Innovating Giving Back…
Revolutionizing Nonprofit Growth, Impact & Opportunity
At Prime For Change (PFC), we’re shaking things up for nonprofits! With our innovative hub-and-spoke model, we help smaller organizations grow, thrive, and make a bigger impact. From funding support to resource sharing, we turn challenges into opportunities and collaboration into success. Together, we’re a coalition transforming nonprofits into unstoppable forces for good! With the help of Prime Proposal Group (PPG) and Prime Grants, we are changing the game.
Let’s Build Together…
Unlike traditional nonprofit frameworks, where organizations often operate in silos, PFC unites smaller nonprofits under a shared mission while allowing them to retain their unique identities. By centralizing resources, expertise, and strategic support, we foster an ecosystem of collaboration that amplifies each organization’s strengths and impact.
How We Power
Community Success
Economic Development & Community Outreach
We drive economic development by increasing revenue generation within underserved neighborhoods by strengthening local wealth building ecosystems. Our initiatives focus on helping entrepreneurs start, stabilize, and scale businesses through financial literacy education, business development training, access to capital guidance, and strategic growth planning. By hosting commerce centered events, we create direct sales opportunities, vendor marketplaces, and platforms that circulate dollars within the community. We support small business expansion, connect founders to procurement and contract opportunities, and encourage collaborative buying power to keep spending local. We also support community outreach through our Annual Harvest Fest event.
Workforce Development, Skills Advancement & Reentry Support
PFC prepares individuals for sustainable, living wage career pathways by combining industry aligned job training, structured pre apprenticeship programs, and direct pipelines into high demand sectors such as construction, technology, logistics, clean energy, and infrastructure. Participants receive hands on technical instruction, workplace readiness coaching, and exposure to employer expectations that prepare them for immediate entry into the workforce. Through partners like The DNA Fund, individuals access trade careers with practical, skill based training that leads to apprenticeship placement and credential advancement, while justice involved individuals receive legal aid navigation and record relief advocacy through Westside Justice System to address employment barriers
Structured Mentorship & Leadership Development
Our team invests deeply in young people by providing structured mentorship, leadership development, and exposure to real world career pathways. Each year, we support 100+ youth during the summer through intensive programming, including initiatives such as One Summer Chicago, where participants gain hands-on experience across industries including technology, entrepreneurship, skilled trades, media, and creative arts. Youth engage in project-based learning, workforce readiness training, financial literacy, and professional development workshops while earning stipends that reinforce the value of work and responsibility. By pairing young people with mentors and industry professionals, we expand their networks and increase career awareness.
“I brainstormed Prime For Change because I saw the untapped potential in smaller nonprofits that were doing incredible work but lacked the resources and support to reach their full impact. Collaboration is the key to transforming communities, and I wanted to create a space where these organizations could thrive together, share resources, and win big. It’s about breaking barriers, amplifying voices, and making meaningful change—together.”
— Tammy Brownlee, Founder of Prime For Change
Summer is Coming! Get Paid! Earn to Learn…
Chicago youth ages 14–15 have an incredible opportunity to gain real world experience, earn money, and build skills for the future through the Chicago Youth Works Summer Jobs Program.
Apply today at ChicagoYouthWorks.org and be sure to select Prime For Change as your program provider.
This summer, 120 youth will participate in a hands-on workforce experience designed to prepare young people for the future economy. Participants will not only earn a paycheck ($480), they will develop valuable career skills and confidence while learning directly from industry professionals.
Our program introduces youth to real world career pathways, including:
AI and Technology
Sports Management
Real Estate and Entrepreneurship
Catering and Culinary Business
Childcare and Early Learning Careers
Photography and Creative Media
Participants will engage in project-based learning, career exploration, mentorship, and workforce readiness training, while building portfolios of real deliverables they can use for future opportunities.
To participate, youth must:
Be a Chicago resident
Ages 14–15
Provide a current report card
Be ready to learn, grow, and explore new career pathways
Evidence-Based Services
Youth Development, Life Skills Building, Career Pathways & Workforce Development
At PFC, we are deeply committed to uplifting communities by focusing on key areas that drive personal and professional growth. Our Youth Development initiatives inspire and mentor the next generation, equipping them with the tools and confidence to reach their full potential. In fact, our grant-funded One Summer Chicago program, Prime Future Entrepreneurs, equips youth to become owners and leaders-not just employees. Through life skills building, we provide practical training that empowers individuals to navigate everyday challenges with resilience and self-assurance. Our career pathways programs open doors to meaningful employment opportunities, while our workforce development efforts prepare participants with the skills, knowledge, and connections needed to thrive in competitive job markets.
Barrier Reduction, Wraparound Services, Community Engagement & Economic Development
We are also committed to strengthening communities by addressing barriers that prevent individuals and families from achieving long-term stability. Our barrier reduction and wraparound services provide essential supports such as: transportation assistance, workforce navigation, mentorship, and access to community-based resources that promote independence and upward mobility. Through intentional community engagement, we meet residents where they are, build trust, and ensure programs reflect real neighborhood needs. Our economic empowerment strategy focuses on expanding entrepreneurship, workforce pathways, financial literacy, and small business development to create sustainable opportunities for growth and wealth building.
Tech is the Future…
An innovative pre-apprenticeship program dedicated to empowering youth with access to high-quality education and hands-on training in cutting-edge technology fields. By fostering creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, our 12-week curriculum prepares our participants to become future innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders in the tech industry.
Coalition Partners, Funders & Supporters
Our Founder & Visionary…
Tammy Brownlee, MBA
For more than half my life, I’ve been dedicated to helping nonprofits secure multi-millions in grants and for-profits win RFPs, opening funding opportunities across the U.S. and the Caribbean. Over time, I noticed a recurring challenge: while I was able to secure funding for many organizations, they often lacked the support, structure, and collaboration needed to sustain and maximize their growth. I won the opportunity and they were lost. They needed support. That realization inspired the creation of Prime For Change (PFC)—a nonprofit designed to bridge that gap and to serve communities in need by creating dream teams.
At PFC, we bring smaller nonprofits onto our team, providing the resources and guidance they need to strengthen their programs, personnel, and impact. With tens of millions already secured in Illinois, I launched this initiative in my hometown with the vision of expanding it to cities nationwide. My passion lies in giving back and ensuring smaller nonprofits receive the opportunities, guidance, and recognition they deserve.
Industry + Drone Day
Real World Deliverables
PFC Harvest Fest
Interested In Joining A Program?
Donate to PFC
Prime For Change is flipping the script on giving back - and your donation makes it all possible. From youth to workforce development and support services, we equip young deserving participants with the real-world tools they need to lead, earn, and own their future. Whether you give $1,000 or sponsor a teen’s full experience for $10,000, you’re investing in the next entrepreneur, educator, or CEO coming straight out of Chicago’s South Side. Donate today, because the future doesn’t fund itself (but you can help).