The Chicago Community Trust

Last week, Trust President & CEO Andrea Sáenz joined Chicago Innovation and fellow panelists (Alexi Giannoulias, Pete Kadens, Christy George, Kevin Warren, and Brad Henderson) for "Innovating Chicago: A New Vision for Our City’s Future." In discussing the future of the #Chicago region and what it will take to get there, speakers were invited to share their perspectives on how thinking differently and taking bold risks is a path forward to ensure a new vision for Chicago takes shape. Andrea noted: "This is the year to show our resilience. Chicago has one of the most engaged business and civic sectors, a robust nonprofit community, universities pursuing groundbreaking new ideas, and policymakers who listen. Facing adversity is when we come together for our neighbors and shine."

A Latine-owned coffee shop, Back of the Yards Coffee Co., reopened last weekend—the first of several businesses opening this spring as part of the United Yards development. In addition to serving drinks, baked goods, and Latin American-inspired food, the shop is designed to be a community hub. United Yards is a grant recipient of We Rise Together: For an Equitable & Just Recovery (housed at The Chicago Community Trust). #Chicago #Philanthropy #WeRiseWednesdays Learn more: https://bit.ly/426Xtt7

Did you stop by the Bank of America #ShamrockShuffle on Sunday? ?? Congratulations to all the participants, especially several of our amazing Trust staffers who joined and cheered for each other. ?? #Chicago

The Disabilities Fund at The Chicago Community Trust is an affinity fund that supports organizations advancing disability inclusion, rights and justice. Recently, the Fund underwent a year-long transformation to adopt a participatory grantmaking model that better centers the perspectives of those with lived experience of disability. #Chicago #Philanthropy To honor Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (March 1-March 31), Adam Ballard met with Cora Fassett, the Trust’s strategic communications intern, to discuss how the Disabilities Fund is working to build a more equitable Chicago. Adam is the interim co-chair of the Fund and a longtime community activist focused on disability and aging issues. He takes an intersectional approach to policy work that addresses fair and affordable housing, transportation, and community development. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gCHH68Fn

ICYMI: Press Forward was just named to Fast Company’s 2025 list of Most Innovative Companies in the "not-for-profit" category. The Press Forward movement seeks to replicate and scale the things that are working in journalism right now, with an aim for local outlets to achieve long-term sustainability. The Chicago Community Trust houses the local chapter of #PressForward Chicago, which awarded $1.6 million in its first round of grants, focused on diversifying revenue streams and filling gaps in coverage. In 2025, it will deploy $2 million more to media outlets for capacity-building and shared backend services. Our goal at Press Forward #Chicago is to raise $20 million over five years. We have already raised more than half of that goal. Join us: www.cct.org/pressforward

At #AdNet this week? Make sure to say hello to Trust staff members Ianna Kachoris Ori, Molly Rand, CAP?, and Bob Eichinger. The Advancement Network Inc. (AdNet) is a premier networking and professional resource for community foundation team members serving in fund development, philanthropic advising, and donor services. #Philanthropy Catch Ianna, Molly and Bob at the following sessions: ? From Prospect to Philanthropist: Strategies to Build Effective and Impactful Donor Engagement (w/ Molly on Tuesday @ 1:30pm) ? Leading with Vision: Proactive Fundraising Strategies for Growing Community Impact (w/ Bob on Tuesday @ 3pm) ? Courageous Community Foundations: Inspiring Donors to Engage In Local Investing (w/ Bob on Wednesday @ 11:55am) ? The Road Ahead for Community Foundations: Federal & Local Policy & Advocacy (w/ Ianna on Wednesday @ 12:55pm) Learn more: https://bit.ly/3XkOYsI

Last week, The Chicago Community Trust was honored to receive the Institutional Award at Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago's 50th Anniversary event—accepted by the Trust's Marisa Novara (who also received the Community Impact Award). #Chicago NHS COO Donna Clarke noted: "With respect to NHS’ mission, the Trust has supported our policy work on addressing appraisal biases, legislation so residents won’t lose their homes due to small property tax arrearages, the Mortgage Access Initiative, and now an Equitable Mortgage Product that we hope will expand home affordability for low-to-moderate income Chicagoans. They continue to push and invest in NHS to create 'systems change' as part of a cross-sector homeownership initiative called Connecting Capital and Community. They supported We Rise Together to ensure no community was left behind in our economic recovery from the pandemic-fueled recession and through many other grantmaking efforts, partnerships, and initiatives to catalyze neighborhood investment." Learn more about NHS: https://nhschicago.org/

In conversation yesterday with Carrie Shepherd and the Axios Chicago team on expanding affordable housing, Trust President & CEO Andrea Sáenz noted: “Homes and the equity that you build over time in your home is the single biggest contributor to family wealth in the United States. That is particularly true in communities of color who tend to have less access to a more diversified portfolio of wealth-building strategies like retirement funds and investment funds. So, for us [at the Trust], we have been really focused on figuring out how to increase wealth in communities of color in #Chicago as a way to create stability, to create opportunities for those families to have access to resources to invest in their own future—to weather a storm, to plan, to start a business if that’s what they aspire to do. So, when we looked at all of the ways that we might play some role in helping those families build the wealth that would allow them to have well-being in the long-term and pass it on to the next generation, #homeownership became an obvious area of focus.” Link to the full event video: https://bit.ly/4hmTqOM

A new report focused on a guaranteed basic income program, run by the West Side-based nonprofit Equity and Transformation (E.A.T.) through its Chicago Future Fund initiative, found the program reduced debt, decreased recidivism, increased housing stability, and increased motivation for seeking employment. Participants who engaged in community-based E.A.T. programs felt an increased sense of belonging. #Chicago Read: https://bit.ly/4iCa9il

Yesterday evening, Chicago Innovation, under the leadership of CEO Luke Tanen, hosted an outstanding panel discussion at the Rauner Family YMCA in Little Village. With over 300 attendees, the event provided a platform for five distinguished Chicago leaders to share their insights on the topic: "Innovating Chicago: A New Vision for Our City's Future." The discussion was expertly moderated by Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias and featured: -??????Kevin Warren, President & CEO, Chicago Bears -??????Andrea Sáenz, President & CEO, The Chicago Community Trust Trust -??????Christy George, President & CEO, Intersect Illinois -??????Brad Henderson, CEO, P33 Chicago -??????Pete Kadens, Founder, Hope Chicago, & Chairman, Kadens Family Foundation The conversation covered a wide range of critical topics, including strengthening connections between Chicago’s top-tier academic institutions and neighborhoods; the state's promising focus on the Quantum ecosystem; increasing investment in Chicago’s youth; the importance of big, bold ideas to elevate Chicago’s global narrative and much more. Each panelist brought a clear-eyed perspective on the challenges facing the city, coupled with a strong belief in the power of inclusive economic growth and forward-thinking investments. The evening’s key takeaway? Chicago’s potential is limitless when we work together to build a more vibrant and equitable future. What resonated loud and clear with the audience was the unwavering love for Chicago shared by every leader on stage. Their passion and commitment to the city’s success were truly inspiring. A huge thank you to Chicago Innovation and everyone involved in making this conversation such a powerful moment for our community!