Unity Fund: A Look at Impact in 2025
The Chicago Community Trust’s Unity Fund is a testament to the power of collective giving. Since its founding in 2008 at the height…
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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Financial Health in Cook County: Why it Matters and How Policy Impacts Financial Well-Being
In 2025, The Chicago Community Trust, with support from JPMorganChase, commissioned the Financial Health Network to update the findings of its Financial Health…
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Responding to Chicago’s Urgent Needs in 2025
As the region’s community foundation, The Chicago Community Trust exists to respond to the needs of our region and the people who call…
All Stories
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Danielle Fregia, One of Chicago’s Young Professionals Giving Back to Her Community
In celebration of Black Philanthropy Month, the Trust is featuring a series of conversations with Black philanthropists making their impact across the Chicago region. This…
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Building Economic Resilience for Families: A Dialogue on Cash Assistance
In 2019, the Chicago Resilient Cities Task Force released a report laying out a roadmap to increase economic stability for struggling Chicago families—nearly half of…
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Trends in Charitable Giving – What 2019 Data Tells Us About Now
In June, Giving USA released The Annual Report on Philanthropy, the most influential publication on charitable giving in the United States. The big headline is that in…
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Trust Grants $2 Million to Address Critical Needs
Building Pathway to Stability Program Funds 40 Nonprofits Across the Region The Chicago Community Trust recently announced $2 million in general operating grants to 40…
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2020: Protecting & Advancing Equitable Homeownership
Homeownership has long symbolized the “American Dream.” There is a widely held belief that once you achieve the status of homeowner, you have accomplished the…
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Giving Insights: A Legacy that Matters - The Value of Estate Gifts
The Chicago Community Trust was built by philanthropists who wanted their legacy to be a stronger Chicago region, and that commitment continues today. Donors who…
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2020: Coalitions for Equity in Wealth Policy Leverages Efforts to Address Inequity
No matter how you view this moment in our history, what is undeniable is that it is a moment of change. The calls for action…
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25 Years Young: Young Leaders Fund Chair and Founding Charter Members Reflect on Past, Present and Future
“A group of young adults wanted to invest in our greater community and work with peers to achieve this goal,” said Virginia F. Ojeda, a…
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Philanthropic Advisors Connect Donors' Passions with Region's Needs
Making a positive impact in your community may seem like a straightforward act, but people often struggle with identifying how to make a difference, especially during times…
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Shine Light On Society’s Inequitable Institutional Practices, Public Policies
A young George Floyd was said to have told a friend “I want to touch the world.” Little did he know that 30 years later,…
