one-year grant for the IDEA program, now in its sixth year as an employer-centered hub of the Eleanor Network. In 2011, Heartland increases its focus on career development and skills-training for women working with its employer partners. Heartland will also expand the scope of its employer relationships to include human resources professionals with whom it will facilitate placements.

Housing Opportunities for Women (HOW)
A $200,000 two-year grant to support the Center for Working Women, which was launched in 2007 as an Eleanor Network hub. The Center provides women one-on-one career coaching, addresses housing and childcare needs, and offers workshops that foster networks among women and facilitate their connections to other community resources.

Instituto Progresso del Latino
A $250,000 three-year grant for Mujer Avanzando—a community partnership we launched as a Network hub in 2007, led by and housed at Instituto. Now in its fourth year, this partnership integrates Instituto's career planning and skills training in healthcare and manufacturing together with Mujeres Latinas en Accion's leadership development training and the Resurrection Project's asset development services and affordable housing opportunities.

Jane Addams Resource Corporation (JARC)
A $55,000 one-year grant to continue support to JARC's Women in Manufacturing program. This program provides women vocational training for skilled, industrial jobs with its employer partners, helps women apply for public benefits, and provides financial coaching through its Center for Working Families.

Kinzie Industrial Development Corporation (KIDC)
A $100,000 one-year grant for KIDC's emergency medical technician (EMT) training program—now in its third year in a partnership with Superior Ambulance. Using this program as a model, we are developing additional employer partnerships to expand job placement opportunities for program graduates. KIDC provides hands-on job training and placement upon graduation and state certification, as well as workshops for women on managing finances and good credit.

The Law Project (formerly the Community Economic Development Law Project)
An $80,000 two-year resource grant for the Choose-to-Own program, helping those with Housing Choice vouchers to apply their subsidies toward conventional home mortgages and draft wills to protect their new assets. In spite of the current environment, which has placed a significant burden on women-headed households, the program has seen no foreclosures.

Restaurant Opportunities Chicago
A $50,000 one-year grant for this organization's Career Ladders for Women program—an Eleanor Network resource grant that advances women from "back-of-the-house" to "front-of-the-house" hospitality jobs with higher wages.

St. Anthony Hospital
A $36,000 one-year grant for the School-at-Work program (SAW), which educates current employees and promotes them to advanced-skilled, higher-paying jobs while addressing community healthcare needs. This is our third companion grant to the SAW program, which is co-funded by the St. Anthony Hospital Foundation and the Steans Family Foundation.

Youth Job Center of Evanston (YJC)
A $40,000 one-year grant for YJC's Women Investing in Learning and Livelihoods program for young working mothers interested in healthcare and manufacturing careers. Now in its second year, this program also offers participants professional development, mentoring, financial education and access to affordable childcare.

Continued Work

In addition to its grants in December 2010, the Foundation also provided support to two other Eleanor Network partner organizations:

The Cara Program
Now in its sixth year as an Eleanor Network hub grantee partner, The Cara Program's post-employment support emphasizes career advancement planning and asset building for single working women.

YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago
A resource grant from the Eleanor Foundation established the YWCA's Economic Empowerment Institute in 2008 as a Network hub in the West Garfield and the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhoods. In addition to addressing all four core needs, the Institute offers women counseling for sexual assault survivors, and anti-racism and community leadership training.