Chicago-based community foundation established in 1915 that mobilizes donors, ideas and organizations to advance equity and opportunity. The Trust stewards billions in assets and supports regional nonprofits and initiatives
The Chicago Community Trust works to foster a region where equity is fundamental and opportunity and prosperity are accessible to everyone. To pursue this goal, it brings together people, ideas, organizations, and resources to enhance lives in metropolitan Chicago and surrounding communities.
In 1915 Chicago banker Norman Wait Harris and his son Albert Harris—inspired by the Cleveland Foundation’s model—convinced Harris Trust & Savings Bank’s board to adopt a Declaration of Trust establishing The Chicago Community Trust. The Harris family contributed US$200,000 to launch the Trust and later added US$400,000 as a memorial fund when Norman Harris died in 1916. The Trust made its first grant in 1916 to United Charities of Chicago. Over more than a century, it has evolved into one of the nation’s largest community foundations, stewarding donor funds and addressing the Chicago region’s changing needs.
The Trust operates as a community foundation that pools donors’ resources and expertise to advance equity, opportunity and prosperity. It uses discretionary grantmaking, donor‑advised funds and impact‑investing pools to narrow racial wealth gaps and strengthen community well‑being. Grants are primarily awarded to IRS‑recognized nonprofit organizations serving the Chicago region, especially Cook County. Application deadlines vary by funding opportunity; many grants are multi‑year, and open calls are announced through the GrantCentral portal. The Trust prioritizes multi‑year grants that provide stability and encourages collaboration, policy advocacy and community engagement to address systemic challenges.
Over more than a century, The Chicago Community Trust has mobilized donors to respond to historic crises and ongoing inequities. Early on, it helped launch the Joint Emergency Relief Fund during the Great Depression, raising US$10 million for relief efforts. It funds the upkeep of the celebrated Thorne Miniature Rooms at the Art Institute of Chicago through a bequest. Today the Trust oversees US$6.1 billion in assets and committed more than US$1.5 billion in grants in FY2024. Its initiatives such as Benefit Chicago and the Flexible Housing Pool channel capital to social enterprises and supportive housing. The Trust’s research, including the Color of Wealth in Chicago study, informs policy and sparks public dialogue about racial and economic disparities.
The Trust advances philanthropy through signature initiatives and project partnerships. Affinity funds unite donors with shared heritage or interests to collectively support specific communities; the Unity Fund pools contributions for urgent regional needs. Project partnerships mobilize nonprofits, businesses and civic leaders to address complex challenges. Examples include strengthening arts organizations, mobilizing US$100 million in impact investments (Benefit Chicago), expanding access to quality jobs, connecting homeless residents to housing and healthcare, supporting violence‑prevention and improving employment and mobility. Other collaborations promote equitable transit‑oriented development (Elevated Chicago, 3C), resilient food systems (Food:Land:Opportunity, Fresh Taste), small‑business growth, immigrant and justice advocacy, neighborhood investment, local journalism and racial healing
The Trust’s current strategic plan focuses on closing the region’s racial wealth gap by increasing household income and assets, increasing homeownership and home equity, and growing neighborhood investment. Its impact‑investing program, launched in 2020, allows donors to recommend investments in social impact opportunities before making grants. The organization practices diversity in asset management, with 25–30 % of internally‑managed assets invested with managers from underrepresented backgrounds. As a public charity, it relies on a combination of donor‑advised funds, discretionary endowment funds and collaborative funds to maximize impact. In FY2024 the Trust received US$2.1 billion in new gifts, highlighting its continued growth and donor engagement