Muslim-led nonprofits are working together to address common problems in their community. 

The Community Collaboration Initiative brings together 22 Muslim American nonprofits, most located in the Chicago area, to help each organization reach its mission faster. 

In 2017, Dilnaz Waraich and the Waraich Family Foundation conducted a survey with Muslim-led nonprofits and found three key barriers to their success: A lack of successful donor stewardship and relationship maintenance; organizations were highly-segmented and the Muslim communities in incredibly diverse organizations were cooperating, rather than collaborating; and there was a lack of trust and foundation between organizations and their peers. 

Waraich partnered with Indiana University’s Lilly School of Philanthropy to create the Community Collaboration Initiative to close the gaps among Muslim-led organizations. 

The collaborations are organized into five groups, each with a general focus area.

The inaugural class of 22 nonprofits will be offered a total of $1.5 million dollars to distribute among the groups.