The Young Leaders Fund provides young professionals, 25 to 45 years old an innovative way to make a difference to the Chicago community.
Created by the Trust in 1994, The Young Leaders Fund turns the grant making process over to its young donors. With support from the Trust, they research innovative not-for-profit grassroots organizations, making site visits and interviewing staff, evaluate grant requests and finally make grant recommendations.
The Young Leaders Fund members not only learn the ins and outs of philanthropy through hands-on experience, they also get a real education in their community, its needs and the not-for-profit groups that are attempting to meet those challenges. In short, they become effective volunteers and civic leaders.
Each member of The Young Leaders Fund makes a contribution to the fund’s endowment, which is then matched by the Trust and by an alumni endowment.
The Young Leaders Fund members award about $50,000 in grants each year. Since 1994, The Young Leaders Fund has directed more than $650,000 to more than 150 innovative, entrepreneurial not-for-profit organizations in metropolitan Chicago.
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