Funding search · EIN 362167000 · Chicago, IL

The Chicago Community Trust

A grantmaking public charity (files IRS Form 990, Schedule I). Charities like this often run real grant programs with application cycles.

14,939
grants reported
$5.82B
total given
2021–2023
filing years
$25,000
median grant

Based on grants this organization reported to the IRS for tax years 20212023. This is what they filed, not a complete record of their giving, and recent years may be incomplete because filings lag.

What they fund

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Funder website ↗Full IRS filings ↗How this is builtReport an error

Funding pattern

What this funder pays for, at what size, and how to position adjacent work. Read from their filings, with every number checked against the record.

Where the money goes

  • CDFI and community lending capital nationwide
  • Federally qualified community health centers, rural and urban
  • Chicago-area human services, violence reduction, housing stability
  • Affordable housing, homelessness and community action agencies
  • Civil legal aid and democracy/civic participation groups
  • Climate and clean energy intermediaries

Typical grant

The median grant is $25,000 and half of all grants fall between $10,000 and $100,000, which is the donor-advised and discretionary layer of a community foundation. A separate tier of very large checks, $4 million to $50 million, went almost entirely to national intermediaries, CDFIs, and health center networks in 2023, and those are pass-through or partnership deployments rather than responses to unsolicited requests. Chicago nonprofits appear repeatedly across years, so repeat funding at the five- and six-figure level is normal.

Their words

Phrases from their own grant descriptions, worth speaking back to them.

  • General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes
  • general support
  • operations
  • charitable purposes

Positioning adjacent work

  • Anchor to a named Chicago-area grantee's theme: violence reduction, housing stability, immigrant legal services, family services.
  • Ask in the $25,000 to $100,000 band for a first request; six figures needs an existing relationship.
  • Frame the request as general operating support, not a restricted research project, matching their own wording.
  • If work is national, connect it to CDFI capital access or community health center capacity, their two biggest large-check lanes.

Worth knowing: Illinois recipients outnumber the next state four to one, so a Cook County footprint matters far more than subject fit. The giant 2023 grants to Save the Children, Capital Impact Partners, Breakthrough Energy Catalyst and dozens of health centers reflect large donor-advised or intermediary flows, and treating them as evidence of an open national program would be a mistake.

14 grants matching “southland · $3.6M

  • $140,000

    Southland Development Authority Nfp · Tinley Park, IL · 2023

    General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes

  • $875,000

    Southland Development Authority Nfp · Tinley Park, IL · 2022

    The purpose of this grant is to support the construction of a medical facility owned and operated by Dardur Medical Group at 1771 Sauk Trail Road.

  • $145,000

    Skills for Chicagoland'S Future · Chicago, IL · 2022

    General Operating Support, supporting Skills for Chicagoland's Future's work to support sustainable job creation in the Southland, In support of its Demand-Driven Career Pathways Initiative

  • $50,000

    Southland Human Services Leadership Council · Mokena, IL · 2022

    In support of the Southland Human Service Leadership Council's general operations in advancing health and human care system innovations.

  • $425,000

    Southland Development Authority Nfp · Chicago, IL · 2021

    In support of its Stimulus Program planning phase. In support of Southland Small Businesses. In support of Southland Development Authority general operations, from the Searle Funds at the Chicago Community Trust.

  • $425,000

    Southland Development Authority Nfp · Chicago, IL · 2021

    In support of its Stimulus Program planning phase. In support of Southland Small Businesses. In support of Southland Development Authority general operations, from the Searle Funds at the Chicago Community Trust.

  • $400,000

    Chicago Southland Economic Development Corporation · East Hazel Crest, IL · 2021

    In support of the purchase and construction costs associated with the renovation of 4343 Ascending House located at 4343 Lincoln Highway in Matteson I.

  • $400,000

    Chicago Southland Economic Development Corporation · East Hazel Crest, IL · 2021

    In support of the purchase and construction costs associated with the renovation of 4343 Ascending House located at 4343 Lincoln Highway in Matteson I.

  • $240,000

    Partnership for Resilience · Skokie, IL · 2021

    To support Partnership for Resilience staffing and organizing capacity to launch the Southland Children's Council, a multi-sector collaborative to support low-income children and families.

  • $240,000

    Partnership for Resilience · Skokie, IL · 2021

    To support Partnership for Resilience staffing and organizing capacity to launch the Southland Children's Council, a multi-sector collaborative to support low-income children and families.

