Lisandra Lao, and How She’s Inspiring the Next Generation of Young Philanthropists
For 30 years, The Chicago Community Trust’s Young Leaders Fund (YLF) has empowered young adults to actively participate in philanthropy by interacting with…
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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Laying the Groundwork for Lasting Policy Reform
When the Trust decided to integrate policy change into our strategies, we did so recognizing that to achieve our mission of a thriving…
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Trust Talks, The Podcast – Episode 24: Sustaining Chicago's Cultural Ecosystem
Chicago is one of the most influential cultural cities in the United States, known for its distinctive blend of architecture, visual arts, music,…
“Grantmaking” Stories
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Q&A: Open Call for Ideas – Advancing Policy
The Trust launched the Open Call for Ideas – Advancing Policy in May 2021 as a vehicle to source and fund new policy and advocacy…
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An Intergenerational Approach to Community Wellbeing
The Chicago Community Trust wants to see Chicago families thrive. While we continue working to close the region’s racial and ethnic wealth gap, we know…
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"Collaborative Fund" is a New Source of Capital for Groups Advancing Neighborhood Investment
In 2020, the Trust’s Catalyzing Neighborhood Investment team launched the Flexible Funding Program. The program supports and builds the capacity of organizations to engage with community partnerships,…
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2021 Q4 Grants Highlight Trust’s Dual Focus on Wealth Gap and Pandemic Recovery
Throughout The Chicago Community Trust’s 2021 fiscal year—October 2020 to September 2021, including 347 discretionary grants totaling $29.1 million—COVID-19 remained a persistent challenge.* The year’s…
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Trust Cohort Identifies Key Barriers and Potential Solutions for Equitable Homeownership
In 2020, the Trust’s Protecting & Advancing Equitable Homeownership grant initiative brought together nine local housing organizations to identify key barriers and potential solutions for…
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2021 Q3 Grants Foster Partnerships for Equity
More than a grant maker, the Chicago Community Trust aims to close the region’s racial and ethnic wealth gap by being a changemaker. Change at…
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The Collaborative: Bringing Together Advocates, Policymakers, and the Voices of the Formerly Incarcerated
There are so many nonprofit organizations and activists engaged in changing the Illinois criminal legal system that it often is challenging to keep track of…
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Promoting Wellbeing by Building an Infrastructure of Care
Each one of us is both in need of care and a caregiver. Sometimes we are both at once, as many have acutely experienced during…
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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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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…
