About
Sponsorships are available for programming events, such as meetings, panels, forums and conferences. We also provide sponsorships for fundraising events, such as galas and walk-a-thons, on a limited basis. To be considered for funding, an event must be produced by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in the Chicago region.
Preference for sponsorships will be given, but not limited to:
- Organizations that achieve alignment with our mission or work. To view our new strategic direction, please visit: https://www.cct.org/about/strategic-plan/.
- Organizations that have $1,000,000 or less in annual revenue.
- Organizations that have not received a discretionary grant from The Chicago Community Trust during the last 12 months.
Sponsorships are not available for:
- Sports teams
- Political campaigns
- Religious activities
- Events already sponsored with an existing Trust grant
Sponsorships are limited to one award per organization in any 12-month period. All requests are subject to the availability of resources.
Sponsorship Amounts:
Requests up to $10,000 will be considered. The average sponsorship award is $5,000.
How to Apply:
Sponsorship requests will be reviewed on a bi-monthly basis. The submission deadline for each bi-monthly review and decision will be:
| Submission Deadline | Approximate Announcement Date | Expected Receipt of Grant Date |
| October 30 | December 2 | December 18 |
| January 8 | February 5 | February 19 |
| February 26 | March 26 | April 20 |
| April 30 | May 28 | June 18 |
| June 30 | July 30 | August 20 |
| August 31 | September 24 | October 20 |
You may submit a request at any time through our online application system in GrantCentral. Please submit your request no less than 60 days before your event to ensure it can realistically be funded if selected.
We strongly recommend applying 90 days in advance when possible.
If you have any questions about GrantCentral, you can contact grants@cct.org.