  • $87,500

    Southland Human Services Leadership Council · Mokena, IL · 2021

    In support of the Southland Human Service Leadership Council's general operations in advancing system innovations. In support of general operations.

  • $87,500

    Southland Human Services Leadership Council · Mokena, IL · 2021

    In support of the Southland Human Service Leadership Council's general operations in advancing system innovations. In support of general operations.

  • $25,000

    Southland Juvenile Justice Council · Park Forest, IL · 2021

    In Support of Southland Juvenile Justice Council's General operations to provide youth development services decreasing justice involvement.

  • $25,000

    Southland Juvenile Justice Council · Park Forest, IL · 2021

    In Support of Southland Juvenile Justice Council's General operations to provide youth development services decreasing justice involvement.

Top recipients

Repeat recipients are the strongest signal of whether a funder has an open door or quietly re-funds the same organizations.

  • Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation4 grants · $120.0M
  • Climate Imperative Foundation4 grants · $80.0M
  • Save the Children Federation4 grants · $53.5M
  • Habitat for Humanity International4 grants · $50.0M
  • National Council of Ymcas of the USA3 grants · $50.0M
  • Youth Guidance4 grants · $45.6M
  • Capital Impact Partners1 grant · $45.0M
  • National Philanthropic Trust2 grants · $42.0M
  • Arab Community Center for Economic & Social Services Access3 grants · $40.0M
  • Communities in Schools2 grants · $40.0M

Giving over time

$2.84B
2021
$1.56B
2022
$1.42B
2023

Grant history

The 100 largest of 14,939 grants.

  • $50.8M

    Save the Children Federation · Fairfield, CT · 2023

    General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes

  • $45.0M

    Capital Impact Partners · Arlington, VA · 2023

    General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes

  • $30.8M

    National Philanthropic Trust · Jenkintown, PA · 2022

    Goldstein Family Fund, support for Charles A Micale Foundation, "Our Own Thing" Fund, illiquid shares to be transferred to FP: Goldstein Family Fund, Ruhl Donor Advised Fund

  • $30.0M

    Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation · Seattle, WA · 2023

    General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes

  • $30.0M

    Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation · Seattle, WA · 2022

    support to accelerate the deployment of clean technologies

  • $30.0M

    Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation · Seattle, WA · 2021

    To support Breakthrough Energy Catalyst's effort to accelerate deployment of clean technologies in order to achieve net zero by 2050

  • $30.0M

    Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation · Seattle, WA · 2021

    To support Breakthrough Energy Catalyst's effort to accelerate deployment of clean technologies in order to achieve net zero by 2050

  • $28.0M

    Hope Enterprise Corporation · Jackson, MS · 2023

    General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes

  • $26.1M

    Tides Foundation · San Francisco, CA · 2023

    General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes

  • $25.0M

    Habitat for Humanity International · Americus, GA · 2021

    General operating support, 2022 contribution, 2021 contribution, general operating support - for use in the State of New Mexico

  • $25.0M

    Habitat for Humanity International · Americus, GA · 2021

    General operating support, 2022 contribution, 2021 contribution, general operating support - for use in the State of New Mexico

  • $25.0M

    Chicago Public Schools · Chicago, IL · 2022

    General operating support

  • $23.0M

    Accion Opportunity Fund Community Development · San Jose, CA · 2023

    General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes

  • $22.6M

    Youth Guidance · Chicago, IL · 2021

    General operating support, contribution to the JPMC The Fellowship Initiative, matching contribution made by Polly Eldringhoff, PGL employee. General operating support, matching the contribution of torrence Hinton, PGL read all
  • $22.6M

    Youth Guidance · Chicago, IL · 2021

    General operating support, contribution to the JPMC The Fellowship Initiative, matching contribution made by Polly Eldringhoff, PGL employee. General operating support, matching the contribution of torrence Hinton, PGL read all
  • $20.1M

