Grant Areas

Social services remains the Foundation’s largest funding category. Grants are made to organizations providing critical services in underserved communities throughout Chicago. We continue to prefer programs that provide long-term, intensive support to help people achieve greater success in their lives. Examples include permanent supportive housing, job-training programs with extensive post-placement tracking and support, comprehensive services for immigrants and refugees and long-term programs that help youth develop academic, leadership and conflict resolution skills. Much of our funding supports programs that reach families of Chicago public school students.

The Foundation’s continuing commitment to education focuses on improving teaching, student achievement and parent involvement in Chicago public schools. We support collaborations between schools and community organizations to help students and families access services at their schools before, during and after the school day. In addition to programs for students of all ages, our grants support professional development and training for teachers, training and technical assistance for local school councils and leadership development activities for parents.

Most of the Foundation’s grants for cultural programs support in-school work with Chicago public school students, with priority given to programs that include teacher training. We fund organizations that help teachers integrate fine arts into their curricula, as well as those that provide students with direct instruction in music, art, dance and theater techniques.

The Foundation’s support for health care reflects a continuing commitment to prevention and community-based care. Examples include the delivery of services in school-based health centers, programs serving Chicago school students who have asthma and training for immigrants who serve as health promoters in their communities.