Case Study
Chicago Women’s
Health Center
Fundraising & Communications
Photo courtesy of Chicago Women’s Health Center
How Women Unite! Got Connected
Chicago Women’s Health Center (CWHC) applied to be part of the 2019–20 partner cohort, but WU! decided to go in a different direction that year. CWHC applied again in 2020, and the organization was selected to be part of the 2020–21 group of partner organizations. As CWHC stated in their application, “Like Women Unite!, CWHC was also founded by a group of women who came together to make the world a more just, compassionate place by facilitating the empowerment of other women and those who have been marginalized through collaboration, education, and sharing resources.” With that in mind, WU! And CWHC were a perfect fit.
Photo courtesy of Chicago Women’s Health Center
Who They Serve
Each year, over 6,000 women, trans people, and young people access health services through CWHC. Half of clients are uninsured or underinsured, many come from low-income households, and more than 90% reside in Cook County. All of CWHC’s services are offered on a sliding scale.
The Organization’s Needs
CWHC primarily needed assistance revamping the design of their website to more effectively reach donors and supporters, as well as potential clients. Additionally, CWHC was in the midst of launching a podcast and sought support with the refinement, promotion, and securing of sponsors for the podcast. Finally, the organization was hoping to strengthen their Board’s ability to speak about CWHC and fundraise.
Photo courtesy of Chicago Women’s Health Center
About Chicago Women’s Health Center
CWHC facilitates the empowerment of women, trans people, and young people by providing access to health care and health education in a respectful environment where people pay what they can afford. CWHC provides care and services that people in Chicago need, but often cannot find anywhere else. Since they opened their doors in 1975, CWHC’s programs have been shaped by their clients’ and students’ needs for accessible, comprehensive health care and health education.
Programs include:
Clinical Services
Trans Health
Health Outreach & Education
Counseling
Integrative Health
Alternative Insemination
“Women Unite! has accelerated CWHC’s movement toward our most important goals—amplifying our outreach, strengthening our systems, and providing stability in a time of uncertainty. They’ve brought us into compelling conversations with like-valued organizations about our shared work and shared future. They’ve done all this while being incredibly kind and responsive, every step of the way.”
—A.J. Barks, Development Director, Chicago Women’s Health Center
Women Unite!’s Impact
WU!’s graphic designer led the website review and identified a list of recommended improvements. After CWHC had a chance to review and approve the recommendations, the website updates were then implemented and the website design was refined. Additionally, WU! staff provided feedback on CWHC’s newly-launched podcast, as well as reviewed sponsorship opportunities and the collateral and promotional materials for the podcast.
WU! also conducted a Board facilitation retreat during which the Board developed and practiced elevator pitches that could be used for informational and fundraising conversations. The facilitation also gave Board members the opportunity to discuss their discomforts and fears around fundraising, and strategize how to overcome those challenges. Finally, WU!’s Executive Director provided insight on Board management for CWHC’s leadership team.
Mission Alignment
As an organization that believes in empowering individuals to be self-advocates and active participants in their own health care, WU! and CWHC share the belief that people and communities are best equipped to develop solutions and overcome obstacles. A core tenet of CWHC’s mission is to “treat clients and students as unique individuals, helping them enhance their knowledge and understanding about their own health care needs.” This ethos is similar to WU!’s value of placing people over philanthropy and helping to educate the community on how to make the best informed choices around giving and volunteerism.