Nuestro Futuro Awards $500,000 in 2026 Grantmaking Cycle
Nuestro Futuro, an initiative of The Chicago Community Trust, elevates Latine philanthropy to support Chicago-area organizations and programs aimed at improving the quality…
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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From Foundation to Home: Three Families Begin Their Next Chapter in Austin
“To my first home!” Courtney exclaimed as she jingled the keys to her new residence in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood. Last year, Habitat for…
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A Program that Builds Savings Just by Paying Rent on Time
Between rent, utilities, groceries, transportation, and other everyday expenses, many Chicagoans are focused on getting through the month. Nearly half of Chicago renters…
“Grantmaking” Stories
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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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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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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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2021 Q1 Grants Support Resilience, Equity, Recovery
In year two of its 10-year strategy to close metropolitan Chicago’s racial and ethnic wealth gap, the Trust is starting to see the fruits of…
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Strengthening Banks’ Impact on Closing the Wealth Gap
A “profound” federal rule enacted more than 40 years ago to ensure financial institutions invest in and build wealth in the communities they serve is being rethought—and we…
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14 Grant Recipient Partnerships Expected to Reach over 1,000 Entrepreneurs in the Chicagoland Region
The Fund for Equitable Business Growth is a multi-funder collaborative designed to support partnerships between Business Support Organizations (BSOs) in the region that provide coordinated, accessible,…
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Beyond Food, Trust-Funded Organizations Working to End Hunger in Our Region
During the holiday season, many people think about those who are going hungry and deliver food to pantries and soup kitchens in their communities. This…
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2020 Grant Making: The Chicago Community Trust
In Fiscal Year 2020, The Chicago Community Trust made 293 discretionary grants totaling $20,477,287. Following are some highlights of how this year’s grant making embraced…
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Pre-Development Grants Available to Community-Based Developers
When people gather for the ribbon cutting at the neighborhood’s new grocery store, community center, or manufacturing facility, their excitement is justified. For the community…
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The New Flexible Funding Program Supports and Accelerates Community-Driven Investment
The Chicago Community Trust granted $1.2 million to community-driven investment-focused organizations to move forward on neighborhood opportunities that attract capital and leverage resources. We are…
