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 more than $6 billion in assets, the … [Read more...] about Chicago Community Trust
Chicago Community Trust
How 5 Community Foundations Are Handling the Healthcare Fallout of Trump’s Cuts
Community Foundations Back a Model to Keep Housing Permanently Affordable
Philanthropy and Homelessness: What’s Changed, What’s the Same, and What’s Still Needed
A Funder-Backed Model to Translate Academic Science into Real-World Treatments
Major LGBTQ Funders Vow to Stay the Course Despite Attacks
Meet 14 of Chicago’s Top Philanthropic Families
Amplifying Muslim American Generosity Through Storytelling
These Trump Appointees Are Ultra Rich. What Do We Know About Their Philanthropy?
Three Years Since It Went Public, What Should We Make of Lukas Walton’s Philanthropic Project?
How the Field Foundation of Illinois Supports Community Power-Building Throughout Chicago
In 2023, the MacArthur Foundation and the Chicago-based Field Foundation of Illinois, which distributes more than $10 million annually and works to address systemic issues in historically marginalized areas of Chicago, launched a new grantmaking … [Read more...] about How the Field Foundation of Illinois Supports Community Power-Building Throughout Chicago
Who’s Funding Policy Advocacy for Immigration Reform and Immigrant Rights?
How This Accessible Chicago-Based Funder Targets Entrepreneurship, Health and Disabilities
We periodically publish quick overviews of grantmakers on our radar, looking at recent developments and key details about how they operate. Today, we’re taking a look at the Coleman Foundation, which supports organizations in the Chicago metropolitan … [Read more...] about How This Accessible Chicago-Based Funder Targets Entrepreneurship, Health and Disabilities
How TAG’s New Executive Director Aims to Meet the Sector’s “Practical and Aspirational” Tech Needs
Jean Westrick has traded her former job with a $4 billion funder to take the helm at Technology Association of Grantmakers, which reported net assets of just $1.1 million in 2022. She also left a team of more than 100 at the Chicago Community Trust … [Read more...] about How TAG’s New Executive Director Aims to Meet the Sector’s “Practical and Aspirational” Tech Needs
“Hope, But Not Success.” Foundations Dug Deep for HBCUs in 2020, but Funding Gap Far From Closed
A little over two years ago, I made the claim that giving to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) had finally gone mainstream. Looking back, I may have been overly optimistic, caught up in the moment despite my past frustration with … [Read more...] about “Hope, But Not Success.” Foundations Dug Deep for HBCUs in 2020, but Funding Gap Far From Closed
Philanthropy Has Taken a Big Interest in Narrative Change Strategies. Is It Paying Off?
Narrative is everywhere, shaping and coloring just about every aspect of our lives. Most of us get a taste of it every time we switch on the television, glance at our phones, go out for groceries, you name it. But according to a recently released … [Read more...] about Philanthropy Has Taken a Big Interest in Narrative Change Strategies. Is It Paying Off?
IP Briefing: What’s Going on With Philanthropy for Violence Prevention?
In a sentence: Violence is a massive problem in the United States, and though philanthropy supporting efforts to prevent it has long been scant, funding in this area is growing and evolving. What’s Going On “Whether we’re talking about gender-based … [Read more...] about IP Briefing: What’s Going on With Philanthropy for Violence Prevention?
This Chicago Journalism Merger Is a Breakthrough for Local News—and Funders Are Taking Note
In his 1954 autobiography, the great Chicago newspaperman-turned-screenwriter Ben Hecht wrote, “I have lived in other cities but been inside only one. I once wore all the windows of Chicago and all its doorways on a key ring. Saloons, mansions, … [Read more...] about This Chicago Journalism Merger Is a Breakthrough for Local News—and Funders Are Taking Note
IP Briefing: What’s Going on with Philanthropy for Oceans and Freshwater?
In a sentence: Philanthropy for water-related issues is rising, but more is needed in this historically siloed sector.What’s going onThe water challenges the world faces today are increasing, from ocean warming to crumbling infrastructure, and … [Read more...] about IP Briefing: What’s Going on with Philanthropy for Oceans and Freshwater?
Can Community Foundations Rally Wealthy Donors to Back Racial Equity Work?
