The Chicago Community Trust
The Chicago Community Trust is a public charity based in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1915, it describes itself as the Chicago region’s community foundation, supported by public donations to provide assistance and relief to people in the region.
The Chicago Community Trust at a glance
In short: The Chicago Community Trust gave $1.2B across 4,316 grants in 2025 (avg $282K), top state Illinois. 28% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,215,357,534
- -14.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 4,316
- +8.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $281,593
- -21.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $26,500
- Total assets
- $7,126,827,178
- +18.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 28% first-time grantees (1,200 of 4,312, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (20% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Chicago Community Trust
- How to Apply
-
The Trust directs applicants to review open opportunities and apply through GrantCentral, its web-based application and grant-management platform. Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) nonprofit agencies that are not private foundations, or agencies applying with a nonprofit fiscal sponsor; individual opportunities may set additional criteria. Grants generally benefit Chicago-region residents, with rare, strategic exceptions for initiatives extending beyond the region. The Trust does not provide discretionary grants to projects or organizations outside the United States. The website notes that opportunities may be closed when a deadline has passed or when the Trust is in a multi-year funding cycle. No deadline is specified in the listed opportunity information.
- Contact
Mailing address: 33 S State Street 750, Chicago, IL 60603
Phone: (312) 616-8000
Website: https://cct.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
16 open opportunities from The Chicago Community Trust
African American Legacy Grants
The Chicago Community Trust
Amount
US $15,000 - US $75,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Asian Giving Circle Grant
The Chicago Community Trust
Amount
US $10,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
CCT Sponsorship Opportunities
The Chicago Community Trust
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who The Chicago Community Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was ImpactAssets Inc ($47.0M). Together the top 10 received $282.0M.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($375,416), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
19,008 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 11,450 grants of 19,008 (60%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Trust’s discretionary grants generally support organizations benefiting residents of the Chicago region. Its Critical Needs strategy makes grants to local nonprofits serving households throughout Cook County. The 2025 filing’s grant dollars went most heavily to recipients in Illinois (20%), followed by California (15%), Washington, D.C. (10%), New York (9%), and Maryland (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 4,316 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Chicago Community Trust open to new grantees?
28%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1,200 of 4,312 grantees (28%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $281K; repeat grants $282K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $33K repeat.
- 59% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−14%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $335.8M (2019) to $1.6B (2023). In 2025 it made 4,316 grants totaling $1.2B.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ImpactAssets Inc Bethesda, MD | General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes | $47,000,000 |
| Climate Imperative Foundation San Francisco, CA | General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes | $40,000,000 |
| Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation Seattle, WA | General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes | $30,000,000 |
| Low Income Investment Fund San Francisco, CA | General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes | $30,000,000 |
| National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Washington, DC | General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes | $30,000,000 |
| The Pew Charitable Trusts Washington, DC | General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes | $25,000,000 |
| Taproot Earth Philadelphia, PA | General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes | $25,000,000 |
| Community Reinvestment Fund Inc Minneapolis, MN | General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes | $20,000,000 |
| Climate Lead Inc San Francisco, CA | General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes | $20,000,000 |
| Craft3 Seattle, WA | General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes | $15,000,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Chicago Community Trust?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Filing type: Form 990 (a public charity).
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $7,126,827,178 | $2,143,553,763 | $1,269,380,379 | $1,215,357,534 | 4,316 | $439,230,632 |
| 2024 | $6,018,840,318 | $2,455,691,801 | $1,521,532,173 | $1,423,260,519 | 3,976 | $331,233,509 |
| 2023 | $4,528,410,929 | $1,536,635,743 | $1,611,696,826 | $1,561,587,584 | 3,801 | $150,003,818 |
| 2022 | $4,307,117,777 | $1,869,389,592 | $1,506,140,398 | $1,419,317,350 | 3,581 | $231,409,882 |
| 2021 | $4,777,238,560 | $2,005,272,891 | $1,406,260,755 | $1,367,045,095 | 3,334 | $208,700,374 |
| 2020 | $3,602,504,724 | $862,303,171 | $606,459,499 | $573,719,572 | 3,050 | $154,059,088 |
| 2019 | $3,248,271,849 | $564,214,027 | $370,211,400 | $335,779,945 | 2,507 | $99,748,975 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Trust’s stated mission is to provide assistance and relief to people in the Chicago region. Its current strategy centers on narrowing the region’s wealth gap and increasing Black and Latine income and assets, homeownership and home equity, and economic development in underinvested communities.
