Earl Grandberry is the director of the Fund for Equitable Business Growth (FEBG) at The Chicago Community Trust.
In this role, he leads cross-sector partnerships and strategies to expand equitable access to capital and strengthen the small business ecosystems across the Chicago region. With more than a decade of experience across philanthropy, public systems, and community-based initiatives, Earl brings deep expertise in workforce development, small business support, and systems change.
Prior to joining the Trust, Earl held roles with organizations including Chicago Public Schools, Chicago CRED, and the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago, where he advanced initiatives connecting economic opportunity, public safety, and community investment. His work has helped to secure public funding for workforce and community-based economic strategies and align data-driven approaches across institutions. Earl’s leadership is grounded in building trust, strengthening partnerships, and ensuring that entrepreneurs and small businesses in underinvested communities can access the resources they need to thrive.
