Celebrating One Year of Impact with Compass Working Capital

One year ago, we made an investment in a bold vision: creating greater financial stability, economic opportunity, and pathways to wealth-building for Chicago residents through the work of Compass Working Capital. This month, we are proud to celebrate the first anniversary of this remarkable program and the incredible impact it has already made in the lives of hundreds of individuals and families across the city. This milestone is more than a marker of time, it is a testament to what can happen when communities are equipped with the resources, support, and opportunities they need to thrive.

Our investment in Compass was guided by one of our core principles: listening to the community. Through conversations with residents, community leaders, and local stakeholders, it became clear that Chicago urgently needed wealth-building opportunities for families with low incomes. While 33% of Chicago families live in asset poverty, the rate exceeds 50% for Black and Hispanic/Latino/a/x families. Addressing these disparities requires more than short-term assistance. It requires long-term strategies that help residents build financial resilience and create pathways to economic mobility.

Over the past year, Compass Working Capital’s Build Your Nest Program has done exactly that. By combining personalized coaching, financial education, savings opportunities, and workforce development connections, it has helped residents take meaningful steps toward achieving their financial goals. Build Your Nest currently serves 971 participants and has facilitated hundreds of coaching appointments, providing individualized guidance to help residents navigate financial challenges and opportunities.

Participants are pursuing goals that lay the foundation for lasting economic success, including credit building, increasing general savings, gaining employment, and pursuing educational opportunities. The results are already significant. Families in the program have already accumulated nearly $435,000 in escrow savings, a tangible marker of growing financial stability and wealth-building. The story that follows is just one example that brings these outcomes to life, illustrating what becomes possible when families have the resources and support to pursue their goals.

Jamil, a financial coach for Compass Working Capital, shared his experience with a program participant, “Ms. P,” and the impact that these sessions have had. 

When Ms. P began financial coaching, she was focused on meeting immediate needs. When she received a $9,000 tax refund – a sum that might sound significant – it was quickly absorbed by urgent, everyday needs:  household items, clothing for her children, and other expenses that couldn’t wait. While those purchases addressed real concerns, her long-term financial picture remained unchanged.

During their session, Ms. P and her coach explored the habits and mindset behind her financial decisions. Ms. P shared the realities she faces, including low-paying work, childcare costs, transportation expenses, and the constant demands of raising growing children. The conversation shifted when they reframed savings as protection rather than restriction. 

Together, they created a plan to use her upcoming state tax refund to establish her first true financial cushion: allocating half into a high-yield savings account and keeping half in cash. Ms. P shared that physically carrying cash increases her awareness around spending and strengthens her discipline. Having liquid funds on hand helps her feel more financially secure and enables her to be more intentional with how she manages her money 

Ms. P’s story reflects a meaningful mindset shift -moving from spending in survival mode toward structured planning. While her circumstances remain challenging, she is choosing to respond differently. This intentional commitment to savings and money management marks the beginning of long-term financial resilience for her and her family. This is just one of many stories across Chicago that show families moving toward the financial security they deserve.  

As we celebrate this first year of impact, we recognize that these numbers and stories represent far more than statistics. They represent families building emergency savings for the first time, individuals improving their credit scores, residents securing new employment opportunities, and communities gaining access to tools that can help break cycles of financial insecurity.

We are honored to support this work and excited about what lies ahead. The progress achieved in just one year demonstrates the power of investing in community-driven solutions and the importance of listening to residents about the challenges they face and the opportunities they seek. Together, we are helping build a future where more Chicago families have the resources, stability, and opportunities they need to thrive.