    The Center for Popular Democracy · Brooklyn, NY · 2023

    General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes

  • $20.1M

    Eisenhower Medical Center · Rancho Mirage, CA · 2023

    General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes

  • $20.0M

    Communities in Schools · Arlington, VA · 2021

    General operating support

  • $20.0M

    Communities in Schools · Arlington, VA · 2021

    General operating support

  • $20.0M

    Boys & Girls Clubs of America · Atlanta, GA · 2023

    General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes

  • $20.0M

    Climate Imperative Foundation · San Francisco, CA · 2023

    General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes

  • $20.0M

    National Council of Ymcas of the USA · Chicago, IL · 2023

    General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes

  • $20.0M

    Champlain Housing Trust · Burlington, VT · 2022

    General operating support

  • $20.0M

    Climate Imperative Foundation · San Francisco, CA · 2022

    to support Climate Imperative's work to cut emissions at speed and scale

  • $20.0M

    Jobs for the Future · Boston, MA · 2022

    General operating support

  • $20.0M

    Per Scholas · Bronx, NY · 2022

    General operating support

  • $20.0M

    San Francisco Community Land Trust · San Francisco, CA · 2022

    General operating support

  • $20.0M

    Arab Community Center for Economic & Social Services Access · Dearborn, MI · 2021

    General operating support

  • $20.0M

    Arab Community Center for Economic & Social Services Access · Dearborn, MI · 2021

    General operating support

  • $20.0M

    Climate Imperative Foundation · San Francisco, CA · 2021

    To support Climate Imperative's work to cut emissions at speed and scale

  • $20.0M

    Climate Imperative Foundation · San Francisco, CA · 2021

    To support Climate Imperative's work to cut emissions at speed and scale

  • $20.0M

    Foundation for Fresno Unified Schools · Fresno, CA · 2021

    General operating support

  • $20.0M

    Foundation for Fresno Unified Schools · Fresno, CA · 2021

    General operating support

  • $20.0M

    Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles · Bellflower, CA · 2021

    General operating support

  • $20.0M

    Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles · Bellflower, CA · 2021

    General operating support

  • $16.0M

    Escondido Union School District · Escondido, CA · 2022

    support for public purposes

  • $16.0M

    Learning Policy Institute · Palo Alto, CA · 2021

    General operating support

  • $16.0M

    Learning Policy Institute · Palo Alto, CA · 2021

    General operating support

  • $15.3M

    Guttmacher Institute · New York, NY · 2021

    General operating support

  • $15.3M

    Guttmacher Institute · New York, NY · 2021

    General operating support

  • $15.1M

    Community Investment Corporation · Chicago, IL · 2023

    General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes

  • $15.1M

    National Low Income Housing Coalition · Washington, DC · 2022

    Unrestricted, General Operating Support

  • $15.0M

    Boys and Girls Clubs of America · Atlanta, GA · 2021

    General operating support, $10,000,000 support of child care; $5,000,000 support of food insecurity

  • $15.0M

    Boys and Girls Clubs of America · Atlanta, GA · 2021

    General operating support, $10,000,000 support of child care; $5,000,000 support of food insecurity

