CHICAGO⯖ Today, Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Department of Family and Support Services are thrilled to announce the recipients of the City of Chicago’s 2026 My CHI.
My Future. Micro-Grants.
Previously funded in 2024 through American Rescue Plan Act Dollars, the MCMF Micro-Grant program has been revitalized for 2026 using Corporate Funds and will support community-based, youth-serving organizations in creating new or enhancing existing opportunities for positive youth engagement on the South and West sides.â¯Forty-three small grants are being awarded to organizations citywide.
“Chicago's young people deserve every opportunity to learn, lead, and grow, and we know that the organizations rooted in our neighborhoods are best positioned to help them reach their full potential,”said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “These micro-grants are an investment in the trusted community leaders who create safe spaces, develop young people's talents, and open doors to new opportunities.
We will continue making investments in our young people and the organizations that serve them because building a stronger, safer Chicago begins with investing in our neighborhoods.“
The Micro-Grants program is being administered by SGA Youth & Family Services.
In total, $750,000 in micro-grants will be distributed across 15 MCMF Community Strategy Regions.
Individual grants range from $7,000 to $20,000 each.
“DFSS is deeply grateful to the Johnson Administration for its continued commitment to expanding opportunities for our city’s youth,” saidDFSS Commissioner Angela Green. “With the distribution of these grants, we are strengthening the capacity of many fantastic organizations across our city to meet the needs of youth in their communities.
These programs have the power to change lives.”
The Micro-Grant Program provides flexible funding to community-based organizations creating meaningful opportunities for youth, including paid and stipended experiences that support leadership growth and career exploration.
The Micro-Grant model is an important strategy for advancing equitable access to public resources.
By streamlining the application and reporting process for organizations, the program helps ensure that resources reach communities efficiently and support locally driven initiatives that create positive outcomes for young people.
Among the micro-grant recipients is Future Ties, a Greater Grand Crossing-based organization providing whole-family support including after-school programs for children, teen workforce development, parent mentoring programs, case management and more.
”We are deeply honored to receive the 2026 My CHI.
My Future.
Micro-Grant Award,” said Jennifer Maddox, founder of Future Ties. “This investment will allow Future Ties to expand safe, engaging, and enriching summer opportunities where young people can learn, build meaningful relationships, and develop the skills they need to succeed. We are grateful to the City of Chicago and SGA for believing in our mission and partnering with us to create brighter futures for the youth and families of Greater Grand Crossing.“
Also receiving a micro-grant is La Villita Community Church, a bilingual church based in Little Village.
”We are sincerely grateful to be recipients of this grant,” saida representative for La Villita Community Church. “This summer, nine young adults between the ages of 16 and 23 dedicated five weeks of full-time service to our summer camp program, serving without the guarantee of compensation.
This funding will allow us to recognize their commendable commitment through well-deserved stipends and will further enable us to organize meaningful field trips for the children in our community.“
An additional micro-grant recipient isLuv City, located in North Lawndale, which uses multimedia production as a tool for addressing systemic injustices that can lead to violence.
”At Luv City, we believe every young person deserves a safe place to discover their talents and build a future full of possibility,” said Luv CityFounder and CEO Andre Rodriguez. “This funding allows us to reach more youth this summer through multimedia production programming and mentorship, while creating opportunities to amplify the voices and talents of both young people and local content creators through our Luv City Summer Fest community showcase event in North Lawndale.
We are incredibly grateful to DFSS and SGA for investing in Chicago's young people and the creative future of our communities.“
SGA was chosen as the administrator of the 2026 MCMF Micro-Grants program after having previously been selected by DFSS through a 2023 Request for Proposals process due to their long history of serving Chicago’s youth and families.
SGA has been serving the Chicago community since 1911 and is primarily responsible for selecting and administering micro-grants to successful applicants.
SGA implemented the Micro-Grant program in 2024 with great success, awarding grants to 62 organizations who served nearly 6,000 young people including more than 500 paid opportunities for youth.
“SGA Youth & Family Services is thrilled to partner with DFSS again on this exciting initiative” saidSGA CEO and President Martha Guerrero. “These special funds allow organizations to offer innovative programs not covered by other dollars.
Youth across the city will learn and grow from a diverse array of services, including sports, arts, civic engagement, tech and workforce.
We look forward to supporting the awardees in bringing their programs to life.”
