Facing Forward to End Homelessness

What Facing Forward to End Homelessness does

Facing Forward to End Homelessness is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides permanent supportive housing, education, advocacy, and social services to families and individuals experiencing chronic homelessness. Founded circa 2005 (firmographic record lists 1985) and headquartered in the Humboldt Park neighborhood at 642 N. Kedzie Ave., the organization operates four primary programs: Permanent Supportive Housing (serving 611 individuals in FY24, including 260 children), First Foundations (a 2021 pilot serving families with expectant parents or children under three), Home Connection (a 2021 partnership with Chicago Public Schools serving 482 individuals across 136 families), and Housing Resource Specialists conducting assessments through Chicago's Coordinated Entry System (1,994 assessments in FY24). Its service delivery is built on the federally prioritized Housing First model combined with a Two-Generation methodology, where every household receives a dedicated case manager plus access to a network of over 100 community service partners.

The business model is a multi-stream nonprofit funding architecture with no client pricing: revenue is derived from foundation grants, individual donations, corporate giving (matching gifts, AmazonSmile, event sponsorships), and government contracts via Chicago's Coordinated Entry System. Named institutional grants total approximately $1.395 million, anchored by a $1.25 million Day 1 Families Fund award in 2020 from the Bezos Day One Fund that catalyzed the First Foundations launch. Additional funding has come from Impact Grants Chicago ($100K, 2019), Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois ($40K across 2020-2021 COVID-19 rounds), and the SBB Research Group Foundation ($5K, 2023). Outreach and fundraising are executed through a community-led go-to-market motion embedded in Chicago's CES referral pipeline, supplemented by event-driven engagement (Paint & Sip fundraisers, the annual 3H Social gala, 5K runs, trivia nights, Back to School Bashes) and earned media partnerships with NBC 5 Chicago, Telemundo, and Salvi Media.

The organization employs 11-50 staff, is led by Executive Director Rev. Douglas Bradshaw with a senior team spanning Development, Programs, Finance, and Impact/Innovation, and is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by Harish Venkitaramanan (Cisco Systems) with vice-chair Christine Lopez (BMO), Secretary Jeff Oskin (J.P. Morgan Securities), and Treasurer Adam O'Connor (William Blair). Facing Forward earned the 2025 Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid and hosted the White House and USICH in May 2024, while reporting that 85% of clients ended their cycle of homelessness over the prior five years. Technology is limited to HMIS compliance and standard nonprofit case management tools, with no proprietary AI or digital product.

Name

Facing Forward to End Homelessness

Legal name

Facing Forward to End Homelessness

Website

https://ffchicago.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Facing Forward to End Homelessness is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers permanent supportive housing, case management, and wraparound services to chronically homeless families and individuals through programs including Permanent Supportive Housing, First Foundations, and Home Connection.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homeless and Social Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Child and Youth Services (62411), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB), Homeless, Foster Care & Highly Mobile Youth Education Services (EDAJAEAG), Resident Support Services (RA Training Support, On-Call Coordination, Crisis Response Liaison) (EDAEAFAM)

Keywords

• Permanent supportive housing
• Homeless services
• Family housing programs
• Social services
• Case management

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants: Major grants from foundations including the Day 1 Families Fund ($1.25 million), Impact Grants Chicago ($100,000), and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois COVID-19 grants ($20,000). These are typically one-time or periodic awards for specific programs or organizational support.
2. Individual Donations: Direct donations from individuals through the organization's website, Amazon Wishlist, and in-kind donations of household items and supplies. Donors can give monetary contributions or physical goods like bedding, toiletries, and kitchen supplies.
3. Corporate Giving: Corporate donations including matching gifts, workplace giving programs, AmazonSmile donations, and event sponsorships. Companies like Salvi Media provide pro-bono services while corporate partners sponsor events.
4. Government Contracts: Funding from government sources including partnerships with Chicago's Coordinated Entry System and programs serving families experiencing homelessness. Government support through housing assistance programs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Facing Forward to End Homelessness provides permanent supportive housing and wraparound social services to families and individuals experiencing homelessness in Chicago. Its portfolio includes Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH), the First Foundations program for expectant parents and families with children 0-3, the Home Connection program partnering with Chicago Public Schools, Housing Resource Specialist assessments through Chicago's Coordinated Entry System, and the Career Forward Youth Internship Program. All services are delivered at no cost to clients, funded primarily through grants, donations, and government contracts.

