What’s Inside Walder Foundation's Lighting the Way

Walder Foundation is thrilled to share our recently published and newly launched resource Lighting the Way: A Philanthropic Guide to Supporting Migration for a Welcoming Chicago.

This comprehensive guide is designed for private funders, nonprofit leaders, civic partners, and individual donors who want to better understand and support the migration ecosystem in the Chicago region. Whether you’re new to this work or looking to deepen your impact, Lighting the Way offers an opportunity for learning and reflection and provides a roadmap for action.

Together, let's ensure that Chicago remains a beacon of welcome, resilience, and opportunity for all.
 

What’s Inside the Guide?

• A walk-through of Chicago’s migration landscape including demographic snapshots, historical trends, and an introduction to the contributions of immigrant and refugee communities in the region.
• Approaches to inform grantmaking strategies and entry points for funders, including:
  • Build the immigration field through supporting legal access, narrative change, cultural spaces, and organizational infrastructure
  • Integrate immigrant-focused strategies to advance workforce, health, education, housing, and civic engagement
  • Invest in intermediaries like pooled funds and collaborative grantmaking to amplify impact

Highlights for Different Audiences

• For funders: Tools to align giving with public sector efforts, checklists for grantmaking strategies, and guidance on long-term vs. rapid response funding.
• For nonprofits: Insights into funder priorities, examples of successful partnerships, and ideas for scaling impact.
• For civic leaders: Policy context, data on immigrant populations, and models for cross-sector collaboration.

Tools You Can Use

• Actionable checklists and strategy guides throughout each section
• Spotlights on innovative programs and organizations
• Links to research, policy briefs, and evaluation tools

Explore the Guide Now
Download Lighting the Way

Questions or Comments?
To provide feedback or ask questions about the Guide, please e-mail us at immigration@walderfoundation.org.