Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce
The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce is a 501(c)(6) business league and chamber of commerce organization based in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1904, the organization has operated for over 120 years as an advocate for the business community and a catalyst for economic development in the Chicagoland region. The Chamber serves as a convening body for business leaders across all major industries, from established corporations to emerging startups.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.7M
-0.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.2M
-13.0% YoY
Grant Count
45
-10.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$26K
-3.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement: The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce combines the power of people, with our legacy of leadership and business advocacy, to drive a dynamic economy. We focus on delivering value for our members, making Chicagoland a world-class place to live and work.
Core Pillars:
- Connections: Bringing business leaders together through high-impact networking, signature events, and targeted introductions to facilitate growth and innovation
- Education & Thought Leadership: Providing expert-led programs, leadership development, and forward-looking analysis on trends and policy
- Advocacy: Promoting pro-growth, pro-business policies to ensure a healthy business climate supporting job creation and investment
Program Areas:
- Talent Program: Provides grants to Illinois-based companies to improve or upgrade the skills of their current workforce, including education, cultivation of networks, and research
- Technology Council: Focuses on emerging technologies, helps companies prepare for disruptions across tech and traditional industries, and provides resources and best practices for evaluating and deploying emerging technologies
- Mid Market Chicago: Provides educational programming on topics and trends relevant to the middle market segment, fosters meaningful connections within this sector, and helps middle market companies attract talent and train/upskill workers
Grantmaking
The Chamber makes grants to support workforce development and business growth initiatives. Grant amounts have ranged from approximately $5,125 to $249,454. The organization's grantmaking focuses on education, human services, and health care, primarily serving Illinois-based organizations and companies.
Ready to take the next step with Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization's grantmaking and programming focus primarily on Illinois, with particular emphasis on the Chicagoland region and Chicago metropolitan area.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce (501(c)(6)):
- Total Assets (2023): $3,764,811
- Total Revenue (2023): $5,346,833
- Total Expenses (2023): $5,378,177
- Net Income (2023): -$31,344
- Net Assets (2023): $88,763
- Number of Employees (2023): 31
Revenue Breakdown (2023):
- Contributions: $1,884,548 (35.2%)
- Program Services: $2,490,848 (46.6%)
- Investment Income: Partial data available
Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Foundation (501(c)(3)):
- EIN: 23-7334589
- Incorporated: 1973 (originally as Chicago Association of Commerce and Industry Foundation; renamed in 1998)
- Tax-exempt status: 1974
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,730,192 | $3,764,811 | $3,525,349 |
| Revenue | $5,790,074 | $5,346,833 | $5,698,733 |
| Expenses | $5,444,621 | $5,378,177 | $5,401,618 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $33,371 | $9,652 | $62 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
207 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Manhattan Mechanical Services ($127,054), Ford Chicago Stamping Plant ($115,517), The Chicago Lighthouse for People who are Blind or Visually Impaired ($108,988).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Acme Finishing Company Elk Grove Village, IL | Training | $10,875 |
| Alzheimer's Association Chicago, IL | Training | $5,693 |
| Blommer Chocolate Factory Chicago, IL | Training | $42,706 |
| Cara Collective Chicago, IL | Training | $17,843 |
| Caramel Crisp LLC Chicago, IL | Training | $11,813 |
| Creospan Schaumburg, IL | Training | $8,053 |
| Cresta Solutions LLC Chicago, IL | Training | $7,500 |
| EMC Strategy Highland Park, IL | Training | $6,061 |
| Federal Sign University Park, IL | Training | $21,120 |
| First Bank Chicago Northbrook, IL | Training | $10,612 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Foundation Board Directors:
- Rich Gamble (Board Director) - Currently Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Magnificent Mile Association; former Chief Operating Officer at the Chicago Zoological Society; former Vice President & General Manager of Chicagoland Publishing and Publisher of Chicago Magazine
- Jack Lavin
- Jessica Smith
- Matthew Summy
Principal Officer:
- John Lavin
The Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors and staffed by an Executive Director, housed within the Chamber's offices in the Wrigley Building.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Collins | Vice Chair/Director | 0.1 | — |
| Brian Greenblatt | Vice Chair/Director | 0.1 | — |
| Cornelius Griggs | Vice Chair/Director | 0.1 | — |
| Daniel Lynch | Chair/Director | 0.1 | — |
| David Ritter | General Counsel/Director | 0.1 | — |
| Donovan Pepper | Vice Chair/Director | 0.1 | — |
| Eileen Mitchell | Vice Chair/Director | 0.1 | — |
| Erik Barefield | Vice Chair/Director | 0.1 | — |
| Kevin Johnson | Secretary/Director | 0.1 | — |
| Michael Jamieson | Vice Chair/Director | 0.1 | — |
| Adam Grinde | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Alex Finke | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Amirah Salaam | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Amy Hicks | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Amy Smith | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Andrew Brady | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Anthony Reinhart | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Arla Lach | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Ashish Bag | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Ashley Rice | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Ashli Nelson | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Bea Billups | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Becky Goldberg | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Billy Glunz | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Brad Rachmiel | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Brent Kent | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Brian Kasal | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Brian Leonard | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Bryan Brown | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Carmen Rossi | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Charles Bachtell | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Chet Riske | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Chris Meister | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Chris Sweetland | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Christian Mitchell | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Crystal Olsen | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Damla Gerhart | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Dave Tovar | Director | 0.1 | — |
| David Brown | Director | 0.1 | — |
| David Perez | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Deirdre Manna | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Ed Weil | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Graham Allen | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Jack Godshall | Director | 0.1 | — |
| James Inglis | Director | 0.1 | — |
| James Terman | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Jamie Ponce | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Jason Rudis | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Jay Stieber | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Jim Kirk | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Joan Heggen-McMahon | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Jodi Bednar | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Joe Manna | Director | 0.1 | — |
| John Idler | Director | 0.1 | — |
| John O'Connor | Director | 0.1 | — |
