The Chicago Community Trust’s Post

The "Change Agents" podcast focuses on growing #homeownership for South and West Side Chicagoans in an upcoming episode. WBEZ's Reset features the storyteller behind the episode and checked in with a local housing services organization working to make two-flats more accessible to own. #Chicago Learn more: https://bit.ly/4bnYlMf

Meet our next Press Forward Chicago grant recipient, Chicago News Weekly (CNW). It is CNW's belief that an informed community is a powerful community. Its mentoring, development and on-the-job training of early career and aspiring journalists go a long way toward making a difference in BIPOC communities. CNW will use Press Forward #Chicago funding towards building emerging journalists’ capacity and skill set with in-house training on journalism practices, ethics, newspaper publication, and editorial roles. #LocalJournalism #Philanthropy https://www.cnwmedia.com/

In June, Trust President & CEO Andrea Sáenz joined peers in a panel on "The Rise of Latine Philanthropic Leadership in Chicago" for the Hispanics in Philanthropy (HIP) Annual Conference. The expanding presence of Latine leaders in #Chicago's philanthropic institutions has been a significant development in recent years. Panelists shared their journeys to leadership positions and provided insights into the evolving landscape of philanthropy in the city and the growing influence of Latine voices in this sector — aligning with this year's conference theme, "Corazón y Poder: Unleashing Our Power." #Philanthropy Check out the conference highlights: https://lnkd.in/gGyQVKRu

The inaugural round of Press Forward Chicago grants represents a commitment to providing vital access to stories that matter to communities and fostering informed dialogue about issues impacting people’s lives. We'll be featuring all 13 grant recipients over the month of July, so you can learn more about them. Meet Borderless Magazine, working to reimagine immigration journalism for a more just and equitable future. It reports community-centered investigations, explainers and news in multiple languages; provides paid fellowships and internships to emerging BIPOC and immigrant community journalists; and trains professional journalists around the world on ethical reporting. Borderless will use Press Forward #Chicago funding towards hiring two positions as part of a project to bolster operational capacity and community engagement to address language barriers and diversify revenue streams. #LocalJournalism #Philanthropy [Photo Credit: Michelle Kanaar] https://borderlessmag.org/

In Episode 15 of the #TrustTalks #podcast, guest Nedra Sims Fears of Greater Chatham Initiative explains: "My vision for Chatham reflects the realities of what we see in the Chatham neighborhood, which is in the mid-south side of #Chicago. And when you look at who's there, we provide business support and 50% of our businesses are restaurants." #Philanthropy Tune in: https://lnkd.in/gwhsdU87

Access to adequate capital is a significant barrier to Black and Latine business owners opening their doors and staying open. Many of the communities We Rise Together: For an Equitable & Just Recovery invests in—those hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic and economic recession that followed, which were predominantly Black and Latine—saw many of their small businesses close in the last few years. That’s why in June, We Rise Together granted more than $1 million to six organizations that support small businesses to access the capital they need for growth. #Chicago #Philanthropy #WeRiseWednesdays Learn more: https://bit.ly/4cUmWcY

In Episode 15 of the #TrustTalks #podcast, donor Nicole VanderVoort reflects: "The gap continues to grow and to me, that's the thing that people need to be aware of. COVID certainly had a terrible trigger for these communities, but this inequality between the have and the have-nots, the gap is not narrowing." #Chicago #Philanthropy Tune in: https://lnkd.in/gwhsdU87

In 2001, Loann Honesty King and her husband, Paul J. King, Jr., became the first African American family to establish a donor advised fund at the Trust. She later helped found African American Legacy (AAL), the Trust’s first affinity fund. Reflecting on AAL’s first two decades, King is most proud of its history of catalyzing greater support and visibility for grassroots organizations, which often have a harder time accessing philanthropic resources. #Chicago #Philanthropy #AnnualReport Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gMvNuGZk

In Episode 15 of the #TrustTalks #podcast, donor Steve VanderVoort recalls: "...A neighbor of ours told us about The Chicago Community Trust and we made a cold call, found a contact, and our contact suggested that we set up a donor advised fund, which sounded wonderful because we didn't have to worry about the headaches of a foundation or where we would invest the money or whatnot. All we had to do was give it away." #Chicago #Philanthropy Tune in: https://lnkd.in/gwhsdU87

Responding to Chicagoans’ urgent needs has always been a vital part of the Trust’s mission — and right now, one of the most pressing needs is preventing and ending homelessness. In FY2023, the Trust made nearly $2.3 million in grants to 35 organizations that are providing direct services and advocacy to reduce homelessness. Of that amount, $335,000 came from the Unity Fund, an initiative that pools donor contributions to help our region’s nonprofits meet residents’ critical needs. In the years ahead, we plan to deepen and refine our funding strategies so that we can help our partners even more effectively drive change on an issue that affects so many lives in our region. #Chicago #Philanthropy #AnnualReport Learn more about a few of the organizations the Trust supported: https://lnkd.in/gACTw5KP