Young Leaders Fund Awards $100,000 in Community-Based Grants
Young Leaders Fund (YLF), an initiative of The Chicago Community Trust, provides young professionals with an innovative way to make a difference in Chicago…
Stories
Spotlights on community issues, the people, and the organizations who contribute to effective philanthropy as well as a stronger Chicago region and world.
Recent Stories
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A Young Leader's Vision for Collective Impact
In celebration of Black Philanthropy Month, this inspiring Q&A features Jacque Stefanic, a nonprofit founder, donor and community leader, as he shares his…
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Trust Talks, The Podcast – Episode 20: Advocating for Policy Reform
Although nonprofit organizations play a vital role in recognizing and addressing the needs of the community, research shows the percentage of nonprofits involved…
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LGBTQ Community Fund Provides Critical Grant Making During the Pandemic
Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, the LGBTQ Community Fund provided its largest annual grant making total in 2020, awarding $813,000 in total grant…
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2021: Coalitions for Equity in Wealth Policy Leverages Efforts to Address Inequity
The Chicago Community Trust launched the Coalitions for Equity in Wealth Policy funding strategy in 2020 just prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.…
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COVID Recovery: What We Need to Set Us Up for Future Success
There is so much we can learn from a crisis. Crises reveal the weaknesses in our systems, but they also have a way of augmenting…
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2021: Protecting & Advancing Equitable Homeownership
The Chicago Community Trust is committed to closing the Chicago region’s racial and ethnic wealth gap and increasing the share of economic prosperity for Black…
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Bi-Directional Feedback Leads to Systems & Policy Innovations
Investing in people is a winning strategy. For over 100 years, The Chicago Community Trust has partnered with local nonprofit organizations to address the most…
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Strengthening the Affordable Housing Ordinance to Address Chicago’s Affordable Housing Crisis
On April 21, the Chicago City Council voted to revise the Affordable Requirements Ordinance to encourage the production of more affordable family-sized housing units, expand…
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2021 Q2 Grants Support Policy and Systems Change, Community Engagement
As the Trust pursues its moonshot goal of closing the region’s racial and ethnic wealth gap, it is clear that discriminatory policies and systems helped…
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Covid Revealed Our Flaws. Do We Have the Resolve to Fix Them?
Like an overdue visit to the optometrist, Covid-19 has sharpened our vision and revealed some harsh truths that were long overlooked or hidden. The pandemic…
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Flexible Funding Catalyzes Neighborhood Investment, Even in Uncertain Times
Community-based organizations are integral to closing the region’s racial and ethnic wealth gap: They work with residents and businesses on community plans, provide supports to…
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Community Desk Chicago: Unlocking Access to Capital
I grew up on the South Side of Chicago in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood. It was and still is a predominately Black community. I remember…