  • $15.0M

    Community First Fund · Lancaster, PA · 2023

    General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes

  • $15.0M

    Grid Alternatives · Oakland, CA · 2023

    General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes

  • $15.0M

    The Miami Foundation · Miami, FL · 2023

    General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes

  • $15.0M

    Codepathorg · San Francisco, CA · 2022

    General operating support

  • $15.0M

    Merit America · Washington, DC · 2022

    General operating support

  • $15.0M

    Achievement Network · Boston, MA · 2021

    General operating support

  • $15.0M

    Achievement Network · Boston, MA · 2021

    General operating support

  • $15.0M

    Instruction Partners · Nashville, TN · 2021

    General operating support

  • $15.0M

    Instruction Partners · Nashville, TN · 2021

    General operating support

  • $15.0M

    National Council of Ymcas of the USA · Chicago, IL · 2021

    $10,000,000 support of child care; $5,000,000 support of food insecurity

  • $15.0M

    National Council of Ymcas of the USA · Chicago, IL · 2021

    $10,000,000 support of child care; $5,000,000 support of food insecurity

  • $15.0M

    Recovery Innovations · Phoenix, AZ · 2021

    General operating support

  • $15.0M

    Recovery Innovations · Phoenix, AZ · 2021

    General operating support

  • $15.0M

    Rights and Resources Institute · Washington, DC · 2021

    General operating support

  • $15.0M

    Rights and Resources Institute · Washington, DC · 2021

    General operating support

  • $15.0M

    Unbounded Learning · New York, NY · 2021

    General operating support

  • $15.0M

    Unbounded Learning · New York, NY · 2021

    General operating support

  • $15.0M

    Vose River Charitable Fund · Bethesda, MD · 2021

    General operating support

  • $15.0M

    Vose River Charitable Fund · Bethesda, MD · 2021

    General operating support

  • $13.5M

    Atlanta Habitat for Humanity · Atlanta, GA · 2021

    General operating support

  • $13.5M

    Atlanta Habitat for Humanity · Atlanta, GA · 2021

    General operating support

  • $13.5M

    Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity · St Paul, MN · 2021

    General operating support

  • $13.5M

    Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity · St Paul, MN · 2021

    General operating support

  • $13.5M

    Habitat for Humanity of the Charlotte Region · Charlotte, NC · 2021

    General operating support

  • $13.5M

    Habitat for Humanity of the Charlotte Region · Charlotte, NC · 2021

    General operating support

  • $13.5M

    Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver · Denver, CO · 2021

    General operating support

  • $13.5M

    Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver · Denver, CO · 2021

    General operating support

  • $13.1M

    Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund · Cincinnati, OH · 2022

    John M Scott Giving Account, Charles N. Mills Giving Fund, Andy and Nancy Mills Charitable Fund, Ellert Donation Fund, Levine Family Fund, Evolve Charitable Fund - support for Salon Ohm, transfer of funds - Charles N. M read all
  • $13.0M

    Communities in Schools Houston · Houston, TX · 2021

    General operating support

  • $13.0M

    Communities in Schools Houston · Houston, TX · 2021

    General operating support

  • $12.0M

    Impactassets · Bethesda, MD · 2021

    Support for David Samuel or Fund for the Earth (DSOFFTE), The Builders Initiative Fund

  • $12.0M

    Impactassets · Bethesda, MD · 2021

    Support for David Samuel or Fund for the Earth (DSOFFTE), The Builders Initiative Fund

  • $12.0M

    Grounded Solutions Network · Oakland, CA · 2022

    General operating support

  • $12.0M

    The Morehouse School of Medicine · Atlanta, GA · 2022

    General operating support

  • $11.2M

    National Philanthropic Trust · Jenkintown, PA · 2023

    General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes

  • $11.0M

    Ascend Learning · Brooklyn, NY · 2022

    General operating support

  • $11.0M

    Braven · Chicago, IL · 2021

    General operating support

  • $11.0M

    Braven · Chicago, IL · 2021

    General operating support

  • $11.0M

    Habitat for Humanity of Omaha · Omaha, NE · 2021

    General operating support

  • $11.0M

    Habitat for Humanity of Omaha · Omaha, NE · 2021

    General operating support

  • $11.0M

    Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas County · Clearwater, FL · 2021

    General operating support

  • $11.0M

    Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas County · Clearwater, FL · 2021

    General operating support

  • $11.0M

    Houston Habitat for Humanity · Houston, TX · 2021

    General operating support

  • $11.0M

    Houston Habitat for Humanity · Houston, TX · 2021

    General operating support

  • $11.0M

    Trinity Habitat for Humanity · Fort Worth, TX · 2021

    General operating support

  • $11.0M

    Trinity Habitat for Humanity · Fort Worth, TX · 2021

    General operating support

  • $10.3M

    Start Early · Chicago, IL · 2022

    support for programming, support for Educare, General Operating Support, matching the contribution of Charles Matthews, PGL retiree, continued support for the roll-out of the NEAR Program in the Chicago area, especially read all
  • $10.1M

    Chinese American Service League · Chicago, IL · 2022

    To support building and leading a coalition of partner organizations focused on assisting hate crime survivors and educating and empowering Chicagoland AANHPI community on how to report hate crimes and hate incidents., read all
  • $10.1M

    American Jewish Committee · New York, NY · 2022

    support for Project Interchange: bringing Arabs to Israel for immersive initiative, General Operating Support, support for the Dallas office, to advance human rights and democratic values in the Dallas area, General Ope read all
  • $10.0M

    Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples · Arcata, CA · 2022

    General Operating Support, Unrestricted

  • $10.0M

    Glaad · Los Angeles, CA · 2022

    General Operating Support, Unrestricted

  • $10.0M

    Access To Capital for Entrepreneurs · Cleveland, GA · 2023

    General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes

  • $10.0M

    Genesis La Economic Growth Corporation · Los Angeles, CA · 2023

    General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes

  • $10.0M

    Ochin · Portland, OR · 2023

    General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes

  • $10.0M

    Alliance for Early Success · Washington, DC · 2022

    General operating support

  • $10.0M

    City of Lakes Community Land Trust · Minneapolis, MN · 2022

    General operating support

View all 14,939 grants →

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Source: IRS Form 990, Schedule I, as filed by this organization. These are grants already paid. Grants paid directly to individuals are reported to the IRS only as totals, so they do not appear as named lines here.