What We Do: Field and Capacity Building
We believe that to change the world we must invest in collaboration, lead with what we share in common and learn from each other. To that end, we strive to increase impact by seeding an ecosystem for convening, collaborating, networking and learning for those working to address community gun violence.
Convene
We bring organizations and individuals from across Chicago to share knowledge and resources about a number of strategic, program and administrative issues.
Collaborate
Collaboration takes an investment in time and skill and faces many barriers. We do the muscle work on key projects to facilitate collaboration and ensure insights can turn into action. In addition, we foster collaboration across a number of our key activities such as the Race Against Gun Violence and targeted introductions to organizations and individuals with aligned missions.
Network
Insight and innovation often emerge organically, resulting from informal conversations and relationships. We facilitate events to expand relationships and influence across the nonprofit ecosystem which includes community organizations, civic institutions and donors.
Learn
We host workshops designed to address knowledge gaps identified by our community partners across a range of topics from marketing and risk assessment to wellness. In addition, we curate information about resource and event opportunities that would specifically benefit our community partners.
Coach
We work closely with a number grassroots leaders to increase personal and professional capacity and strengthen access to existing resources and opportunities.
Support
Field and capacity building requires a boots on the ground understanding of opportunities and challenges. We regularly visit and provide onsite support to our community partners as volunteers to learn about their work, develop relationships and simply help out!
Programs
Based on feedback from the field and the priorities of our Strategic Leadership Council, we pilot programs to address investment gaps and improve individual and system efficacy. Our Partners in Resilience program was developed as a response to the chronic trauma experienced by frontline staff and grassroots leaders working, and often living, in communities experiencing the highest prevalence of gun violence. Partners in Resiliency offers an innovative, multidisciplinary, community-informed approach to addressing primary and secondary trauma, foster collaboration and create an ecosystem for personal and professional growth for those exposed to the impact of gun violence.