Product overview

Facing Forward to End Homelessness is a Chicago-based nonprofit organization that provides a portfolio of social service programs designed to end and prevent homelessness for families and individuals. The organization operates a multi-program model centered on Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) as its longest-running core program, supplemented by two innovative family-focused programs—First Foundations (serving expectant parents and families with children ages 0-3) and Home Connection (serving families with Chicago Public Schools students)—alongside Housing Resource Specialists and a Family Empowerment Team. The Career Forward Youth Internship Program rounds out the portfolio. All programs operate under a Two-Generation (Two-Gen) approach that addresses needs of both children and adults simultaneously to break generational cycles of homelessness.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3,000 children and adults served annually
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of Chicago Inclusive Economy LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Urban Labs to study the Home Connection program's impact on families experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
• Chicago Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with CPS to identify and serve students and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness through the Home Connection program. Each CPS school has a Students in Transitional Living Situations (STLS) liaison.
• New MomsminorOthersCommunity partner that refers families to the First Foundations program serving families with expectant parents and children ages 0-3.
• Westside Healthy StartminorOthersCommunity partner referring families to the First Foundations program serving families experiencing homelessness during early childhood developmental stages.
• Primo CenterminorOthersCommunity partner referring families to the First Foundations program for families with children ages 0-3 experiencing homelessness.
• All ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Chicago's Coordinated Entry System and housing navigation efforts. Collaborated at Accelerated Moving Events to provide immediate housing for families.
• Meka Hemmons / SpiderMeka PhotographyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhotographer partner who provides portrait photography services showcasing the strength of families and individuals. Her work appears throughout the organization's website and promotional materials.
• Salvi MediaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChicago-based video production company selected Facing Forward as their #SalviSupports partner, creating videos for greater causes featuring resident stories.
• NBC 5 ChicagominorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner featuring Facing Forward residents and programs. Michelle Relerford, Evening Co-Anchor, has been a long-time partner, emceeing events and pledging portion of book sales to the organization.
• ReVive Center for Housing and HealingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal nonprofit hosting Career Forward internship program participants who gained professional experience while interning at the organization.
• Greater Chicago Food DepositoryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing panelist for Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week events addressing food insecurity and housing instability in the community.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• A Safe Haven Foundation: Chicago-based nonprofit providing housing and supportive services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness, including workforce programming. Comparable in operating model (housing + case management + employment) and Chicago footprint.
• New Moms: Chicago nonprofit providing housing, case management, doula, and early childhood support to young mothers and children 0-3 experiencing homelessness. Directly comparable to Facing Forward's First Foundations program and listed as a referral partner.
• Connections for the Homeless: Chicago-area nonprofit providing shelter, housing, and case management to families and individuals experiencing homelessness. Directly comparable mission, geography, and case-management-driven Housing First model, making it Facing Forward's closest comparable peer in Chicagoland.
• La Casa Norte: Chicago nonprofit serving youth and families experiencing homelessness with supportive housing, education, and case management. Comparable Two-Generation-style wraparound services and Chicago-specific referral/referral pipeline, positioning it as a direct service peer.
• Primo Center: Chicago-based family homelessness organization providing permanent supportive housing and wraparound services for families with children. Listed as a referral partner and operates an almost identical family-focused PSH model in the same city.

Broad incumbents

• Thresholds: Larger Chicago-based nonprofit providing housing, mental health, and recovery services across a broader population. Operates overlapping supportive housing capabilities but across a wider portfolio of clinical and psychosocial services.
• Heartland Alliance: Major Chicago-based human services nonprofit with housing, refugee, and health programs. Touches the same CES-fed homelessness population but at much greater scale and breadth across multiple service lines.
• Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago: Large incumbent multi-service nonprofit in Chicago operating emergency shelters, housing, and case management. Overlaps with Facing Forward's family homelessness and supportive housing offerings as part of a much wider social-services portfolio.

Others

• Chicago Coalition for the Homeless: Chicago nonprofit focused on policy, advocacy, and public education around homelessness rather than direct service delivery. Operates as an enabling/ecosystem actor adjacent to Facing Forward's advocacy and systems-change work.
• All Chicago: Chicago's centralized coordinating body that runs the Coordinated Entry System and makes grants to address homelessness. Ecosystem participant and active strategic partner (Accelerated Moving Events) rather than a direct competitor, since it funds and routes clients to providers like Facing Forward.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ff_chicago

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Facing Forward to End Homelessness