CHICAGO – Today, Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) announced the City of Chicago’s My CHI. My Future. (MCMF) Micro-Grant Program. SGA Youth and Family Services (SGA) will administer the first-ever program to make small grants available to community-based, youth-serving organizations that are creating new or enhancing existing opportunities for positive youth engagement in specified Community Strategy Regions.

“Investing in our young people is a hallmark of my administration and a priority for me personally,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “In too many communities in our city, particularly on the South and West Sides, there aren’t enough community-based resources that engage our young people. These micro-grants are a step towards rectifying that disinvestment by providing funding for safe, productive spaces for our young people and for families in their own communities.”

In total, $600,000 will be distributed in micro-grants across the 15 MCMF Community Strategy Regions with $40,000 designated for each Region. Applicants can request between $2,500 to $10,000 for programming that serves youth during out-of-school time (e.g. evenings, weekends, or school breaks). Funds cannot be used for general operating expenses.

“These grants will ensure that small, community-based organizations are getting access to the resources that they need to provide safe spaces for our city's young people," said DFSS Commissioner Brandie Knazze. "As a Department and as a city, we are committed to both our young people and to the organizations that are doing the work to support them every day in communities.”

In December 2023, SGA was selected by DFSS through a Request for Proposals (RFP) process to administer this micro-grant program due to their long history of serving Chicago’s youth and families. SGA has been serving the Chicago community since 1911 and will be primarily responsible for selecting and administering the micro-grants to successful applicants. The purpose of this program is to strengthen community-based approaches to youth engagement by providing meaningful and productive programming youth and families.

“SGA is very excited to work with the City on the My CHI. My Future. Micro-Grant Program,” says Martha Guerrero, SGA CEO & President. “As an agency that has served Chicago’s youth for more than 100 years, we are proud to bring this new project to life to help smaller organizations increase positive youth development in their neighborhoods.”

The Community Areas Served by this program are as follows: Auburn Gresham, Austin, New City, Belmont Cragin, Brighton Park, Chicago Lawn, Gage Park, East Garfield Park, West Garfield Park, Englewood, West Englewood, Greater Grand Crossing, Pullman, Roseland Area, West Pullman, Humboldt Park, South Lawndale, North Lawndale, and South Shore.

The programs must serve youth ages six to 24 years old and at least 50% of the participants must be from at least one of the underrepresented populations as described below:

• Individuals with disabilities (i.e., physically impaired, visually impaired, etc.)

• Individuals attending Options High Schools

• Individuals who are English as a Second Language learners

• Individuals that are experiencing homelessness/unstably housed

• Individuals placed in the foster care system

• Individuals who are justice involved (i.e., parole, probation)

• Opportunity youth defined as out of school and out of work

The grant application is available starting on March 8, 2024, and the deadline to apply is April 12th, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. Any questions from applicants should be directed to youthmicrogrants@sga-youth.org. Interested applicants can visit sga-youth.org/micro-grants/ to learn more.

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