Matt Cole

Matt Cole has a diverse work experience in the public and non-profit sectors. Matt has held various roles throughout their career, starting as an Associate Planner at Skeo Solutions (formerly E2 Inc.) from 2003 to 2005. Matt then worked at Segue Strategy as a Contract Consultant in 2005, providing research and project development support for a design strategy firm.

In 2006, Matt joined Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago, where they held multiple positions. Matt started as a Project Coordinator for the Historic Chicago Greystone Initiative from 2006 to 2014, promoting the history and cultural heritage of Chicago's West and South Sides. Matt then became a Program Coordinator for the NHS Redevelopment Corporation/Chicago Greystone & Vintage Home Program from 2014 to 2017, managing the award-winning programs and facilitating development as a Development Facilitator for the City of Chicago's Micro-Market Recovery Program. Matt later became a Program and Grant Administrator from 2017 to 2020, and finally a Manager of Public Grants and Programs from 2018 to 2020. During their time at NHS, they facilitated rehab and repair programs for low-to-moderate income homeowners and implemented a Salesforce-based grant application portal for increased efficiency.

Currently, Matt is working at The Resurrection Project (TRP) as the Director of Public Funding & Partnerships since 2020. In this role, they lead the strategy, sourcing, procurement, and oversight of government and intermediary grant funding to support TRP's housing, immigration, community development, and human services programs. Notable achievements include expanding TRP's grant portfolio from $8M in 2020 to $26M in 2023, including rapid onboarding and deployment of millions of dollars for COVID-related relief programs. Matt also developed policies and procedures for onboarding and supporting 60+ subgrantee organizations across Illinois.

Overall, Matt has demonstrated expertise in grant funding, program management, and community development throughout their career.

Matt Cole earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology & Environmental Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1999. Later, they pursued a Masters degree in Urban & Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia, which they completed in 2003. In terms of additional certifications, they obtained the Historic Housing Development Finance Professional certification from the National Development Council in 2016 and completed the Nonprofit Financial Stewardship program offered by the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education in 2021.