LGBTQ Community Fund Awards $619,000 in its 2025 Grantmaking Cycle
The LGBTQ Community Fund, an initiative of The Chicago Community Trust, unites donors to support nonprofit organizations that serve the Chicago region’s LGBTQ…
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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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…
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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…
“Experts & Opinions” Stories
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Our Journey to Acknowledge the Ancestral Homeland of Our New Office
As part of our move to our new office at 33 South State Street, The Chicago Community Trust worked with Starla Thompson, an Indigenous scholar,…
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Rethinking What It Means to Be Civically Engaged
Every single one of us participates in public life—whether you’re reporting a pothole on the city’s 311 app, attending Ward night, or volunteering at the…
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2022: Coalitions for Equity in Wealth Policy Grant Recipients Leading the Charge in Major Policy Wins
Now in its third year, the Coalitions for Equity in Wealth Policy funding program supports organizations engaged in coalitions advocating for systems and policy change…
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‘Reparations’ Is Another Word for Investing in America’s Future
This opinion piece was originally published in the Chicago Tribune on June 14, 2022. The new Juneteenth federal holiday celebrates the emancipation of enslaved people…
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Welcoming Chicago’s Newest Neighbors
Recently I was in New York City on a family vacation. During this trip, my 10-year-old daughter’s must-see list included the Statue of Liberty. Many…
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Community Development Builds Framework to Close Racial Wealth Gap
This article was originally published in the Chicago Tribune on May 17, 2022. Chicago’s cycle of neighborhood disinvestment may be at a turning point. As…
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Strengthening Community Organizing Infrastructure is Central to COVID-19 Recovery Efforts
A little over two years ago, the pandemic forced us to collectively adapt to an unprecedented set of circumstances. Community organizers quickly pivoted to address…
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For the Economy to Recover, the People Must Recover
For two years we worked to combat COVID-19 – masked up, stood six feet apart, got vaccinated, and then carried proof. Today, we continue rising…
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Violence as a Public Health Crisis: Starting Off with the Right Question
“Have you eaten?” Inevitably, this is the first question my parents ask guests who enter their home. My parents are fluent in three languages: Korean,…
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MLK Day Prompts a Look at How the Trust is Living Its Mission
Our national observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday is a time for reflection, but also for action that can lead to long-term change.…
