Women's Initiative Chicago

Women’s Initiative currently offers training and support services in more than 18 locations to more than 3,000 women each year.

Over the next three years, we plan to replicate our successful model by establishing two permanent sites and four satellite offices in Chicago’s underserved areas. Neighborhood-based centers will be customized to be accessible and culturally competent.

The offices Women’s Initiative will open in Chicago will have the capacity to serve more than 2,000 women each year who will go on to launch 500 businesses that will create 2,000 new jobs for others and generate more than $90 million in economic activity each and every year!

How Women’s Initiative will benefit Chicago

Economic Security
Women’s Initiative graduates increase their income an average of $10,000 within 12 months of training.

Job Creation
One year after training, 90% of Women’s Initiative graduates are employed or self-employed. Five years after training, Women’s Initiative graduates provide an average of 2 jobs to others through their businesses.

Business Growth
Five years after training, 70% of Women’s Initiative graduates are still in business and making regular sales, far exceeding the national average of less than 50% of new business ventures surviving to the five year mark.

Economic Development
For every $1 invested in Women’s Initiative, $30 are returned to the local economy as a result of women paying taxes, hiring others, and leaving the welfare system.

Community
Women’s Initiative graduates donate an average of more than $1,000 to charitable organizations and volunteer more than 170 hours of their time to local organizations annually.

»Click here to learn more about the opportunities in Chicago.