Matthew Muench

CDP’s longest-standing fund, the Midwest Early Recovery Fund (ERF), has been a crucial part of our efforts to advance the equitable and long-term recovery of marginalized communities before and after a disaster. Now, after years of listening and adapting the fund, a recent evaluation conducted by Point b(e) Strategies reinforces the strength of this approach. The findings offer a roadmap for future investments and collaborations in rural disaster recovery. At the heart of this report is the recognition that all disasters are deeply personal, and therefore, the recovery is also personal and relational. The work of the Midwest Early Recovery Fund goes beyond distributing grants and collecting data — it fosters community-driven recovery through intentional partnerships. The report highlights how grantmaking infused with technical assistance, deep listening and flexible support can increase capacity, reduce isolation and catalyze more equitable recoveries. The Fund’s hyper-local grantmaking approach and commitment to marginalized communities offer clear lessons for the field: - Disaster recovery is complex; it’s never the result of a single intervention. This evaluation reaffirms that recovery is a collective effort between community leaders, nonprofits, funders, governments, businesses and many others. At CDP, this means our grantmaking starts with decentering ourselves, recognizing that we can contribute to a community’s recovery, but we do not play a central role. Disaster philanthropy in a community should begin with listening in order to fund and prioritize unmet community needs, not our own objectives or desired impact. - At its core, disaster recovery is relational. The evaluation affirmed what we’ve always known — trusted relationships between funders and community partners Our Fund staff are not just grantmakers; they are partners and connectors. Connecting grantee partners to each other, to a network of experts that support community-led recovery, and to other funders and opportunities. - Equitable recovery requires time, leadership and intentionality. Engaging with communities and grantee partners who represent and assist populations that have been marginalized and feel invisible is incredible work that calls us as an organization to be committed to staffing and sustaining. The evaluation shows that the time, careful attention, and patience to build trust and support beyond the check are deeply meaningful. This translates into an understanding that communities need strong leadership, time and intentionality; affirming that supporting community-based leadership by funding salaries, benefits, access to appropriate expertise and staff-care resources is a vital part of what funders can do to contribute to equitable recovery. Learn more and read the report: https://bit.ly/4fBokn7

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Chicago’s safety net is under enormous strain.   Federal policy and funding shifts are making it harder for families to get food, shelter, healthcare, and safety—and harder for nonprofits and public servants to deliver them.   Working parents. Older adults on fixed incomes. Students juggling school and work. Families with mixed immigration status. People living on the street.   Nonprofits and public agencies are caring for of all of them.   They’re holding the safety net together under growing pressure: more people needing help, more complicated rules, less money, and rising burnout and turnover. Service providers know what works. They need support to meet today’s needs, and they deserve time and resources to imagine a different future.   That’s why we created the Resilient Chicago Fund.   Today, we’re launching an open call to support innovation in basic needs: to enable leaders to adapt, rethink, and redesign how essential benefits and services are delivered across food, shelter, healthcare, and safety. Grant details: • Design + testing grants: $100K–$300K • A few multi‑year, multimillion‑dollar grants for implementation-ready ideas Info session: Friday, 3/20 at 12:30 pm CT Applications due: April 17 Grants announced: Late May If your organization works in food, shelter, healthcare, or safety in Chicago and needs resources to reimagine how these systems can work better for people, the RFP is now open. https://lnkd.in/g-a73ev4

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As the federal public service begins to shrink, equity gains are at risk. I spoke with The Hill Times about my concerns that Black workers, who are disproportionately hired on term contracts, are among the first to be let go under government austerity measures. The latest employment equity report shows progress, but the data does not reflect the thousands of recent terminations at departments like CRA and IRCC. The numbers may look good on paper, but the reality on the ground tells a different story. Black workers remain overrepresented in the lowest salary bands, despite being highly educated. If we are serious about equity, we must go beyond surface-level reporting and ensure economic and job security for those who have historically been marginalized, especially in times of restraint. Read the article here: https://lnkd.in/eTbNevSd

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