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The Foundation focuses on programs that improve conditions for low-income, underserved communities in Chicago, and we are especially interested efforts that will foster learning and innovation.
We award grants in four major fields: Education, Arts Education, Employment, and Health. Within these funding areas, we give priority to:
- Programs with a demonstrated record of high quality, effective services
- Efforts to improve the quality and effectiveness of programs and services (these might include program design, evaluation or staff development efforts, among others)
- The development of innovative approaches that will contribute valuable examples, information and knowledge to others working in the field
The Foundation also considers policy advocacy efforts that help ensure low-income communities and individuals in Chicago are treated fairly and have access to the services they need and deserve.
The Foundation is interested in investing in organizations and ideas that demonstrate exceptional potential for making a difference in one or more of the Foundation's four grantmaking areas. These projects show promise of developing new information or program innovations useful to other organizations, institutions and policymakers. In these cases, the Foundation will consider grants which represent larger or longer-term commitments than is otherwise typical.
In all reviews of proposals, we look for strong program designs with clear expected outcomes and specific procedures for assessing and evaluating progress.
Our funding guidelines are described below. For instructions on how to apply for a grant, please see our Grant Application Procedures.
Education
The Education Program has been a cornerstone of our grantmaking since the Foundation's inception. Our interests in education focus on improving public education and expanding educational opportunities in order to increase the academic achievement and college graduation rates of low-income students in Chicago public schools. Teacher professional development, school leadership development, academic enrichment, and college preparation are among the activities we fund to support this goal. The Foundation also considers grant requests for policy advocacy when the connection to academic achievement is clear.
We give priority to programs that measure improvements to academic achievement, instructional quality or college enrollment rates. The Foundation encourages proposals that include efforts to enhance the quality of programs. These efforts might include professional development for program staff, incorporating new program elements, or the development of evaluation tools, among others.
We generally do not fund unsolicited proposals from individual schools. On occasion, the Foundation will solicit proposals from individual schools for programs that demonstrate exemplary success or a promising innovation in one of the Foundation's priority areas. In soliciting proposals from individual schools, we look for: a record of strong academic performance among students; a focus on improving academic achievement; and indicators that the work funded by the grant will contribute valuable lessons and strategies that can be adopted by other schools. After an initial year of funding, schools may be required to develop plans for making the lessons learned under the grant available to other schools.
Arts Education
Our Arts Education funding focuses on programs for low-income Chicago children and youth that use the arts as a means to improve learning and provide life-enriching experiences. We are interested in efforts to improve the quality and expand the availability of arts education programs, especially in Chicago Public Schools. The Foundation considers support for arts education for students and professional development for arts educators.
We give priority to arts education programs that provide a combination of arts instruction, performance or exhibition experience, and interaction with professional artists and arts educators. We look for programs that are artistically rigorous, engage students in the creative process, and assess student learning in the arts.
We look for teacher-training programs that immerse educators in the practice and study of the arts and present teachers with innovative strategies for teaching the arts, engaging students in the creative process, and assessing student progress. We look for programs that provide ongoing support, expertise and resources to both teachers and students.
The Foundation is also interested in proposals to convene experts to share information, facilitate discussion with arts educators, and help shape and strengthen arts education in Chicago Public Schools.
Employment
Our Employment Program addresses our commitment to helping families and individuals move out of poverty. We support employment programs that help low-income individuals build the knowledge and skills necessary to find and keep jobs. We are particularly interested in programs that help individuals improve their potential to advance to living-wage jobs and careers. Grants are made to projects that focus on: employment-related literacy and English as a Second Language; employment assistance programs that offer pre-employment, job placement and job retention services; and vocational training connected to growing industries.
We recognize the need to improve the quality and effectiveness of employment programs. We encourage proposals for efforts to build the capacity of organizations to deliver high-quality employment services. We also welcome proposals for policy advocacy efforts to improve the quality of education and training programs and to increase access to education and training for low-income adults.
Health
The Health Program seeks to improve access to quality care for Chicago's low-income residents. We support programs that target Chicago's underserved neighborhoods and communities with needed primary care (including medical, vision, dental, and mental health care), community outreach and disease prevention programs, and policy advocacy efforts. We give priority to research-based initiatives that: incorporate health education, early disease detection, and treatment interventions for chronic diseases (such as asthma, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and hypertension); enroll families into government-subsidized health insurance programs (such as All Kids, FamilyCare, Medicaid, and Medicare); include strategic partnerships between a health system and community-based organizations; focus on linguistically and culturally competent programs for limited-English speaking immigrants; and improve knowledge and practice in the health field.
We will consider programs operated by non-profit community service organizations, community health centers, hospitals, and policy advocacy organizations. Programs must demonstrate the ability to measure improvements in access to care and health status within an accessible, culturally and linguistically competent environment.
What the Foundation Does Not Fund
In general, the Foundation does not make grants to individuals, governmental entities, or 509(a)(3) Supporting Organizations, although exceptions sometimes are made for publicly supported charities. We also do not provide funding for: general operating expenses for new grantees, capital projects, endowments, fundraising events, political activities, medical research or religious purposes.
We rarely fund unsolicited proposals from organizations based outside Chicago. When exceptions are made, we look for organizations with strong local board leaders who are responsible for establishing program priorities and policies in Chicago. In addition, organizations must agree that funds awarded for Chicago-based programs remain in Chicago and are not included in calculations of funds exchanged between local and national offices.