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Field Foundation of Illinois Inc

Annual Giving
$9.8M
Grant Range
$15K - $0.1M
Decision Time
4mo
Success Rate
23%

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $9,799,287 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Varies by program; rolling for Justice and Journalism & Storytelling
  • Grant Range: $15,000 - $100,000 (most grants $15,000-$50,000)
  • Geographic Focus: Chicago, IL (priority on South and West Sides)
  • Total Assets: $48.8 million (FY 2024)

Contact Details

Address:
Impact House
200 W Madison St, 3rd Floor
Chicago, IL 60606

Website: https://fieldfoundation.org/

Online Application Portal: https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=fieldfoundation

Overview

Established in 1960 by Marshall Field IV, grandson of the Marshall Field & Company department store founder, the Field Foundation of Illinois is a private, independent foundation supporting community power building in Chicago. With approximately $48.8 million in assets, the foundation distributes over $10 million annually to organizations and leaders working primarily on Chicago's South and West Sides. The foundation's strategic approach centers on racial equity, with a commitment to investing 60% of its portfolio in BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) organizations classified as "by, for, and about" serving BIPOC communities. Under President Daniel O. Ash's leadership since 2022, Field takes an "investor/organizer approach" focused on catalyzing community transformation through strategic investments in civic infrastructure, creative sectors, local news outlets, and community organizers.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

A Road Together (ART)
Annual applications, mid-April through mid-May; grants awarded in Fall

  • $25,000 - $100,000 per year
  • Three-year general operating funding commitments
  • Partnership with MacArthur Foundation ($15 million, five-year initiative)
  • For small and mid-sized arts and culture organizations with budgets under $1 million
  • Emphasis on South and West Side organizations
  • 156 nonprofits funded across three cohorts (2023-2025)
  • Next application cycle opens spring 2026

Justice Program
Rolling applications and rolling awards

  • $15,000 - $50,000 typical range
  • Strategic investments in social justice organizations
  • Focus on systemic change and policy work (not direct services)
  • Key areas: housing, immigration, criminal justice reform, environmental justice

Journalism & Storytelling Program
Rolling applications and rolling awards

  • $15,000 - $50,000 typical range
  • Multi-year funding cohort model available
  • Supports community-based journalism and media organizations
  • Focus on organizations led by and serving Black, Latinx, Asian, Arab, Indigenous, and LGBTQ peoples
  • Part of Press Forward Chicago initiative ($10 million local news initiative)

Leaders for a New Chicago Award
Nominations open early February; applications due early March; announced in Spring

  • $25,000 no-strings-attached award to individual leader
  • Additional $25,000 general operating grant to affiliated organization
  • Total of $3.25 million committed since 2019 launch
  • Partnership with MacArthur Foundation
  • Recognizes advocates, artists, educators, organizers, and storytellers bringing transformative community change

Priority Areas

  • Community power building through organized communities
  • Racial equity and social justice with explicit race equity lens
  • Chicago's South and West Sides as geographic priority areas
  • Systemic and policy-level change rather than direct services
  • Arts and creative expression as tools for community transformation
  • Local journalism and storytelling that amplifies authentic community narratives
  • Leadership development of community-rooted leaders
  • Organizations with annual budgets under $1 million (for ART program)

What They Don't Fund

  • Direct service programs (preference for systemic/policy work)
  • Organizations outside Chicago metropolitan area
  • Work outside their four program areas (Justice, Art, Journalism & Storytelling, Leadership Investment)
  • Generally prefer 501(c)(3) organizations, though Justice and Journalism programs accept fiscal sponsors

Governance and Leadership

Leadership Staff

  • Daniel O. Ash - President (appointed June 2022)
  • Mark Murray - Chief Operating Officer
  • Jasmine H. Benjamin, PhD - Program Manager
  • Maudlyne Ihejirika - Director of Journalism & Storytelling
  • Zoe Magierek - Director of Administration
  • Maria McCandless - Director of Communications
  • Richard Tran - Director of ART & Leadership Initiatives

Board Members

  • Joe Aguilar - Chair
  • Gloria Castillo - Vice Chair
  • Daniel O. Ash - President
  • Stephanie Field Harris - Board Member
  • Jamee Field Kane - Board Member
  • Lisa Yun Lee - Board Member
  • Lyle Logan - Board Member
  • Dr. Nicholas Pearce - Board Member

Life Directors

  • Marshall Field V
  • Rita Fry
  • Oliver Nicklin

Key Leadership Quotes

Daniel O. Ash, President:
"Our thesis is that organized communities—with access to art and creative expression and the ability to amplify their authentic narratives—can set and advance a reform agenda that benefits their communities."

"Our work at the Field Foundation is about more than just grants. It's about strategic investments that can create lasting impact. We believe in supporting leaders and organizations that are rooted in their communities and that have the vision and drive to make a difference."

"The Field Foundation has this amazing, rich history of being a foundation that stood up for the values and principles I've always aligned with. Under Angelique Power's leadership, this board made a commitment to the social justice movement, applying a racial equity lens before it was fashionable to do so."

