The Chicago Community Trust

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $1.48 billion (FY 2024)
Total Assets: $6.1 billion (as of September 30, 2024)
Number of Awards: 4,005 grants in 2024
Grant Range: $5,000 - several million
Geographic Focus: Greater Chicago region (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties)
Founded: May 12, 1915

Contact Details

Website: www.cct.org

Phone: (312) 616-8000

Email for Grant Inquiries: grants@cct.org

Address: 33 S State St Suite 750, Chicago, IL 60603

Grants Portal: GrantCentral (accessible through website)

Overview

Established in 1915, The Chicago Community Trust is the nation's second largest community foundation and has been serving the greater Chicago region for over 109 years. With consolidated assets totaling $6.1 billion as of September 2024 and annual grant commitments of $1.5 billion, the Trust is a major force in regional philanthropy. The Trust received $1.8 billion in new gifts in fiscal year 2024, demonstrating strong donor confidence. Under the leadership of President and CEO Andrea Sáenz, the Trust's first Latinx leader, the organization maintains its strategic focus on closing the racial and ethnic wealth gap in the Chicago region—a 10-year strategic priority launched in 2019. The Trust serves residents across six Illinois counties and has earned a Four-Star rating (99%) from Charity Navigator for its exceptional stewardship and impact.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Trust offers multiple grant programs with varying amounts and application methods:

Pre-Development Fund: Up to $100,000 for 24-month grant terms. Supports real estate development projects in historically underinvested neighborhoods, particularly on Chicago's South and West Sides within Cook County. Applications reviewed on a rolling basis.
Income Growth Solutions – Growing Household Wealth: One-year grants between $100,000 and $200,000. Focuses on nonprofits working on education, quality work opportunities, and financial health.
Press Forward Chicago: Capacity-building grants for local news organizations. Recent awards totaled $1.6 million to 13 local news organizations.
Nuestro Futuro Initiative: Grants supporting organizations working in immigration and early childhood education. In 2024, awarded $370,000 to 34 organizations.
Young Leaders Fund (YLF): Over 25 years, has awarded more than $1 million to over 260 small, start-up nonprofits serving neighborhoods across the city.

Priority Areas

The Trust's funding priorities center on closing the racial and ethnic wealth gap through:

Housing and Financial Assets: Expanding pathways to homeownership and wealth building
Community and Economic Development: Supporting broad initiatives across underinvested communities
Income Growth and Household Wealth: Education, quality employment, and financial health
Policy and Advocacy: Funding organizations that push for systemic policy changes
Equity in Recovery: Ensuring communities don't get left behind in economic recovery

What They Don't Fund

Projects or organizations outside the United States (discretionary grants)
Organizations without 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status (unless they have a nonprofit fiscal sponsor)
Private foundations
Organizations that the Trust knows or has reason to believe support or engage in "hateful activities" (as defined by their Hate-Free Grantmaking Policy, using data from the Southern Poverty Law Center)

Geographic Restriction: While the Trust occasionally makes strategic exceptions, grants are primarily awarded to organizations benefiting residents of the Chicago region (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties).

Governance and Leadership

Leadership

Andrea Sáenz, President & CEO

Appointed November 2022 (interim July 2022)
First Latinx leader of the Trust
Previously served as Chief Operating Officer
Continues the Trust's strategic focus on closing racial and ethnic wealth gaps

Former Leadership - Dr. Helene Gayle (served until July 2022, now President of Spelman College)

Developed the 10-year strategic plan focused on racial and ethnic wealth gap
Notable quote: "We made, actually, wealth inequality our priority because we recognize, first of all, it's the right and the fair thing to do. In a region that is two-thirds Black and Brown, the region can't move forward unless we really think about how do we make sure that those who have been left out of economic opportunity have that opportunity to succeed."
Expanded the Trust's role to include policy and advocacy work
During her tenure, assets grew from $2.8 billion to $4.7 billion

Governance Structure

The Trust operates under a dual structure:

The Trust Entity: Administers the majority of assets under the Declaration of Trust signed in 1915. Serves solely Cook County. Five Chicago-area banks serve as trustees: Bank of America, BMO Harris Bank, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Northern Trust, and US Bank.
The Chicago Community Foundation: A companion nonprofit corporation with broader geographic reach (six-county region).

Executive Committee: A 17-member board of community leaders provides strategic and fiduciary oversight for both entities. Trustees appoint up to five members of the Executive Committee and advise on development.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Chicago Community Trust uses GrantCentral, a web-based grants management platform where organizations can:

Create an account to receive notifications about relevant funding opportunities
Research available grants
Submit applications when opportunities are open
Track application status

Application Methods: Varies by program

Some programs operate on a rolling basis (e.g., Pre-Development Fund)
Others have fixed deadlines
Many programs have multi-year funding cycles

Getting Started:

Visit www.cct.org
Create a GrantCentral account
Browse open funding opportunities at www.cct.org/grants/opportunities
Sign up for alerts about future relevant opportunities

Eligibility Requirements

Nonprofit agencies with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status
Not classified as private foundations
Organizations with a nonprofit fiscal sponsor also accepted
Must benefit residents of the Chicago region

Decision Timeline

The Trust often provides multi-year grants as a best practice to afford organizations greater stability, allow capacity building, and reduce the annual application burden.

