enrich chicago

What enrich chicago does

Enrich Chicago is an independent non-profit organization founded in 2014 in Chicago that operates as an arts-led movement to undo racism in the city's arts and culture sector. It serves BIPOC arts organizations, individual artists, arts and culture executive directors, and major arts institutions, addressing systemic inequities in leadership representation, foundation funding distribution, and organizational culture within the arts ecosystem. The organization runs a portfolio of free programs rather than a unified technology product, including Antiracism Learning workshops (covering hiring practices, leadership characteristics, anti-racist visioning, organizational audits, and managing difficult conversations), the Imagine Just Community initiative (comprising the Community-Advised Fund providing $5K unrestricted grants to BIPOC arts organizations, the Just Praxis Circle offering quarterly peer gatherings for BIPOC culture workers, and the Imagine Just Artist Fellow residency), the Collective Impact Network convening 40+ institutional partners quarterly, and Antiracist Labs for white antiracists and CEO-level executives. Data-driven research is delivered through 'A Portrait of Inequity' (2018) and 'Funding Equity: Crisis to Sustainability' (2024), the latter covering 18 grantmakers and 104 local arts organizations and representing approximately 30% of foundation arts funding in Chicago.

The organization operates on a grant-funded non-profit model with all programs provided free of charge to participants. Revenue is sourced from foundation and institutional grants (MacArthur Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, Terra Foundation for American Art) plus individual donations via Givelively and PayPal. Enrich Chicago does not have proprietary technology; its infrastructure consists of standard SaaS tools (Squarespace website, Zoom for virtual programming, Dropbox for report distribution, Google platforms for collaboration). The organization is governed by a 9-person Board of Directors and operates with a small staff (Interim Executive Director, Director of Collective Impact, Community Engagement Coordinator, Antiracism Organizer & Program Coordinator). In July 2025, founding-era Executive Director Nina Sanchez departed after nearly eight years, and Adria Husband was named Interim Executive Director pending a formal executive search.

Name

enrich chicago

Legal name

Enrich Chicago

Website

https://enrichchi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Enrich Chicago is a non-profit providing anti-racism education, funding equity research, and collaborative programs for BIPOC arts organizations and leaders in the Chicago arts sector, funded primarily by foundation grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Arts Equity Services

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (81331), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Racial & Ethnic Justice Organizations (BPAGAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB), Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC), Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN)

Keywords

• Anti-racism education
• Arts equity research
• BIPOC arts funding
• Collective impact convening
• Community-advised grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Foundation and Institutional Grants: Enrich Chicago generates revenue through grants from foundations including MacArthur Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, and others. The organization also receives support through individual donations via platforms like Givelively and PayPal.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Enrich Chicago is a nonprofit organization that provides anti-racism education, funding equity research, and collaborative initiatives for Chicago's arts and culture sector. Its core offerings include anti-racism workshops for arts leaders, data-driven funding equity studies, a Community-Advised Fund distributing $5K unrestricted grants to BIPOC arts organizations, peer community spaces (Just Praxis Circle, Antiracist Labs), an Artist Fellowship, and quarterly Collective Impact Network convenings.

