2025 Illinois General Assembly Recap
I came to The Chicago Community Trust in March after spending years as chief of staff to Illinois State Rep. Kelly Cassidy. I…
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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Trust Talks, The Podcast – Episode 19: Confronting Homeownership Barriers
While homeownership is often viewed as a pathway to building wealth, a range of challenges can hinder its effectiveness, particularly for specific groups.…
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Transforming the College Transfer Experience
In the Spring of 2006, my mother and I walked into a meeting with a public state university admissions counselor to discuss my…
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Charitable Giving Surges to $410B, But Who’s Giving — and Who's Not?
Charities—especially fundraisers within—anxiously await mid-June each year to learn how charitable giving fared the prior year. On June 12, Giving USA released its annual report…
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Grant Park Music Festival: A Year in the Life
Every year, the Grant Park Music Festival presents 34 world-class concerts in 10 weeks, plus outreach and educational programs, for a combined attendance of approximately…
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Mentor, Attorney, Philanthropist: A Trailblazing Chicago Legacy
Mentor, champion, pioneer, dedicated attorney, compassionate advocate and philanthropist. These are just some of the words used over and over to describe Janice Rodgers, former…
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What is Collaborative Philanthropy?
All of us know that when we recommend a grant from our donor advised fund, write a check or give appreciated assets to a nonprofit…
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CHIP in Illinois: What Federal Health Coverage Means to Local Families
Earlier this year, Congress passed a bill to extend the Children’s Health Insurance Program, known as CHIP, which provides health insurance for 9 million children…
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Smart Growth, Resilient Roots for Neighborhood Arts Nonprofits
Affordable, accessible opportunities to experience the arts are vital assets for every community. That’s the inspiration behind The Chicago Community Trust’s SMART Growth grant program,…
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After Hurricane Maria, Philanthropy Helps Puerto Ricans Rebuild in Chicago
Eight months after Hurricane Maria swept across Puerto Rico, a new Harvard University study suggests that the death toll may be more than 4,600—more than…
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A Rising Star Chef, and the Business Incubator Helping Her Shine
Tiffany Williams had been cooking professionally her entire adult life when she landed a gig providing food backstage for the NFL draft. The owner of…
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Making a More Peaceful Summer
For the third summer in a row, neighborhood organizations in Chicago working to reduce gun violence will receive grants to help reclaim parks, streets and…
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The Rohingya Refugee Crisis—and How You Can Help
“He felt very sorry when he saw me, because he knew I would be killed.” Jani Alam fled his native Burma alone, on foot, after…
