Fry Foundation: Employment Grant

Fry Foundation: Employment Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Lloyd A. Fry Foundation
Last Updated: October 15, 2025

Summary

The Fry Foundation's Employment Grant aims to support organizations with 501(c)(3) status that focus on job training programs for low-income individuals in Chicago. The foundation prioritizes proposals that enhance program effectiveness and foster innovative approaches to workforce development. By addressing urban poverty and promoting access to living-wage jobs, the foundation seeks to empower underserved communities and improve their overall quality of life.

Overview

NOTE: If you are seeking support for the first time or if you are a returning grantee seeking support for a new project, we highly recommend that you send us a letter of inquiry before you submit a full proposal. While a letter of inquiry is not required prior to submission of a proposal, it will allow us to give you preliminary feedback concerning your request and its potential fit within our funding priorities. Letters of inquiry should include a brief description of the proposed project, a project budget, and other projected sources of support. Typically, a letter of two to three pages is sufficient to help us understand your program.Unlike formal proposals, there are no deadlines for submitting letters of inquiry. Please allow our program officers 30 days to respond to your request. Background The Lloyd A. Fry Foundation supports organizations with the strength and commitment to address persistent problems of urban Chicago resulting from poverty, violence, ignorance, and despair. We seek to build the capacity of individuals and the systems that serve them. Our vision is a Chicago that offers education, prosperity and hope for all. The Foundation focuses on programs that improve conditions for low-income, underserved communities in Chicago, and we are especially interested in efforts that will foster learning and innovation. We award grants in four major fields: Arts Learning, Education, Employment, and Health. Within these funding areas, we give priority to: Programs with a demonstrated record of high-quality, effective servicesEfforts to improve the quality and effectiveness of programs and services (these might include program design, evaluation or staff development efforts, among others) The development of innovative approaches that will contribute valuable examples, information, and knowledge to others working in the field The Foundation also considers policy advocacy efforts that help ensure low-income communities and individuals in Chicago are treated fairly and have access to the services they need and deserve. Employment Grants Our Employment Program addresses our commitment to helping families and individuals move out of poverty. We support comprehensive job training programs that help low-income individuals improve their ability to compete for living-wage jobs and careers. We also recognize the need to improve the overall effectiveness of the workforce development system. We welcome applications for policy advocacy efforts to improve the quality of job and education training programs and to increase access to education and training for low-income adults.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. The Fry Foundation supports organizations that have 501(c)(3) status with the IRS.We make grants only to tax-exempt organizations and rarely fund organizations outside Chicago.

Ineligibility

What The Foundation Does Not Fund:In general, the Foundation does not make grants to individuals, governmental entities, or 509(a)(3) supporting organizations, although exceptions sometimes are made for publicly supported charities. We also do not provide funding for: general operating expenses for new grantees, capital projects, endowments, fundraising events, political activities, medical research, or religious purposes.We rarely fund unsolicited applications from organizations based outside Chicago.When exceptions are made, we look for organizations with strong local board leaders who are responsible for establishing program priorities and policies in Chicago. In addition, organizations must agree that funds awarded for Chicago-based programs remain in Chicago and are not included in calculations of funds exchanged between local and national offices.