Product overview

Enrich Chicago is a non-profit organization (founded 2014) operating as an arts-led movement to undo racism in Chicago's arts sector. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected programs rather than a unified technology product. Its core offerings include: (1) Antiracism Learning/Workshops providing anti-racism education to arts leaders; (2) Funding Equity Research producing data-driven reports on foundation funding inequities; (3) Imagine Just Community comprising the Community-Advised Fund ($5K grants to BIPOC arts organizations), Just Praxis Circle (quarterly peer gatherings), and Artist Fellow program; (4) Collective Impact Network for quarterly convenings of arts leaders; and (5) Antiracist Labs including affinity spaces for white antiracists and CEO-level executives. Enrich Chicago is not a technology company and does not offer software products, APIs, or AI capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Amplified awareness of anti-racism and racial equity to over 5,000 people via workshops and public engagements
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Arts Club ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20252026 institutional partner collaborating on collective impact initiatives to dismantle systemic racism in Chicago arts sector
• Chicago Artists CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20252026 institutional partner supporting arts leaders and collective impact work
• Chicago Humanities FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20252026 institutional partner for humanities and arts programming
• Hyde Park Art CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20252026 institutional partner; collaborated on systemic racism discussions on WTTW Chicago Tonight
• Hyde Park Jazz FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20252026 institutional partner for jazz arts programming
• International Latino Cultural Center of ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20252026 institutional partner representing Latino arts and culture
• MarwencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20252026 institutional partner supporting emerging artists
• Pegasus Theatre ChicagominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20252026 institutional partner for theater arts
• See Chicago DanceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20252026 institutional partner for dance arts
• Snow City ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20252026 institutional partner for arts education
• The Lyric Opera of ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20252025 partner; Board member Jill LeCesne Potter serves as Senior Director, Learning Programs
• The DuSable Museum of African American HistorycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20252025 partner for African American arts and culture
• Urban GatewayscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20252025 partner; collaborated on WTTW Chicago Tonight discussions on systemic racism
• 3ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20252025 partner supporting women artists in Chicago
• TDC (Research Consultants)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2024Boston-based research firm that conducted the 2024 Funding Equity: Crisis to Sustainability study, presenting findings on foundation funding to BIPOC arts organizations
• Full Spectrum FeaturesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Jason Matsumoto represented at Funding Equity report presentation; contributes to steering committee work
• William Estrada (Artist Fellow)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Imagine Just Artist Fellow working on collaborative community-engaged art addressing inequity, migration, and cultural recognition
• Haitian American Museum of ChicagominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Steering committee member Carlos Bossard; 2024 Community-Advised Fund grantee
• Honey Pot PerformanceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Steering committee member Meida McNeal; 2023 Community-Advised Fund grantee
• Free Spirit MediaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Steering committee member Aurora Toshiko King
• The Center for Cultural InnovationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Survey Design Committee member Cate Fox
• Creative Equity Research PartnersminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2024Dr. Ahn Thang Dao-Shah presented findings of racial impact survey for Chicago BIPOC arts workers

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Race Forward: Race Forward is a national racial justice organization operating across multiple sectors with research, training, and policy advocacy. It is a broader incumbent in the anti-racism space that overlaps with Enrich's workshop/training and research offerings, but at significantly larger national scale.
• National Arts Strategies: National Arts Strategies works with arts leaders and funders on systems change, leadership development, and equity initiatives across the U.S. Its leadership programs and research outputs overlap with Enrich's Collective Impact Network and Funding Equity research offerings.
• Surdna Foundation: The Surdna Foundation is a national arts funder with a long-running focus on equitable arts ecosystems and BIPOC-led organizations. It is one of the named funders on Enrich's Funding Equity Steering Committee and operates at a larger scale in adjacent equity-arts work.

Direct peers

• Alternate Roots: Alternate Roots is a Southeast-based arts service organization supporting BIPOC and rural arts workers through grants, convenings, and peer learning. It is structurally comparable to Enrich's regional arts-equity model with shared affinity group and grantmaking approaches.
• National Performance Network: National Performance Network (NPN) supports performing artists and organizations through grants, community engagement, and partnership development. Its BIPOC artist support and community-advised funding mechanisms align with Enrich's CAF and Imagine Just programs.
• 3Arts: 3Arts is a Chicago-based nonprofit making unrestricted cash awards to Chicago women artists, artists of color, and artists with disabilities. It is a named 2025 partner of Enrich and shares a city, unrestricted-grant philosophy, and BIPOC arts support mission.
• A Blade of Grass Foundation: A Blade of Grass is a national arts funder focused explicitly on the intersection of art and social justice, making unrestricted grants to artist-led projects. Its grantmaking philosophy and equity-centered framing parallel Enrich's Community-Advised Fund and broader mission.
• The Laundromat Project: The Laundromat Project is a NYC-based nonprofit that supports BIPOC artists and arts organizations through community-based residencies, similar to Enrich Chicago's Imagine Just Artist Fellow and Just Praxis Circle model. Both organizations pair anti-racism values with arts-sector programming and grassroots convening.
• Souls Grown Deep Foundation: Souls Grown Deep supports Black artists from the American South through direct grants, artist residencies, and community programming. It is comparable to Enrich's BIPOC arts funding advocacy and Community-Advised Fund model, although operating in a different region and artist population.

Others

• Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP): APAP is the national membership and convening body for the performing arts presenting field. It overlaps with Enrich's collective impact and convening work for arts leaders but is broader in scope and serves as an ecosystem intermediary rather than a direct equity-focused peer.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/EnrichChicago
• Instagraminstagram.com/enrichchicago

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about enrich chicago