If grant opportunities appear closed, this may indicate that application deadlines have passed or the Trust is in a multi-year funding cycle with current grantees.

Notification: Through the GrantCentral platform

Success Rates

Specific success rate percentages are not publicly available. However, in 2024, the Trust made 4,005 awards from total grant commitments of $1.5 billion, demonstrating substantial grantmaking activity.

Reapplication Policy

The Trust's specific reapplication policy for unsuccessful applicants is not publicly documented. Organizations should contact the grants office at grants@cct.org or (312) 616-8000 for guidance on reapplication timelines and procedures.

Application Success Factors

Based on the Trust's documented guidance and recent grant awards, successful applications demonstrate:

For Pre-Development Fund specifically:

Project adherence to program requirements
Strong connections to desirable community attributes
Clear demonstration of how the development will complement and be amplified by the existing economic environment
Merit compared to other applicants

General Success Factors:

Alignment with Strategic Priorities: Strong connection to closing racial and ethnic wealth gaps in the Chicago region
Geographic Focus: Clear benefit to residents of underinvested neighborhoods, particularly on Chicago's South and West Sides
Community Impact: Evidence of how the work advances economic opportunity for Black and Brown communities
Systemic Approach: Understanding that the Trust values both direct service and policy/advocacy work
Organizational Stability: Recognition that multi-year funding relationships are preferred

Recent Successful Grantees (2024 Examples):

18th Street Casa de Cultura NFP: Bilingual cultural arts and music classes for early childhood education
Expanded Mental Health Services of Chicago: Social and emotional development services for young children and caregivers
Instituto del Progreso Latino: Education, training, and employment for Latino immigrants and families
Little Village Chamber of Commerce: Economic opportunities building generational wealth for Latinos

Language and Values: The Trust emphasizes equity, wealth building, community investment, policy change, and systemic approaches. Applications should demonstrate understanding of structural barriers and strategies to address them.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Lead with equity: The Trust's overarching priority is closing racial and ethnic wealth gaps—frame your work within this context
Multi-year thinking: The Trust prefers multi-year grants for stability; demonstrate your organization's capacity for sustained impact
Stay connected: Create a GrantCentral account early to receive notifications about new opportunities, as many programs have specific application windows
Geography matters: Clearly articulate how your work benefits Chicago-region residents, especially those in historically underinvested communities
Beyond grants: The Trust values policy and advocacy work alongside direct services; show how your work contributes to systemic change
Build relationships: With $6.1 billion in assets and 4,005 awards annually, the Trust is a major regional funder—engage with their initiatives and events
Contact early: Reach out to grants@cct.org with questions about fit and application strategies; staff are available to support grantseekers

References

The Chicago Community Trust official website: www.cct.org
"How to Apply" guide: https://www.cct.org/grants/how-to-apply/
Grant opportunities page: https://www.cct.org/grants/opportunities/
GuideStar Profile: https://www.guidestar.org/profile/36-2167000
Charity Navigator Rating: https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/362167000
"Helene Gayle reflects on Chicago Community Trust tenure," Crain's Chicago Business: https://www.chicagobusiness.com/nonprofits-philanthropy/helene-gayle-reflects-chicago-community-trust-tenure
"Departing Chicago Community Trust CEO wants city to think big," Chicago Sun-Times: https://chicago.suntimes.com/fran-spielman-show/2022/6/17/23172961/helene-gayle-chicago-community-trust-wealth-gap-spelman-college
"The Chicago Community Trust Names Andrea Sáenz as President and CEO": https://www.cct.org/press-releases/the-chicago-community-trust-names-andrea-saenz-as-president-and-ceo/
"Nuestro Futuro Awards $370,000 in 2024 Grants": https://www.cct.org/stories/nuestro-futuro-awards-370000-in-2024-grants-to-chicago-nonprofits-focused-on-immigration-and-early-childhood/
2024 Annual Report: https://www.cct.org/about/annual-reports/
Executive Committee & Trustees page: https://www.cct.org/about/our-people/executives-trustees/
Donor Advised Fund Policies (Hate-Free Grantmaking): https://www.cct.org/philanthropy-giving/forms-resources/daf-policy/
Wikipedia entry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Community_Trust
Inside Philanthropy profile: https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant-places/illinois-grants/chicago-community-trust

All sources accessed December 16, 2024