How do I obtain a Request for Proposals (RFP)?
Will any general operating support grants be awarded?
Does the Trust award multi-year grants?
My organization does not have tax-exempt status. Can we still apply?
Can my organization submit proposals for multiple grant making priorites?
If information in our pending proposal changes, what should we do?
My organization received a Trust grant in the past. Are we eligible to apply again?
Can organizations apply for grants from donor advised funds?
The Trust has refined its strategic grant making to respond more effectively to the current challenges and opportunities affecting our region. The Trust will provide grants to support system changes and community programs that will assist in achieving four community goals:
- Advancing opportunities for human and economic development
- Securing conditions for healthy, safe, just, and caring communities
- Promoting civic and cultural vitality
- Transforming the region through sustainable development.
More information can be found in our funding priorities.
The Trust has not changed its policies regarding ineligible projects or recipients. The Trust will not provide grants for:
- Scholarships
- Individuals
- Sectarian purposes (programs that promote or require a religious doctrine)
- Support of single-disease oriented research, treatment or care
- The sole purpose of writing, publishing, producing or distributing audio, visual or printed material
- The sole purpose of conducting conferences, festivals, exhibitions or meetings
- Reducing operating deficits or liquidating existing debt
The above are not funded by the Trust, except in instances where donors elect to provide grants for those purposes.
How does my organization apply?
First, determine if your project fits any of the grant priorities of the Trust. If it does, follow the instructions provided in the grant guidelines to complete the application.
The Trust will continue to have three grant cycles each year. Unless otherwise noted, the schedule for the open Requests for Proposals will be as follows:
- RFPs released on July 15: application deadline September 1
- RFPs released on November 15: application deadline January 4
- RFPs released on March 15: application deadline May 1
For more application deadlines, visit the grants calendar.
What's different under the new strategic plan for grant making?
The Trust will continue to fund most of the areas previously considered as priorities for grant making. The key changes include:
Instead of having five program areas, the Trust defines its work as an effort to achieve four community goals:
- Advancing opportunities for human and economic development
- Securing conditions for healthy, safe, just, and caring communities
- Promoting civic and cultural vitality
- Transforming the region through sustainable development.
Each area of grant making has a specific set of outcomes tied to a community goal. Proposals are selected based on their ability or potential to contribute to delivering the outcomes.
Due to funding limitations, the Trust will no longer provide funding for Civic Engagement and Management and Organizational Development as stand-alone funding areas. Any community organizing effort previously funded under Civic Engagement must fit under a specific priority area and demonstrate contributions toward achieving the outcomes described.
Unless otherwise noted, the Trust will no longer use the two-step application process (i.e. Letter of Inquiry and Proposal Submission) to accept grant applications. Most funding areas will use an open, public Request for Proposals (RFP) process that explains funding criteria in greater detail so that grant seekers can determine with greater clarity whether or not their projects fit the grant guidelines. The grant selection process will be reduced from six months to approximately four and a half months.
How did the Trust determine its new grant priorities?
The last comprehensive strategic plan for grant making was completed in 2000. Since then, conditions in our community have changed. To be responsive to those changes, the Trust conducted a new strategic plan in 2010. The planning process included these steps:
- The Trust worked with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, the area's planning agency, to develop a comprehensive plan for the region for the year 2040. Organizations with expertise in specific challenges facing our region were commissioned to create research and reports to contribute to the planning process.
- The Trust conducted meetings with grant recpients, civic and community leaders to gain their perspectives and knowledge on critical issues facing our communities and potential solutions.
- The Trust reviewed studies and research in areas identified as high priorities by regional planners, community leaders and grant recipients. The Trust also conducted a review of lessons learned from thirty years of grant making.
The new grant priorities were reviewed and approved by the Executive Committee in November 2010.
How do I obtain a Request for Proposals (RFP)?
All RFPs will be posted on the Trust's website when they are released. You can subscribe to receive notice of new RFPs in your area of interest using the sign-up form on each funding priority's web page.
Will any general operating support grants be awarded?