Funding priorities include access to capital for homeownership, small businesses and place-based investments; affordable and equitable postsecondary education; support for students and workers; quality jobs; and community assets through shared ownership and public ownership models. The Trust also describes work at the household, neighborhood and community levels, as well as policy and advocacy efforts and support for organizations addressing immediate needs.
The Trust funds nonprofit agencies with evidence of 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status that are not private foundations, and it also accepts applications from agencies with a nonprofit fiscal sponsor. Each opportunity may have additional criteria. Grantees among the Trust’s largest 2025 recipients include organizations with varied missions: ImpactAssets describes its work as supporting impact investing and charitable giving; Climate Imperative Foundation says it aims to cut global carbon emissions using science and economics; and Low Income Investment Fund says it mobilizes capital and partners to advance communities of opportunity, equity and well-being.
Grantmaking
The Trust uses donor-advised funds, programmatic and designated grantmaking, and collaboratives. In its 2024 filing narrative, it reported 19,260 grants to 8,460 organizations totaling $1,225,337,518. That included $1.1 billion in donor-advised grants to more than 8,000 organizations, $76.1 million in 851 programmatic and designated grants to 460 nonprofit organizations across metropolitan Chicago, and $57.4 million in 444 collaborative and affinity fund grants to more than 294 local nonprofits. The Trust’s website separately reported $1.4 billion in total grantmaking by the Trust and affiliated donor-advised funds in its 2025 annual report. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 4,316 grants totaling $1215 million.
The 2025 filing lists 4,316 grants totaling $1,215,357,534, with a median grant of $26,500 and amounts ranging from $5,004 to $47 million. The largest listed grants included $47 million to ImpactAssets Inc.; $40 million to Climate Imperative Foundation; $30 million each to Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation, Low Income Investment Fund, and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation; and $25 million each to The Pew Charitable Trusts and Taproot Earth. The stated purpose for these listed grants was general support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes.
The Trust’s website lists Coalitions Advancing Economic Mobility – Policy Change and Sponsorships among its current funding opportunities. It also describes an Arts & Culture for Community Wealth – Collective Power grant supporting two-year projects that combine community engagement, arts and culture, and economic growth in underinvested neighborhoods. The Chicago Fund for Safe and Peaceful Communities offers rapid-response grants of $1,000 to $10,000 for community-based activities that build cohesion and promote safety and peace. The Together Fund (Local Business) is part of We Rise Together, a coalition focused on equitable economic recovery in the Chicago region.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Bryan Traubert as Director & Chair. It also lists Anne Ladky, Brett Hart, Connie Lindsey, Ethan Meers, Gretchen Crosby Sims, Heather Steans, James Reynolds, Jesse Ruiz, and Lou Nieto as directors.
The Chicago Community Trust is led by Andrea Saenz, President & CEO since 2023 (on filings since 2019); 10 of 28 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Andrea Saenz
President & CEO
Chief Operating Officer → President & CEO, 2023
On filings since 2019
38 hrs/week
$120K (2019) → $624K (2025)
Bryan Traubert
Director & Chair
Director → Director & Chair, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Laura Kernaghan
Senior Director of Investments
New on the 2025 filing
39 hrs/week
$162K (2025)
Anne Ladky
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ethan Meers
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James Reynolds
Director
Director → Director & Chair, 2021
Director & Chair → Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lou Nieto
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Martin Cabrera Jr.
