As the year comes to a close, national philanthropic organization Chicago Beyond is proud to highlight a year marked by transformative investments that have supported partners across the nation committed to improving outcomes in maternal health, justice, and other social impact causes. This year, Chicago Beyond announced over $10 million in funding that uplifted organizations dedicated to advancing midwifery care, expanding reproductive care, addressing wrongful convictions, supporting reentry programs, and empowering young people and women impacted by the justice system. 

“Chicago Beyond’s mission is to stand alongside people closest to the challenges and solutions impacting their communities,” said Liz Dozier, Founder and CEO of Chicago Beyond. “This year, we expanded our commitment to maternal health and justice, with the belief that investing in the leaders on the front lines is crucial to building a more just and equitable society.”

The $10 million includes Chicago Beyond’s investments in fourteen organizations announced for the first time today. These partners are located across the United States pursuing groundbreaking work in justice and maternal health:

• Breath of My Heart Birthplace (New Mexico) 
• Chicago South Side Birth Center (Chicago, IL)
• Cultural Brokers Incorporated (California) 
• Elephant Circle (Colorado-based, National) 
• Exonerated Nation Inc (California-based, National) 
• Illinois Coalition to End Permanent Punishment (Illinois) 
• Indigenous Birth (Arizona-based, National) 
• Mid-Missouri Black Doula Collective (Columbia, MO) 
• One Voice United (National) 
• Organization of Exonerees (Michigan-based, Illinois and National) 
• People’s Liberty Project (Chicago, IL)
• Propa City Community Outreach (Boston, MA)
• Southern Birth Justice Network (Greater Miami Area, FL)

Chicago Beyond also embarked on impactful multi-year partnerships with three prominent organizations dedicated to uplifting young people and women impacted by the justice system:

• We Got Us Now (New York-based, National)
• Youth Sentencing & Reentry Project (Philadelphia, PA)
• RestoreHER US.America (Georgia-based, National)

The significant investments made in 2024 reflect Chicago Beyond’s dedication to advancing equity by channeling resources to grassroots leaders and organizations. 

Chicago Beyond’s other major investment and partnership milestones in 2024 include:

• Announcing a new $4 million multi-year partnership with Birth Center Equity, which is a nonprofit dedicated to expanding community birth centers and reducing disparities in maternal health outcomes. 
• Launching a million dollar partnership with the NBA Foundation and the Chicago Bulls to support Black-led nonprofit organizations that are creating opportunities for Black youth and communities in Chicago.
• Supporting Jeanine Valrie Logan, Chicago Beyond’s Leader in Residence, as she works to open the Chicago South Side Birth Center to address the pervasive racial disparities that exist in maternal health outcomes in Chicago. Illinois Gov. Pritzker highlighted Jeanine and the birth center in his 2024 State of the State address to announce a statewide $23 million investment in Birth Equity. He later signed that bill into law at Chicago Beyond in July 2024.  
• Hosting a National Justice Convening, the first-of-its-kind convening in Chicago that brought together correctional administrators, staff, union leaders, and people who are formerly incarcerated to engage in a national conversation on Chicago Beyond’s Holistic Safety Framework and support the implementation of the framework in correctional systems nationwide. Individuals from more than 30 states attended the convening and represented more than 15% of corrections nationwide.