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,…
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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Claude and Britney, Two Donald Stewart Fellows, Reflect on How Their Commitment to Community Led Them to the African American Legacy Fund
Claude Robinson and Britney Robbins joined African American Legacy (AAL) from different paths—Claude as a staunch advocate for uplifting African American communities; Britney…
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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…
All Stories
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For Children with Disabilities, Early Survey Provided Insight and Understanding
In 1924, Frank Loomis published the final installment in the early Trust’s series of social surveys. A 1924 survey found that disease caused most disabilities…
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Crime and Punishment in Chicago: Survey Focused On Cook County Jail
In 1924, Frank Loomis published the fourth installment in the early Trust’s series of social surveys. The Cook County Jail Survey in 1924 described inadequacies…
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The Heart and Soul of the Early Trust: Clifford Barnes
With the zeal of an enthusiastic leader, Clifford Barnes brought vision and business acumen to the early decades of the Trust. A religious man of…
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Bus Rapid Transit: Why the Trust Got Involved
A mere four years after The Rockefeller Foundation partnered with Chicago’s transit leaders to bring bus rapid transit (BRT) to the Windy City, the city’s first BRT…
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From Donor to Grantmaker with the Young Leaders Fund
Leveraging collective giving, for a bigger impact than any of us can make alone. That’s the principle behind the Young Leaders Fund, which celebrated its…
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The Second Step: Bernard A. Eckhart Donated the Second Gift to the Trust
A founding member of the Executive Committee, Bernard A. Eckhart helped set the stage for community-based philanthropy in Chicago. An Alsatian whose family immigrated to…
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Every Transaction is Positive: Baird & Warner
Baird & Warner makes good on their commitment to healthy community by automatically building it into every real estate transaction. In 2002 President and CEO…
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Norman Wait Harris Provided the Seed Money to Found the Trust
Banker Norman Wait Harris shared a great idea with a group of other similarly minded individuals — and in 1915 the Trust was born. The…
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Environmental Rehab a Key Tool in Bolstering Economic Development
In the late summer of 1959, the western hemisphere’s top rowers filled the waters of Cook County’s Cal-Sag channel. Their mission: take home the gold…
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Narcissa Thorne Black Donates Rooms for Inspiration
Miniature examples of 18th, 19th and 20th century interior design have never been as artfully assembled as the Thorne Rooms of Narcissa Niblack Thorne, now housed at…
