Job Description
Internship Title: Community Impact Internship (Growing Household Wealth and Catalyzing Neighborhood Investment Track)
Description: This is a yearlong internship (June 2024 - May 2025) in which students will be closely integrated within our two Community Impact strategies of Growing Household Wealth (GHW) and Catalyzing Neighborhood Investment (CNI).
About the Growing Household Wealth Strategy:
Addressing the wealth gap at the household level by increasing incomes, building assets, and reducing debt.
Growing household wealth is about much more than income equality.
It's about leveraging opportunities over the course of a lifetime-from paying for a college education to buying a house and saving for retirement-that allow individuals and families to build assets, have financial security, and pass wealth along to the next generation.
Background
Research shows that homeownership and entrepreneurship are the building blocks of wealth generation for households of color. In fact, homeownership is the single largest source of wealth for Black and Latine families in the Chicago region, and the median net worth of Black entrepreneurs is 12 times that of peers who don't own a business.
The Opportunity
However, historically and to this day, people of color have encountered barriers to accessing the tools to become homeowners and business owners. To close the wealth gap at the household level, we must address the policies and practices that have expanded opportunities for white families to generate wealth while excluding Black and Latine families.
Our Approach
To create lasting solutions to our region's most pressing challenges, the Trust supports and leads efforts to build public knowledge and will around key issues; strengthen the public policy landscape; and advance policy and systems change.
About the Catalyzing Neighborhood Investment Strategy:
For our region to prosper, we need our Black and Latine communities to thrive.
That means safe neighborhoods with access to services that many take for granted-grocery stores, parks, transit systems, restaurants, and more.
Background
The Trust's Catalyzing Neighborhood Investment strategy focuses on creating the environment that allows investment to happen in historically disinvested Black and Latine communities.
The Opportunity
When it comes to helping individuals, families, and communities build wealth, neighborhood investment is a force multiplier. Neighborhood development projects create businesses and jobs, bring in new services and amenities that make life better for residents, and increase the flow of dollars to and within the community.
Our Approach
To create an environment where investment can take place the Trust supports neighborhood organizations that lead and coordinate development, community engagement and strategic planning efforts, and capital solutions aimed at increasing development.
Expected Assignments:

• Support GHW and Learning and Impact in developing a plan for engaging and convening Income grant recipients culminating in a symposium for Income Strategy; assist with Income Growth Solutions requests for proposals (RFP);

• Support in reviewing existing impact frameworks for funding programs to determine alignment with CNI priorities; make recommendations based on past grantmaking.

• Participate in meetings with potential grant applicants, documenting important information, providing feedback on alignment with strategic priorities.

• Other duties as assigned.

Salary: $20.00/hour
Hours per week: 30 hours per week until September 2024; 21 hours from September 2024 - May 2025 (2 days in office; 1 day remote)
Internship Timeframe: June 2024 - May 2025
Application Materials
Interested candidates should submit the following:

• Resume

• Cover Letter

Application Timeline

• Applications will be accepted until the internship is filled. We will contact applicants directly if there is further interest. Thank you for your interest in The Chicago Community Trust's internship program!

Experience and Skills
Ideal majors: Rising Junior - Graduate level Public Policy; Political Science; Public Administration; Urban Planning; Sustainable Urban Development; Community Development; Social Science, Economics; Business; Social Work; Law; or other related fields.
Requirements:

• Microsoft Excel

• Critical thinking

• Data visualization

• Presentation skills

• Writing skills

• Complex problem-solving skills

• Must have reliable technology to access the Internet and proficiency with Miro, Zoom and other remote workspace tools