Director, Fund for Equitable Business Growth

Fund For Equitable Business Growth Director

The Chicago Community Trust, in collaboration with The Coleman Foundation, JPMorgan Chase Foundation, and Robert R. McCormick Foundation, launched The Fund For Equitable Business Growth (FEBG) in 2019 to promote the growth of small businesses in Chicago. FEBG aims to provide programmatic support to Business Service Organizations (BSOs) to help entrepreneurs access capital and services for business growth. Since its inception, FEBG has made over $14 million in grants to build capacity for BSOs to serve nearly 5,000 small businesses. The Director will be responsible for the development of a strategic plan, facilitating the refined governance structure of FEBG, and establishing a communication plan that highlights key impacts on the small businesses served through the program. The Director will also be responsible for integrating a measurable impact framework that aligns data across funders and strengthens transparency in reporting outcomes for BSOs and small businesses.

The Director will work with philanthropic organizations and small business stakeholders to develop a comprehensive 5-year strategic plan that includes fundraising goals, refined grantmaking strategies, an updated evaluative framework, and other necessary components. The Director should ensure the plan aligns with the broader Chicago entrepreneurship ecosystem, which includes engaging with stakeholders who have comprehensive plans to advance strategies that impact small business development across the region to create a complementary and additive resource.

The Director will facilitate the newly refined governance structure of the Fund which will ensure funders are engaged and providing appropriate direction by upholding the charters established and participating in the committees set. The Director will also establish a strategic communications plan that demonstrates the program's impact and reaches diverse stakeholders. Prepare an annual report describing the investments made and outcomes achieved through each of the Fund's adopted strategies to share key developments, accomplishments, and challenges with current and prospective funders and partners.

The Director will be expected to provide management of the fund which includes developing annual budgets and plans for approval by the Executive Committee and revising such as instructed by the Executive Committee. The Director will be expected to develop and implement a grantmaking approach that aligns with the strategic plan of the fund which includes managing communications and relationships with grant recipients, providing technical assistance and support to ensure project success. The Director will be expected to set and achieve fundraising goals ensuring the initiative remains well-resourced to achieve its ambitious goals.

The Director is expected to leverage data insights to inform the strategy's direction and refinement. This includes working with the Trust's Learning & Development team to establish a learning timeline around the Fund that includes key recommendations for the strategy from the program's evaluation and small business research informing the work. The Director will be responsible for coordinating cross-sector learning convenings that connect small business data to regulatory, financing, and workforce systems and translate insights into actionable recommendations for funders and policymakers.

Required experience includes 5-10 years of experience in small business support, economic development, entrepreneurship, grantmaking, fundraising, or a related field. A master's degree is preferred but not required. The ideal candidate will have the ability to strengthen ideas and build momentum by leveraging existing programs / initiatives, resources, structures, and policies. The candidate must understand the challenges facing local organizations and small business owners, and the impact of public policies and local economic development. The Trust is committed to creating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. The Trust does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, parental status, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable laws.