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Renetta McCann
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steven Koch
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Margaret Stineman
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Omar Duque
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Terry Peterson
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Connie Lindsey
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Heather Steans
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sandra Cordova Micek
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brett Hart
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gretchen Crosby Sims
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jesse Ruiz
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jessica Strausbaugh
Chief Financial Officer
On filings since 2019
38 hrs/week
$140K (2019) → $326K (2025)
Amy Pena
General Counsel & Secretary
Corporate Secretary & General Counsel → General Counsel, 2021
General Counsel → General Counsel & Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
38 hrs/week
$102K (2020) → $244K (2025)
Clothilde A Ewing
Vice President Strategic Communications
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$211K (2021) → $269K (2025)
Wendell Williams
Associate Vice President Talent & Administrator
Senior Director Talent → Associate Vice President Talent & Administrator, 2023
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$170K (2022) → $224K (2025)
Lisa Jericho
Vice President Innovation & Technology
Vice President Information Technology → Vice President Innovation & Technology, 2024
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$217K (2023) → $263K (2025)
Sylvia Garcia
Chief Operating Officer
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$99K (2024) → $326K (2025)
Marisa Novara
Vice President Community Impact
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$267K (2025)
Sheila Cawley
Chief Philanthropy Officer
New on the 2025 filing
38 hrs/week
$306K (2025)
Gretchen Wolf
General Counsel & Secretary
New on the 2025 filing
38 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (31)
- Former: Peggy Davis (2019–2024) — Former Vice President Community Impact
- Former: Kristin Vogen (2020–2024) — Associate Vice President Philanthropic Services
- Former: Jennifer Axelrod (2021–2024) — Senior Director Learning & Impact
- Former: Rosa Carrillo (2021–2024) — Controller
- Former: Gloria Castillo (2019–2023) — Associate Vice President Twr
- Former: Helene Gayle (2019–2023) — Former President & CEO
- Former: Jason Baxendale (2019–2023) — Former Vice President Philanthropic Serv.
- Former: Leslie Bluhm (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Linda S Wolf (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Mary Richardson-Lowry (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Kristin Vogen Interim VP (2023) — Philanthropic Serv.
- Former: Sylvia Garcia Chief (2023) — Operating Officer
- Former: Andrea Saenz Interim (2022) — President & CEO
- Former: Daniel Ash Associate (2022) — Vice President Community Impact
- Former: Jason Baxendale VP (2022) — Philanthropic Serv.
- Former: Daniel Ash (2019–2021) — Associate Vice President Community Imp
- Former: Shawn Donnelley (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Thomas L. Irvine (2019–2021) — Vice President Information Technology
- Former: Timothy Bresnahan (2020–2021) — Senior Director of Gift Plann
- Former: Heather Stains (2021) — Director
- Former: Antonette Irving (2019–2020) — Executive Director Get in Chicago
- Former: Carol Bernick (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: James O'Connor (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Terry Mazany (2019–2020) — Former President & CEO
- Former: William W. Towns (2019–2020) — Executive Director Benefit Chicago
- Former: Bill Strong (2019) — Director
- Former: Cari Sacks (2019) — Director
- Former: Carol Crenshaw (2019) — Former CFO
- Former: Cheryl Hughes (2019) — Senior Director of Engagement
- Former: Emily J. Harris (2019) — Executive Director Ada
- Former: Michael Tang (2019) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $624K, to Andrea Saenz (President & CEO). 10 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Chicago Community Trust
How much does The Chicago Community Trust give each year?
The Chicago Community Trust gave $1.2B across 4,316 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.4B across 3,976 grants.
What is The Chicago Community Trust's typical grant size?
The Chicago Community Trust's median grant in 2025 was $26,500, and its average grant was $281,593, across 4,316 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Chicago Community Trust that year got $281K on average.
Where does The Chicago Community Trust give grants?
The Chicago Community Trust's top state is Illinois, with 20% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were California (15%) and District of Columbia (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (888 grants), New York, NY (234 grants), Washington, DC (181 grants) and San Francisco, CA (64 grants).
