Executive Director, Chicago Racial Justice Pooled Fund

Job Description

Job Description

Chicago Racial Justice Pooled Fund

Executive Director Position Announcement

Title : Executive Director

Location : Chicago, IL (hybrid)

Status : Full-time, exempt

Salary : $130,000 - $150,000

Reports to : Steering Committee

Application Deadline : October 15, 2025

Desired start date : March 2026

About the Chicago Racial Justice Pooled Fund

The Chicago Racial Justice Pooled Fund (CRJPF or the “Pooled Fund”) supports community organizing and the larger ecosystem of movement building which contributes to dismantling anti-Black racism in Chicago and Cook County. In addition, the Pooled Fund supports efforts that are ally-led and working to dismantle anti-Blackness in their respective communities. CRJPF was created in 2020 in response to an urgent call from community organizations addressing the COVID-19 crisis and the murder of George Floyd. With input from organizers, a group of local funders volunteered to create an efficient, low-threshold application and grant making process.

As of May 2025, the Pooled Fund has raised over $11M from 42 foundations and provided over $9.9M in unrestricted grants to 105 Chicago organizations building and sustaining movements for justice that center Black lives and address anti-Blackness. CRJPF’s goal is to raise and grant an additional $15M – along with other resources – over the next five years. We envision a future where barriers are dismantled, communities are invested in, every person works toward our collective dignity, every community knows and exercises its power toward that collective dignity, and communities thrive. Definitions of terms and additional information can be found at www.crjpf.org.

The Pooled Fund is fiscally sponsored by Crossroads Fund and led by a Steering Committee of local foundations that has identified five priorities that encompass its work :

• Funder Education and Engagement
• Fundraising
• Community Building and Mutual Support among Funders
• Leveraging our Social Capital
• Grant Making

CRJPF engaged Black Researchers Collective to evaluate how funders and grantees experienced the Pooled Fund as well as its successes, challenges, and contributions to community power-building. For more information, please read the Four-Year Impact Report, which also includes a list of contributing funders and grantee partners.

The Opportunity : Executive Director

The Chicago Racial Justice Pooled Fund is excited for the opportunity to continue leveraging its collective resources to support organizations working on issues of equity, justice, and power-building. Hiring an Executive Director to guide and manage its work is an important next step. The incoming Executive Director will be responsible for building on the momentum and success of the Pooled Fund to mobilize and secure additional support, building its fundraising and financial capacity, and driving its grant making strategy. This is an external-facing role responsible for building and cultivating relationships and leading outreach to and across several key stakeholder groups, including leading / organizing the Steering Committee, supporting grantee partners, liaising with current and prospective funders - including potentially introducing strategies to expand to corporate and individual giving - and others.

An ideal candidate will be an experienced leader and strategist skilled in nonprofit fundraising, building strategic partnerships, and with a solid understanding of how institutional funders operate. The Executive Director will have a strong understanding of and commitment to community organizing, the unique challenges and opportunities facing Black- and ally-led organizations and local communities, and community-driven social change. The Executive Director will also be motivated to contribute thought leadership on shifting practices in philanthropy toward Black-led organizations / nonprofits and Black communities. This position presents an exciting opportunity to expand the visibility and impact of the Chicago Racial Justice Pooled Fund and to steer dollars to organizations that have been historically excluded in a local nonprofit ecosystem that typically privileges large, well-resourced organizations.

Please note that as the sole paid staff person, the Executive Director will cover all tasks, including administrative work. Crossroads Fund will provide accounting services and access to Foundant (grant management software); all other functions will be the responsibility of the Executive Director.

Responsibilities

Grant Making Strategy + Process

Fundraising + Funder / Donor Organizing

Steering Committee Management + Governance

External Relations + Thought Leadership

General Operations + Financial Management

Requirements

Skills + Experiences

We know that people of color and women candidates are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every requirement. Please do not be deterred if you have not held an Executive Director or Chief Development Officer title in a prior role. Your gifts and lived experiences matter to us more than titles. You may be exactly who we are looking for!

Work Environment

To Apply

Crossroads Fund is the fiscal sponsor and serves as employer on record. Crossroads Fund is an equal opportunity employer that provides a work environment that respects the dignity and worth of each individual and is free from all forms of employment discrimination, including harassment, because of race, color, sex, gender, age, religion or belief, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, pregnancy / maternity, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, political affiliation, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Benefits

Salary + Benefits