"We want to collaborate with our grant recipients as a strategic partner who brings value to the work that goes above and beyond the value of a grant."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Application Portal:
Log into the online application portal at https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=fieldfoundation
New applicants should create an account
Tutorial video available for navigating the dashboard: https://player.vimeo.com/video/1026297399

Program-Specific Timelines:

  • A Road Together (ART): Annual applications, mid-April through mid-May; grants awarded in Fall
  • Justice and Journalism & Storytelling: Rolling applications; rolling grant awards
  • Leaders for a New Chicago: Nomination portal opens February 1; applications due March 1; awards announced in Spring

General Eligibility:

  • Chicago-based nonprofits
  • Geographic priority on South and West Sides
  • 501(c)(3) organizations preferred
  • Justice and Journalism & Storytelling programs accept fiscal agents and fiscal sponsors
  • ART program requires annual operating budgets under $1 million

Application Resources:

Decision Timeline

Justice and Journalism & Storytelling Programs: Rolling basis applications with rolling awards (no fixed decision timeline published)

ART Program: Applications due mid-May; participatory grantmaking panel reviews proposals; grants awarded in Fall (approximately 4-5 months)

Leaders for a New Chicago: Applications due early March; awards announced in Spring (approximately 2-3 months)

Success Rates

The foundation does not publicly disclose overall success rates. Available data shows:

  • 267 awards made in 2024
  • 165 grants awarded in fiscal year ending April 2023
  • ART program: 25 organizations selected from over 110 proposals in 2024 (approximately 23% success rate for ART)
  • The foundation demonstrates a strong payout ratio of 10.75%, exceeding the required 5%

Reapplication Policy

The foundation does not publicly disclose a specific reapplication policy for unsuccessful applicants. Organizations interested in reapplying should contact a Field Foundation program officer to discuss their situation.

Application Success Factors

Key Factors from Foundation Guidance

Alignment with Community Power Building:
The foundation prioritizes organizations that support community-defined agendas and resident-set objectives. Your application should clearly demonstrate how your work enables communities to organize, amplify their voices, and advance reform agendas.

Racial Equity Focus:
Field is "race explicit" in its work and commits 60% of portfolio to BIPOC organizations. Applications should demonstrate how your leadership, mission, and work center BIPOC communities and advance racial equity. BIPOC organizations are defined as having: majority BIPOC leadership and board (BY), work primarily to improve conditions for BIPOC communities (FOR), and mission references commitment to serving BIPOC communities (ABOUT).

Systemic Change Over Direct Services:
Particularly for Justice grants, the foundation funds organizations "working to address problems at a systemic and policy level" rather than direct service delivery. Emphasize policy advocacy, community organizing, and structural change strategies.

Geographic Priority:
Strong preference for organizations serving Chicago's South and West Sides. If your work focuses on these communities, make this explicit in your application.

Participatory Approach (ART):
The ART program uses a participatory grantmaking model with a panel of Chicago artists and cultural leaders reviewing proposals. Selection criteria include community engagement, relevance, impact, and alignment with Field's mission.

Strategic Partnership Philosophy:
Field views itself as "a strategic partner who brings value to the work that goes above and beyond the value of a grant." Demonstrate openness to collaboration and how partnership with Field could amplify your impact.

Multi-Year Funding Preference:
The foundation increasingly favors multi-year general operating grants (as seen in ART's three-year commitments and Journalism cohort model). If appropriate, express interest in longer-term partnership.

Recent Grantee Examples

Leaders for a New Chicago Award Winners:
Grace Pai (Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago) - led campaign for Asian American history in Illinois schools
Tonika Johnson (artist) - created Folded Map project and "unBlocked Englewood"
trina reynolds-tyler (Invisible Institute) - investigative journalism that won Pulitzer Prize

Healing Illinois Recipients:
184 community organizations received grants ranging from $1,000 to $40,000 for racial healing work across Illinois

ART Program:
156 nonprofits funded across three cohorts for arts and culture work with budgets under $1 million

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Emphasize community power building: Frame your work around how you enable communities to organize, set their own agendas, and drive systemic change—this is Field's central thesis.

  • Be explicit about racial equity: Field applies a racial equity lens to all grantmaking. Clearly articulate how your work centers BIPOC communities and advances racial justice.

  • Focus on South and West Sides: If your work serves these geographic priority areas, make this prominent in your application. This is a major selection factor.

  • Demonstrate systemic approach: Especially for Justice grants, emphasize policy change, advocacy, and structural solutions over direct services.

  • Request appropriate amounts: Most grants range $15,000-$50,000, though ART grants go up to $100,000. Requests outside this range may not align with typical funding patterns.

  • Consider multi-year funding: Field increasingly offers multi-year general operating support. Express interest in longer-term partnership if your organization is ready for this commitment.

  • Know your program: Each of Field's four program areas (Justice, Art, Journalism & Storytelling, Leadership Investment) has distinct priorities and processes. Tailor your application accordingly, and contact a program officer if you're uncertain about fit.

References

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