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…
Community Development
Spotlights on community issues, the people, and the organizations who contribute to effective philanthropy as well as a stronger Chicago region and world.
Recent
-
-
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…
-
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” Community Development
-
Strengthening Chicago’s Shared Ownership Ecosystem
For generations, Chicago’s neighborhoods have been shaped by the people who call them home. Historically, many communities like Bronzeville, Hyde Park, Little Village, Pilsen, and…
-
Neighborhood Development Champions Support a Strong Pipeline of Community-Led Projects
For the Chicago region to thrive, all communities must prosper. Disinvestment in the South and West Sides has limited wealth-building and harmed neighborhood wellbeing. These…
-
A New Era: Urban Growers Collective Opens National Blueprint for Sustainable Agriculture and Economic Revitalization
In Chicago, one in five households currently experiences food insecurity, a challenge that is even more prominent in underinvested South and West Side communities, many…
-
Neighborhood Development Champions: Bolstering the Capacity of Community Development Organizations
A Q&A with Edwin Tobar and Mariah Van Ermen The Trust established the Flexible Funding program in 2020 to fund key community development organizations whose…
-
Building a Network of Diverse Developers
City environments are made up of buildings, transit stations, streets, parks, and other man-made structures. Also called the “built environment,” these systems shape our lives…
-
Advancing Homeownership as a Tool for Wealth Building
More than a roof over heads, homeownership is a critical tool for helping families increase their financial security, build wealth, and pass it down to…
-
An Early Boost Gives Community Developers a Huge Leg Up
How an innovative Trust grant program helps neighborhood visions for growth become reality The Chicago Community Trust believes all Chicago neighborhoods are assets, each one…
-
"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,…
-
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…
-
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…
