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…
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Asian Giving Circle Awards 2024 General Operating Grants to 10 Organizations in the Chicago Region
The Asian Giving Circle (AGC), an initiative of The Chicago Community Trust, supports Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI)-led nonprofits in the Chicago region through…
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From the Archives: 2003 – The Beginnings of Nuestro Futuro
Latine culture is rooted in longstanding traditions of coming together to support families, neighbors, and communities. Latine households are significantly more likely than non-Latine households…
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Making Meaningful Difference: A Q&A with Philanthropist Laura Gutierrez
Giving back is part of who Laura Gutierrez is and how she chooses to show up in the world. What began as a high school…
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People, Power and Policy: Building the Foundation of Our Work
When The Chicago Community Trust set its North Star goal to close the racial and ethnic wealth gap as the best way to strengthen the…
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Sustainable Solutions for Housing Stability: Fulfilling Underserved Housing Needs
Amid an affordable housing shortage, skyrocketing rent, and COVID-era protections disappearing, rising homelessness has become one of the most prominent issues this decade. According to…
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Trust Talks, The Podcast – Episode 16: Working Collaboratively to Address Community Safety
In this episode of Trust Talks, Jai Jones, Program Specialist for the Partnership for Safe and Peaceful Communities, is joined by Esther Franco-Payne (Executive Director,…
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Announcing the New Advisory Board of the Disabilities Fund
The Disabilities Fund, an initiative of The Chicago Community Trust, is proud to announce its new cohort of advisory board members. The following members began…
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Nuestro Futuro Awards $370,000 in 2024 Grants to Chicago Nonprofits Focused on Immigration and Early Childhood
*In 2025, to respond to the urgent needs of the community, Nuestro Futuro invited their 2024 grant partners to reapply for funding in 2025. All…
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From the Archives: 1966 – Gautreaux v. Chicago Housing Authority
Public housing in Chicago has a long and complicated history that has had a lasting impact on federal housing policy nationwide. In 1942, the first…
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From Giving USA to Illinois Gives: How to Ensure Lasting Impact in a Changing Charitable Environment
In 2023 Americans gave $557.16 billion to charities—the highest dollar amount on record. While a staggering total, it represents a 2.1% decline over the previous…