The following table contains the 2026 awardees of the Micro-Grant program:
Agency Nameâ¯
Regionâ¯
Program Nameâ¯
Alliance 98
Little Village
The Athletic Club 98 Summer Series
Big Brothers-Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago
Chicago Lawn
Fairfield Academy Summer Bridge Program
Black United Fund of Illinois
South Shore
I.Y.V. League Program / Neat Visionaries
Box United
Back of the Yards
Fight Like a Girl: Back of the Yards
Chicago City Soccer Club
Brighton Park
HER League with Chicago City Soccer Club
Chicago Mobile Makers
Humboldt Park
Community Makers 101
Children’s Place Association
Humboldt Park
Child Thrive Summer Camp
Christ for Life Motorcycle Club
Belmont Cragin
Career Trade Workshops
Community Television Network
Austin
The Austin Safe Spaces Video Project
Creative Netwerk
Garfield Park
Creative Netwerk
Darrin’s Voice
Austin
Creative Connections: Austin Fall Family Activation
Foundation for Bryan A Leach
Greater Grand Crossing
Hoopers 2 Heaven - Back to School Youth Basketball Tournament Event
Future Ties
Greater Grand Crossing
Future Summer Ties
Garfield Park Rite to Wellness Collaborative
Garfield Park
Quality of Life Planning
Girls in the Game
North Lawndale
Fall Day of Play
Holy Family Ministries
North Lawndale
Adventures in Learning
Hughes Who Technologies Studio
Greater Roseland Area
Gaming the Future with Technology and AI
I Am You Wraparound Services 2-0
Belmont Cragin
Access 360 - Social Entrepreneurs Reimagining Value & Engagement: Runway and Real Lives
Jackson Park Golf Association
South Shore
JPGA Caddie Workforce Development Grant
Kingdom Avenue
Greater Englewood Area
B.U.I.L.D.E.R.S.
Kuumba Lynx
Greater Englewood Area
Englewood Leaders in Liberation
La Villita Community Church
Little Village
Arcoiris Summer Camp Program
LaYon’s Butterfly Effect
Back of the Yards
Polish with Purpose
Lighthouse Foundation of Chicagoland
Auburn Gresham
Launch Collective: Skate To Success
Little Village Environmental Justice Organization
Little Village
LVEJO’s Youth Program - Empowering Youth for Multigenerational Leadership
Love To Serve
Greater Roseland Area
Safe Courts, Strong Futures: A My CHI. My Future. Youth Enrichment Initiative
Men of Purpose Mentoring
Greater Englewood Area
Healthy Men Successful Men
Obbas Way Charities
Greater Roseland Area
Art Of Kingship
Protege Project
Auburn Gresham
Protege Youth Innovation Collective
Raw Talent Performing Arts
Greater Englewood Area
Creative Futures, Healing Arts
Red Well Foundation
Greater Grand Crossing
First Step Sneaker Clinic
Season To Soar
Greater Englewood Area
Global Leadership Youth Program
Serving People with a Mission
North Lawndale
Hand-n-Hand Leadership Program
South Shore Drill Team & Performing Arts Ensemble
Greater Grand Crossing
South Shore Drill Team: Peaceful, Powerful, Impactful Summer
Southwest Collective
Gage Park
Riding with Southwest Collective
Starr Community Services International
Auburn Gresham
STEAM INTO THE FUTURE: Summer Camp Park Tour
Teens Take On Climate
Gage Park
Gage Park Green & Growing Clubs
Twist and Shout School of the Performing Arts
Brighton Park
Outsider Art – Everybody is an Artist
Two Five Three Two Corp DBA Luv City
North Lawndale
Luv City Summer Institute and Luv City Summer Fest 2026
Victory Missionary Baptist Church of Chicago
Chicago Lawn
S.T.E.P. Forward
Wallace Broadview Foundation
Garfield Park
Next Level Saturdays
Walls Turned Sideways
Garfield Park
Liberation Lab
Westside Health Authority
Austin
Summertime Chi Series
The Community areas served by this program are as follows: Auburn Gresham, Austin, New City, Belmont Cragin, Brighton Park, Chicago Lawn, Gage Park, East Garfield Park, West Garfield Park, Englewood, West Englewood, Greater Grand Crossing, Pullman, Roseland Area, West Pullman, Humboldt Park, South Lawndale, North Lawndale, South Deering, and South Shore.â¯â¯â¯
Visitsga-youth.org/micro-grants/to learn more.â¯â¯â¯