OVERVIEW: The Chicago Community Trust funds a broad range of initiatives, programs and collaboratives across community and economic development, with investments in a variety of demographics.
IP TAKE: With assets exceeding $4.5 billion, the Chicago Community Trust (CCT) is not only one of the largest community foundations in the U.S., but one of the oldest. Beginning in 2019, CCT launched a 10-year plan that centers closing Chicago’s “racial and ethnic wealth gap,” deepening the racial and economic equity lens it brings to its funding, with increased focus on housing and financial assets. CCT is also an early adopter of impact investing and loans. It supports nonprofits in its giving areas through capacity building, networking, loans, and promoting collaboration, as well as providing general operating support and project specific grants. Policy change is another area where the CCT believes in strategic cross-sector collaboration. CCT’s website highlights that its work goes far beyond grantmaking, with a focus on developing programs and collaboratives with community partners, donor engagement, and policy advocacy.
The Chicago Community Trust has recently increased the number of grant opportunities available through an open application process. This is evolving, so grantseekers should check back often for updates. At present, CCT’s neighborhood development fund is open for applications twice per year. CCT is a transparent and accessible funder with a broad influence in Chicago’s philanthropic community. While it conducts some of its grantmaking by invitation only, CCT invites contact with its program managers to discuss your organization’s work and inquire about potential opportunities. Previous grantseekers have reported that developing a strong relationship with CCT can lead to many opportunities down the line. That said, grantmaking is, for the most part, limited to Cook County.
PROFILE: Founded in 1915, Chicago Community Trust was one of the first community foundations in the country. Based off the philanthropic model of the Cleveland Foundation, the trust was established by banker Albert Harris at the behest of his father Norman Harris, founder of N.W. Harris Bank. Initially founded with a $600,000 endowment from the Harris family, the trust now boasts over $4.5 billion in assets. The Chicago Community Trust aims to “lead and inspire philanthropic efforts that measurably improve the quality of life and the prosperity of our region.” Its strategic plan involves “inspiring philanthropy, engaging residents and leading change on the biggest issues facing our region.” Its current Core Areas of giving are Household Wealth, Community Wealth, Collective Power, Policy Change, Critical Needs, and Connecting Philanthropy to Impact.
CCT’s recent work reflects a 10-year commitment to close Chicago’s “racial and ethnic wealth gap while remaining steadfast” in the core areas of the Trust’s mission. CCT has revamped grantmaking, simplifying its approach, but still offers several types of funding opportunities for grantseekers. Grant opportunities also exist through CCT’s Partnerships & Initiatives, as well as various Affinity Funds, which span several communities, including LGBTQ+ and Asian Americans.
Grants for Community Development, Democracy and Racial Equity
The Chicago Community Trust’s grantmaking centers around Closing the Racial and Ethnic Wealth Gap in the Chicago area by pursuing broad objectives in order to respond to its communities’ changing local needs. In the past, CCT has provided funding for education, workforce, economic development, housing, hunger, poverty, health, arts and culture, strengthening the non-profit sector and sustainable development. It has also regularly considered proposals from public safety and justice organizations and human relations resources. CCT provides general operating support and responsive grants, with RFPs shared on its website as they are made available.
CCT currently conducts grantmaking through six main focus areas:
Household Wealth grants are aimed at increasing “equitable access to wealth-building tools for Chicagoans who have otherwise lacked it.” These grants support homeownership, home equity, income and assets.
Overall, the Trust believes that programs helping Black and Latine residents remain in their chosen neighborhoods helps increase generational wealth.
CCT also works to increase postsecondary education initiatives that create pathways for Black and Latine Chicagoans to complete higher education and degree certification with less debt.
This focus area also promotes policy changes that reduce barriers to growing both individual and generational wealth.
- Related grantees include the Shriver Center on Poverty Law, Chicago Area Fair Housing Alliance, and Housing Action Illinois.
Community Wealth grants address the wealth gap at the neighborhood level through more investment in community-led revitalization. CCT supports efforts to reduce barriers to community investment in order to increase the presence of businesses, jobs, and services in low-income neighborhoods.
This focus primarily promotes a range of community-led interventions aimed at “transforming disinvested communities, preserving residents’ stakes in gentrifying areas, and ensuring asset ownership spurs growth for current and future residents.”
Previous grantees include 1022 Food Hub, Urban Equities, and Far South CDC.
Collective Power invests in creating an engaged civic sector that cultivates and invests in community organizing, as well as elevating the voices of underrepresented Chicagoans to transform harmful narratives, while also building the connections necessary to drive change to harmful policies and practices.
- These efforts support community organizing, arts and culture and narrative change, and leadership development. This area features several funder collaboratives intended to carry out this funding.
- Previous grantees include Changemakers Network, Media Makers Network, and Latino Policy Forum.
Critical Needs invests “individual and community stability and economic security by providing housing, food, and other fundamental human services and supports.”
It provides general operating support and project funding to organizations providing human services and basic needs to address issues such as homelessness, hunger, disability, and health care access. Some of this funding also intersects with supporting immigrants, criminal justice, and addressing gun violence.
Previous grantees include Unity Fund, Chicagoland Vaccine Partnership, and Chicago Funders to End Homelessness.
Connecting Philanthropy to Impact grants support other funders and the philanthropic community by forming long-term relationships with CCT’s partners based on shared interests and values. In this regard, CCT provides donors with strategic advice and work towards expanding it’s capacity to offer the most cutting-edge vehicles and tools for their philanthropy. The We Rise Together Initiative serves as “a platform for change” that works with “individuals, families, businesses, and fellow funders” to help transform “philanthropic goals and passions into impactful strategies.” Past partners include North Austin Center and PODER Headquarters.
Policy Change grants promoted investment in the civic sector through relationships and partnerships that “drive efforts to change policies and practices to increase economic security and build household and community wealth.” This effort overlaps with much of CCT”s grantmaking. It supports groups advocating for reform in policies surrounding issues such as predatory lending, public transportation, housing, and health care.
Important Grant Details:
Chicago Community Trust grants generally range from $5,000 to several million. A list of recent grants can be found on CCT’s Grant Overview page. Granseekers can further examine CCT’s grants database for a clearer idea of what the Trust tends to fund.
Funding is generally limited to Chicago, Cook County. CCT sets clear funding priorities.
Current funding opportunities are available on the trust’s grant overview page.
Event sponsorship requests are accepted and reviewed on a bimonthly basis. Grantseekers are advised to submit their request between 30 and 60 days prior to the event in question.
CCT does not generally provide funding for scholarships, individuals, religious purposes, disease research, events, or debt reduction.
- Grantseekers may can contact the grants office with application questions at grants@cct.org or (312) 616-8000.
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