Organizations can request operating support as part of their request for planning or implementation of specific projects. The availability of general operating support will be determined by specific grant priorities.
Does the Trust award multi-year grants?
No, the Trust does not make multi-year grants.
My organization does not have tax-exempt status. Can we still apply?
The Trust funds nonprofit agencies with evidence of tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code that are not classified as private foundations. The Trust also accepts applications from agencies that operate under a nonprofit fiscal sponsor. Our grants management staff verifies the nonprofit status of all applicant nonprofits and fiscal sponsors using Guidestar.
Can my organization submit proposals for multiple grant making priorites?
The Trust is open to receive proposals from any organization with projects that fit within our grant guidelines. Given the limited amount of funding available, the Trust expects the grant making process to be highly competitive.
Yes, it is possible that your organization will be awarded a smaller grant than requested.
You will receive an acknowledgment on-screen when you complete your application. You will not receive an additional email confirmation from the Trust. Results of the proposal evaluation are determined by program officers, then approved by the Executive Committee at its meetings in January, May and September—the date of your grant decision is included in the online description of the RFP. The Trust will notify your organization of the results within one week of that Executive Committee meeting.
Results of the proposal evaluation are determined by program officers and approved by the Executive Committee at its meetings in January, May and September. The Trust will notify your organization of the funding results within one week of the Executive Committee meeting. You can send an inquiry on the status of your grant application by contacting the grants management staff at grants@cct.org.
If information in our pending proposal changes, what should we do?
Any change that may affect the Trust's evaluation and decision should be brought to the attention of the grant management office or appropriate Trust program officer as soon as possible.
My organization received a Trust grant in the past. Are we eligible to apply again?
If your agency has completed the requirements of all previous Trust grants, including the final grant report, you may submit an application. Please review the Trust's current funding opportunities to be sure your program fits within our new priorities.
Can organizations apply for grants from donor advised funds?
Organizations may not apply directly to donor advised funds. Grants from these funds are made at the sole discretion of the donor, whose areas of interest can be very different from the Trust's grant priorities.
Why does the name of a fund appear on grant record forms?
The Chicago Community Trust endowment is a union of numerous gifts, bequests and other contributions from many individuals, families, businesses and other organizations. Income from these various donor sources is used to fulfill grants and is, therefore, identified.
Does the Trust publicize grant awards?
While the Trust does not expect every grant recipient to invest in publicizing the grant, the primary responsibility for publicizing a grant award rests with the grant recipient. The Trust greatly encourages recipients to publicize their award and their good works. Any publicity of or reference to a Trust grant must be approved by the Trust’s marketing & communications staff. Grant recipients will receive a copy of the “Publicity for Grant Recipients” guidelines, which outlines the approval process. Any questions regarding publicity, logo or press releases should be emailed to
In addition, all grants made by the Trust will be noted in the Trust’s publications and may be subject to additional publicity by the Trust.
Does the Trust release information about grant applicants to other funders?
The Trust’s evaluation of an organization and/or its proposal may, on occasion, be shared with other funding sources unless the applicant specifically requests that it not be.
The Trust does not publicize grant requests it declines, but it may share the reasons for that decision with other funding sources unless the applicant specifically requests that it not.
If your organization does not want its information shared with other funders, please contact the Trust’s grants management staff at 312.616.800 or email grants@cct.org.
If our proposal is declined, can our organization reapply?
Any proposal submitted for consideration by the Trust must fit our grant guidelines and requirements. To the extent that the proposal fits the guidelines, an organization can reapply.
I have more questions about applying. How can I get additional help?
Contact our grants management staff at grants@cct.org.
I’m not seeking a grant; I’m looking for a way to give. Can the Trust help?
A key component of the Trust’s mission is to support philanthropy by assisting current and prospective donors in identifying appropriate giving vehicles, finding worthy charity recipients and planning an efficient and effective way to reach their philanthropic goals.
Please visit our resources for donors for more information about how the Trust can help facilitate your desire to improve Chicago’s future.