| John Sassaris | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Jonathan Chowansky | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Joseph Seliga | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Joshua Beer | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Judy Martinez-Faye | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Julian Federle | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Julie Mirostaw | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Keith Horton | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Kelly Leonard | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Kevin Cassidy | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Kevin Cook | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Kevin Warren | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Khalid Pagan | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Kim Morreale Mcauliffe | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Kristi Lafleur | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Kristie Paskvan | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Kristin Atlas | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Lars Heemskerk | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Lawrence Eppley | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Luz del Carmen Najera | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Malik Murray | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Manuel Flores | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Marie Miranda | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Marilynn Gardner | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Mary Person | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Matt Sarosy | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Matthew Conway | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Matthew Summy | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Melanie O'Brien | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Meredith Fossett | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Michael Deyle | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Michael O'Rourke | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Monica Mueller | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Moreno Perugini | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Morgan Waller | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Neetika Singh | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Nisaini Rexach | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Paige Michals | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Patrice DeCorrevont | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Patricia Brown Holmes | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Patrick Cermak | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Patrick Donelly | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Phil Cochrane | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Praj Shah | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Rey Banks | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Rich Gamble | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Richard Bodnum | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Rob Biederman | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Robert Blackwell | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Robert Wislow | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Robin Glover | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Sara DeCoste | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Scott Humbard | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Scott Ziomek | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Shane Print | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Stephen Ferrara | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Stephen Schwab | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Stephen Whitehill | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Steve Fansler | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Susana Meza | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Thomas Evenson | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Todd Ahsmann | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Todd Hughes | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Tom Kunst | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Tom Ricketts | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Torrence Hinton | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Trisha Knych | Director | 0.1 | — |
| William Spizman | Director | 0.1 | — |
| John Lavin | President & CEO | 40 | $479,762 |
| Brad Tietz | VP Government Relations | 40 | $139,916 |
| Jan Kostner | Sr VP Membership & Corp Relations | 40 | $151,319 |
| Marianne Floriano | VP of Corporate Development | 40 | $140,713 |
| Sara Barnett | Sr VP Operations | 40 | $138,861 |
| Sarah Tuohy | Director, Member Engagement | 40 | $137,564 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Chamber has announced employee training grants to area companies, supporting workforce development initiatives across the region. The organization has also been active in coordinating with strategic partners on business-focused initiatives and programming.
Grants - Chicagoland Chamber of CommerceThe Foundation coordinates educational resources, programs, and research to advance Chamber activities and collaborates with strategic partners and organizations to address key business issues. Foundation initiatives serve a diverse audience including community leaders, entrepreneurs, business executives, employees, educators, and students.
Bank of America Awards $3 Million to Obama Foundation to Support ...Frequently Asked Questions
What does Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce fund?
**Mission Statement:** The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce combines the power of people, with our legacy of leadership and business advocacy, to drive a dynamic economy. We focus on delivering value for our members, making Chicagoland a world-class place to live and work. **Core Pillars:** • **Connections:** Bringing business leaders together through high-impact networking, signature events, and targeted introductions to facilitate growth and innovation • **Education & Thought Leadership:** Pro…
How do I apply for a grant from Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce?
The Chamber makes grants to support workforce development and business growth initiatives. Grant amounts have ranged from approximately $5,125 to $249,454. The organization's grantmaking focuses on education, human services, and health care, primarily serving Illinois-based organizations and companies. Recent grantmaking activity includes the Chicagoland Job Creators Grant program, which has announced finalists for awards.
Where does Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce make grants?
The organization's grantmaking and programming focus primarily on Illinois, with particular emphasis on the Chicagoland region and Chicago metropolitan area.
What size grants does Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce award?
In 2024, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce awarded 45 grants totaling $1.2M — an average of about $26K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce's EIN?
Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-0896000. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
The Chicago Community Trust
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
$6.0B
Grants
3,976
Total Given
$1.4B
John D and Catherine T Macarthur
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
$9.3B
Grants
1,086
Total Given
$356.1M
Arie and Ida Crown Memorial
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
—
Grants
897
Total Given
$115.2M
Circle of Service Foundation
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
—
Grants
637
Total Given
$37.0M
Jpmorgan Chase Foundation
NEW YORK, NY
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
10,334
Total Given
$202.5M
United Way of Metropolitan Chicago Inc
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
$48.8M
Grants
331
Total Given
$22.8M
Robert R Mccormick Foundation
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
$1.8B
Grants
255
Total Given
$106.1M
Fifth Third Chicagoland Foundation
ROSEMONT, IL
Assets
$1.5M
Grants
38
Total Given
$1.5M
Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program
SOUTHEASTERN, PA
Assets
$22.2B
Grants
24,269
Total Given
$3.0B
Cme Group Foundation
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
—
Grants
148
Total Given
$6.7M
Polk Bros Foundation Inc
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
—
Grants
676
Total Given
$24.5M
National Philanthropic Trust
JENKINTOWN, PA
Assets
$42.2B
Grants
18,583
Total Given
$5.1B
Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities
Go from researching Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce to a real strategy.