LGBTQ Community Fund Grants $420,000 to Support Youth, Seniors, and the Arts in 2024
The LGBTQ Community Fund, an affinity fund of The Chicago Community Trust, unites donors to support Chicago’s LGBTQ community. Since its founding in 2010,…
Supporting Chicago’s LGBTQ community through philanthropy.
$4.25 Million
Dollars Raised
$2.5 Million
Dollars Granted
148
Active Donors
45
Organizations Impacted
The LGBTQ Community Fund of The Chicago Community Trust is seeking support of individuals and organizations in the Chicago area to identify and nominate candidates to join its Steering Committee. Nominations will be accepted through February 24, 2025 and can be submitted via the form linked here. Please see the nomination memo below for details on criteria, timeline and process, and Steering Committee member expectations. Please reach out to us at lgbtq@cct.org with any questions.
In 2010, civic leaders joined in a commitment to addressing a broad range of needs within the LGBTQ community, through strategic support to nonprofit organizations that serve it.
Through an operating grant from The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust and funding support from The Chicago Community Trust, the LGBTQ Community Fund serves as a tool to educate the region about LGBTQ issues and promote effective philanthropy to achieve strategic change.
To learn more about our grants recipients and donors, click here.
The LGBTQ Community Fund, an affinity fund of The Chicago Community Trust, unites donors to support Chicago’s LGBTQ community. Since its founding in 2010,…
The LGBTQ Community Fund, an affinity fund of The Chicago Community Trust, unites donors to support Chicago’s LGBTQ community. Since its founding in 2010,…
2020 marked the 10th anniversary of the LGBTQ Community Fund (the Fund) at The Chicago Community Trust, and 2021 marked the beginning of…
Community: We are part of, and invested in, an inclusive community; we act and collaborate with empathy and social responsibility.
Justice: We respect and celebrate human diversity and difference; we work to dismantle homophobia, racism and transphobia to address historical and systemic marginalization.
Connection: We seek to connect Chicagoland’s LGBTQ population and its organizations to ideas, research, and one other.
Courage: We champion leadership, innovation, and creativity; we act on principle and challenge the status quo.
Pragmatism: We support research to understand our community and its needs; we support real-world solutions and measurable results.
MISSION
To advance Chicagoland’s LGBTQ Community through research, connection, and focused grantmaking.
VISION
The LGBTQ Community Fund envisions a Chicagoland LGBTQ Community thriving in a safe, equitable, and supportive environment.
Steering Committee | Life Members |
---|---|
Bernard Bartilad, Co-Chair | Prue Beidler |
Luis Roman, Co-Chair | Denise Foy |
Jennifer Brier | Adnaan Hamid |
Raymond Crossman | Ken O’Keefe |
Katie Eccles | Ryan VanMeter |
Caronina Grimble | |
Dara Ignacio | Founding Co-Chairs |
Kristin Scott | James L. Alexander |
Lorenza Taylor | Prue Beidler |
Carla Wheeler |
The fund works toward the vision of a region where Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer residents live responsibly in harmony with all communities, enjoying the same freedoms and quality of life, and with the same opportunity to make the region a better and safer place for all to live.
The LGBTQ Community Fund is also an endowed fund, which also dedicates its endowment income to providing strategic grant support for nonprofit agencies. With this permanent resource, the most pressing needs of Chicago’s LGBTQ community can be met in perpetuity—no matter what challenges emerge in years ahead.
Our work is made possible through the generous donations of individuals, foundations, and corporations. Nearly 200 donors have supported our work since the Fund’s founding.
Make A GiftTo stay up-to-date with the work of the LGBTQ Community Fund, please complete an interest form to receive future communications from Affinity Funds.
Sign Up for UpdatesAffinity funds are groups of donors united by a shared heritage, identity, or common interest. They offer an efficient way to support a specific group of people and the nonprofits that aid them by leveraging contributions through collective giving.