Every now and then we come across an initiative that encapsulates a handful of key trends permeating the broader philanthropic landscape. Nexus for Equity + Opportunity Nationwide (NEON), a cohort of community foundations launched by the Community … [Read more...] about Can Community Foundations Rally Wealthy Donors to Back Racial Equity Work?
A Walton Heir Goes Public With a Sizable Philanthropy and Investment Operation
One of the few profiles of Lukas Walton describes the third-generation Walmart heir as “fiercely private.” His multi-billion-dollar net worth was not publicly known until just six years ago. And there’s been little public information on his … [Read more...] about A Walton Heir Goes Public With a Sizable Philanthropy and Investment Operation
With All Eyes on COVID Vaccination Rates, Funders Nationwide Battle Hesitancy and Inequity
Late last year, when the COVID-19 vaccine rollout was just beginning, the term “vaccine hesitancy” wasn’t a big part of the mainstream conversation. People were worried about supply, distribution and the challenges of freezing the Pfizer vaccine. … [Read more...] about With All Eyes on COVID Vaccination Rates, Funders Nationwide Battle Hesitancy and Inequity
Melinda French Gates Can Transform Philanthropy for Women and Girls. Here’s How She Might Do It
In the two months since Bill and Melinda Gates (now going by Melinda French Gates) announced their plan to divorce, speculation about the fate of their foundation has been widespread. And now, the suspicions that big changes lay ahead at the Gates … [Read more...] about Melinda French Gates Can Transform Philanthropy for Women and Girls. Here’s How She Might Do It
To Support an Equitable Recovery, Donor-Advised Funds Should Look Beyond Grantmaking
The fallout from COVID-19 has been unprecedented and widespread, but the consequences have been unequal. In December, Black and Latinx households were at least twice as likely as white households to report food insufficiency, inability to pay rent, … [Read more...] about To Support an Equitable Recovery, Donor-Advised Funds Should Look Beyond Grantmaking
Philanthropy Often Overlooks Disability Rights. Can a Coalition of Major Funders Close the Gap?
Lack of disability equity is one of the many societal imbalances the pandemic is exacerbating. A new $10 million, five-year funding collaborative, the Disability Inclusion Fund (DIF), recently gave $210,000 in rapid-response grants to address the … [Read more...] about Philanthropy Often Overlooks Disability Rights. Can a Coalition of Major Funders Close the Gap?
Funders and Schools Partner in Chicago for Digital Equity. What Are the Lessons?
In recent weeks, several major school districts have shifted their plans from reopening physically to remote learning as cases of COVID-19 surge once again throughout the nation with nine of the 15 largest school districts announcing they will not … [Read more...] about Funders and Schools Partner in Chicago for Digital Equity. What Are the Lessons?
A Chicago Family Fund Keeps the Focus on Climate With Another Big Gift to Duke
As the pandemic endures, so does the climate crisis, and many funders are keeping their eyes on environmental targets. In North Carolina, Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment recently received $20 million from the Grainger Family … [Read more...] about A Chicago Family Fund Keeps the Focus on Climate With Another Big Gift to Duke
Amid Demands for Change, Here’s How Philanthropy Can Back Underfunded Black-Led Groups
In the wake of the killings of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and Rayshard Brooks, the most recent victims of recurring police violence against black people, black-led organizations are springing into action, hoping to translate surging public support … [Read more...] about Amid Demands for Change, Here’s How Philanthropy Can Back Underfunded Black-Led Groups
“Hanging By a Thread.” How Are Funders Supporting Besieged News Outlets?
Here in Central California, our local alt-newsweekly, the Monterey County Weekly, has been my go-to source for COVID-19 coverage. I follow its COVID-19 tracker. I forward articles to friends and family members. I turn to it for guidance around what … [Read more...] about “Hanging By a Thread.” How Are Funders Supporting Besieged News Outlets?
In a Moment of Crisis, a Test of America’s Billionaire Class
The battle against the COVID-19 pandemic is increasingly taking the shape of a war effort. Government has begun to enlist the private sector to manufacture N95 masks and ventilators, while ordinary citizens who work at supermarkets and pharmacies are … [Read more...] about In a Moment of Crisis, a Test of America’s Billionaire Class