Does The Chicago Community Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Chicago Community Trust's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (4,316 of 4,316) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are The Chicago Community Trust's largest grantees?
The Chicago Community Trust's largest 2025 grantees include ImpactAssets Inc ($47,000,000), Climate Imperative Foundation ($40,000,000) and Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation ($30,000,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($375,416), which are not listed by name. Together they received 10% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Chicago Community Trust?
The Chicago Community Trust reported $7.1B in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $2.1B.
What does The Chicago Community Trust fund?
The Trust’s stated mission is to provide assistance and relief to people in the Chicago region. Its current strategy centers on narrowing the region’s wealth gap and increasing Black and Latine income and assets, homeownership and home equity, and economic development in underinvested communities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Chicago Community Trust?
The Trust directs applicants to review open opportunities and apply through GrantCentral, its web-based application and grant-management platform. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Chicago Community Trust's EIN?
The Chicago Community Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-2167000. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 30, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 11, 2026)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 6, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 14, 2024)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Chicago Community Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Illinois
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
Saint Louis, MO
The Enterprise Holdings Foundation supports charitable and educational nonprofits in communities where Enterprise Mobility operates, focusing on health, education, arts, and disaster relief; applicants must be actively supported by an Enterprise Mobility team member, spouse, or domestic partner. Giving varies widely: it reported 9,499 grants in 2024, but its 2025 filing showed one grant of $101.4 million, so that amount is not a typical award. Applications are accepted at any time through eligible Enterprise-affiliated applicants; the Foundation does not limit giving to preselected organizations.
Assets
$594.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$101.4M
The Allstate Foundation
Northbrook, IL
The Allstate Foundation funds youth empowerment, efforts to prevent and address relationship abuse, nonprofit leadership, and related economic opportunity and equity work. Its 2024 grants ranged from $250 to $2 million, with a median of $1,000, and awards must support work in the United States. It accepts proposals from organizations beyond a preselected list; proposals are reviewed as received.
Assets
$89.3M
Grants
2,010
Total Given
$38.0M
Elks National Foundation Inc
Chicago, IL
The Elks National Foundation funds scholarships, youth programs, veterans’ services, and charitable projects through Elks Lodges and state associations across the United States. Its 2026 grants had a median size of $10,000, though awards varied widely; the profile describes application routes for specific Lodge and scholarship programs but does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$954.1M
Grants
1,536
Total Given
$36.5M
John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation
Chicago, IL
The MacArthur Foundation funds work advancing a more just, verdant, and peaceful world, including climate solutions, criminal justice, journalism, technology, and Chicago. In 2024, its grants had a median of $160,000, though awards ranged widely; it generally does not accept unsolicited requests, with possible exceptions for specific open calls or proposals that meet program guidelines.
Assets
$9.3B
Grants
1,086
Total Given
$356.1M
Arie and Ida Crown Memorial
Chicago, IL
Arie and Ida Crown Memorial supports education, the environment, health and human services, gun violence prevention, homelessness prevention, and Jewish community and Israel initiatives, with a strong focus on Chicago and giving across the U.S. and internationally. In 2024, its grants ranged from $500 to $3 million, with a median of $55,000. It uses an invitation-only process and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.4B
Grants
897
Total Given
$115.2M
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago
Chicago, IL
The Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago funds human services, Jewish education and community programs, crisis response, and support for Israel and Jewish communities worldwide, primarily through Chicago-area agencies and initiatives. In 2025, its grants had a median of about $20,000, though awards ranged widely; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.1B
Grants
896
Total Given
$166.6M
More similar funders
More Funders in Illinois
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Chicago Community Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 9, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-chicago-community-trust-morg_3ffe02f75566490b98c7eb72f1d5ac69
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_362167000_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Chicago Community Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-chicago-community-trust-morg_3ffe02f75566490b98c7eb72f1d5ac69},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-09. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Chicago Community Trust's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
The Chicago Community Trust down — hundreds of funders to go?